For arthritis-afflicted people, the pain is not only affecting them physically but emotionally as well, orthopedic experts say. According to a recent study, arthritis exerts a strong influence over one’s emotion and quality of life. It has a holistic effect, indeed. To add burden over this, those who have faulty hip replacement implants are suffering twice more.
 
One of the most common problems associated with chronic diseases is depression. This should not be overlooked as a mere psychological condition which may interfere with daily routines. Treatment of arthritis must not be limited to orthopedists and surgeons but should include other healthcare professionals as well such as psychologists, occupational therapists, and psychiatrists.
 
What they may do to you:
 
Psychologists
 
The work of psychologists involved studying the human mind and the reasons behind an action. They may provide certain approaches or plans on how to manage arthritis, as well as identify the need for medications such as antidepressants on when to incorporate this type of medicine in the treatment.
 
In fact, a type of antidepressant drug, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) has now been used in conjunction with some pain relievers for arthritis. SSRIs function by making serotonin circulate in the brain more causing a euphoric effect.
 
In addition, Jackson Rainer, a psychologist and dean of the graduate school at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina said that when patients are experiencing stiffness in their joints, they might also stiffen up emotionally too.
 
Occupational therapists
 
Study shows that in an arthritis care plan (included in occupational therapy) it may help people with osteoarthritis stay on the go. Occupational therapists work by assisting people with mental, physical or social disabilities to individually carry out daily tasks or jobs. They also make individual treatment plans, assess patient’s development, and make alterations to the treatment as needed.
 
Occupational therapists may recommend range-of-motion exercises to painful and stiff joints. In the morning, having paraffin baths may help comfort the pain also. Their aim is to comprehend each person’s necessities and lifestyle so they can produce the best care plan for them.
 
Psychiatrists
 
Chronic ailments do really affect the mood and behaviour of its victims, and arthritis is one example of a chronic condition. Mahmoud Ahmed, a psychiatrist at Marshfield Clinic at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, said that arthritis is just not about the pain. Some think that having the disease is like death already. This is where depression sets in. A psychiatrist can distinguish signs of depression or anxiety and efficiently treat them. If and only when required, a psychiatrist may prescribe medicine to help manage depression.

 
What is really needed for a successful management of arthritis is treating both the mind and body. These two are in sync, so it is best to give proper attention to them before it will get worse.
 
Severe arthritis often leads to surgeries such as hip replacements wherein metal-on-metal hip implants are being used. However, severe complications arise from it such as swelling, pain, and metallosis. With these, people are stirred to file lawsuits against the manufacturers of these hip implants. Read more here, https://www.stryker-hip-replacement-recall.com/
 
 
Sources:
foundhealth.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/mind
everydayhealth.com/osteoarthritis/arthritis-therapies.aspx

The ban against metal-on-metal hip replacement implants has been widely requested by several medical experts, based on the reports by The Guardian. The newspaper revealed that research has found explicit findings of high failure rates of these implants, particularly among women.

There have been a number of researches in the recent months scrutinizing on the safety issues of some metal-on-metal hip replacements, and discovering that these types of implants may have a faster deterioration rate than implants designed from plastics and ceramic parts.

Hip implant recipients may find MoM hip implants unsafe to use due to its one very unique aspect. Because of the recent hip implants recalls, healthcare providers have taken the steps to reveal metal-on-metal implants’ high failure rates and the potential harm it may brought about to a patient caused by large amount of metal debris.

It has been discovered that metal debris causes damage on soft tissues and in and around the hip joint. Various studies have found that it may effect on directly killing the tissues and stimulating an inflammatory process. Pseudo-tumors have been detected to develop in the tissues near the metal hip in most patients who are embedded with large MoM hips.

These benign tumors are growths of pus and scar tissue resulting from this inflammatory process that has occurred in response to the foreign object implanted in the body. Metallosis is the term used when the body responds to metal exposure.

This inflammatory process can also affect the body's immune response by penetrating the T-lymphocytes, or T-cells, that drive up the body's hypersensitivity response. This is where the health consequences to cobalt and chromium become a larger concern. Cobalt has been known to cause cardiomyopathy, hypothyroidism, and both cobalt and chromium may possibly contribute to neurotoxic outcomes, as well as carcinogenesis, or cancer.

Stryker voluntarily recalled in July 2012 two of its products, the Rejuvenate and ABG II modular systems. According to Stryker Orthopaedics, there is a potential for fretting and corrosion where the parts of these modular Stryker hip replacements come together.

The official statement of Stryker Orthopaedics about this matter is that its revision surgery rates were below one percent. The data was used by May 28, 2012, however, it is not used already. Instead, Stryker describes the complication rates as extremely low. Although this is intended to sound reassuring, it also tells us they are likely uncertain about the actual failure rate.

Thinking of getting a hip replacement operation? Better weigh the risks and benefits of it first, to save yourself from further injury.

Source:

nytimes.com/2010/03/04/health/04metalhip.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/06/27/fda-probing-safety-of-metal-on-metal-hip-implants

orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00625