Joint replacement surgeries, such as knee, hip, and shoulder replacements, are often done to reduce the pain caused by arthritis. However, in the days following surgery, some patients’ pain is just as bad or even worse than their original arthritic pain. This post-surgical pain is temporary, but it can get in the way of healing and rehabilitation if it is left untreated.
This article discusses:
- How effective pain management helps patients recover more quickly
- Different methods of pain management
- How patients can help ensure their pain is well managed
- Hospital policies regarding pain management
In This Article:
- Managing the Pain of Joint Replacement
- What Pain Management Approach Works Best?
- Learn About Pain Management Before Surgery
The Benefits of Effective Pain Management
Relieving pain is an essential part of any joint replacement surgical plan. The benefits of pain relief include:
Increased patient comfort. Every joint replacement patient has some degree of post-operative pain, and effectively managing that pain can significantly affect patient comfort.
Earlier rehabilitation. A patient whose pain is under control and is more likely to get out of bed and perform rehabilitation exercises. When done under the guidance and supervision of a surgeon and physical therapist, post-surgical exercise can help reduce the development of scar tissue, increase range of motion, and increase the likelihood a successful recovery.
Learn more about Total Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery
and Total Knee Replacement Surgery Recovery
Decreased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Patients who have undergone a joint replacement are at greater risk for developing a blood clot in a deep vein. When a patient’s pain is under control, he or she can move about and perform rehabilitation exercises, which improve blood flow and therefore decrease the risk of DVT.
Earlier hospital discharge. The sooner a patient’s pain is under control, the sooner he or she can be discharged from the hospital.
Decreased infection risk. Because of the threat of hospital-borne infections, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), an early discharge may reduce the chances of infection.
Learn more about joint replacement complications:
Increased patient satisfaction. Patients who are able to be self-sufficient and return to their normal routine on schedule or ahead of schedule tend to be more satisfied with their joint replacement surgery.
Read about the approaches to pain management and what questions patients can ask their doctors about pain management.
