While arthritis can strike any joint in your body, its effects on your knees and hips are especially problematic, hampering your ability to make your way through life. If you’re plagued by arthritic hips and knees that are steadily placing more limitations on your life, Ugo Ihekweazu, MD, can help. At his Houston practice, Dr. Ihekweazu offers total and partial knee and hip replacement surgeries, allowing you to regain your freedom of movement. To learn more, call the office or schedule an appointment using the online booking tool.
Arthritis isn’t a single disease, but rather a group of conditions that causes inflammation and pain in your joints. The various forms of arthritis affect approximately 54 million people in the United States, with the following types leading the charge:
This form of arthritis is far and away the most common, with 31 million Americans in its grips. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that leads to the deterioration of the cartilage in your joints.
This type of arthritis is classified as an autoimmune disorder as your body mistakenly attacks your joints.
This kind of arthritis is also an autoimmune inflammatory disease that attacks the soft tissue in your joints.
There are many other forms of arthritis — in fact, over a hundred — but these three make up the majority of cases.
While there are many types of arthritis, the end result is often similar and affects each joint in the same way, including your hips and knees. The most common signs of arthritis in a joint include:
Depending upon the severity and location of your arthritis, the disease can have a major impact on your life, limiting your body in significant ways — which is especially true of your hips and knees.
In its early stages, arthritis can generally be treated with anti-inflammatory medications, gel and/or steroid injections, physical therapy, assistive devices such as canes and lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and exercise. As the disease progresses, however, it can cause irreversible damage to your joints, which requires more aggressive measures to alleviate your pain and stiffness and restore the use of your joint.
If your knee or hip joints are limiting your life in meaningful ways, Dr. Ihekweazu offers minimally invasive joint replacement surgeries that restore your quality of life, including:
To learn more about your options for arthritic knees and hips, call Dr. Ihekweazu or request a consultation by filling out the online form.
