4 Reasons to Visit a Hip Surgeon If You’re a Senior

If you have noticed the recent trend of seniors getting hip surgery, then you’ve probably been wondering why this is happening. Your hip joint is one of your body’s most important joints. It’s designed to help you move around. When it becomes faulty or damaged, you can end up as a candidate to see hip surgeons in Melbourne. One of the most popular procedures is hip resurfacing. Hip resurfacing replicates the ball and socket construction of a natural hip joint without a socket. This means that the ball component is particularly durable and lasts many years longer than traditional prostheses do. 

Here are four reasons you should visit a hip surgeon for your care needs if you’re nearing retirement age.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the cause of hip pain in more than half of all seniors over 65 years old. Studies suggest that osteoarthritis may be caused by daily tasks like bending over to pick things up or walking up and downstairs. Seniors should be using orthotic insoles for plantar fasciitis while walking, so they don’t pressure the hip that much. However,  with aging, the cartilage wears away, the junction between bones grows in size, and there is a lack of synovial fluid, which helps joint movement. For seniors experiencing hip pain, a replacement might be a good option. Hip replacements are commonplace surgeries where most patients feel pain relief almost immediately, energy levels increase, and mobility is enhanced.

Bone tumors

If you’re 75 years or older, it will make sense to start believing the signs you may have bone tumors. That’s because, according to a report in the “Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery,” most seniors over age 70 should be screened for bone tumors yearly. Even when there is no family history of bone cancer, many types of bone tumors are caused by different forms of cancer like osteosarcoma or chondrosarcoma. And these can also cause pain, swelling, limitation in movements, and more.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of autoimmune and inflammatory disease that causes inflammation to the joints, muscles, eyes, skin, and lungs. The condition can either affect the senior socially or at their workplace. It is very severe, but it comes with many treatments that the doctors can do.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term chronic disease that causes inflammation of the joints. It mainly affects women, and it is more commonly found in countries with cold climates. The illness can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. Since it causes damage to the joint cartilage and bone tissue, rheumatoid arthritis contributes to osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.

Osteonecrosis

Last year, the senior population in America topped 71 million marks. This number is expected to increase by about 10% per year as the baby boomer generation ages. The people who fall into this category are of a certain age group which means they will be more susceptible to degenerative diseases. One such disease is Osteonecrosis or ON.

Osteonecrosis also called invasive bone fungus and avascular necrosis, is a condition in which the bones become weak and die from any combination of decreased blood flow or death of bone cells. Because it is very painful, there is often an initial feeling of discomfort that leads to the people affected by this condition seeking help promptly. Those who visit early can be treated effectively to reduce damage and loss of alignment caused by osteonecrosis.