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Do I Need a Knee Replacement?
Knee replacement surgery is performed on more than 600,000 people worldwide every year. It’s a fairly common surgery and many people who have a knee replacement experience a reduction in pain and and improvement in knee function.
But how do you know if you need a knee replacement? Are there other options that can let you avoid surgery? How do those compare in price and recovery time?
Signs it’s time to take action
If you’ve searched for and arrived at this article, you probably already know it’s time to take action to deal with your knee pain. However, if you’re still on the fence, here are some signs that it might be time to do something.
- Medication or the use of a cane aren’t providing enough relief
- You have a significant decrease in mobility, and have difficulty getting up from chairs
- Pain prevents you from sleeping or relaxing
- You feel like your joint is grating, stiff, or swollen
- Your knee stiffens up while you’re sleeping or sitting for a long period of time
- You have a decrease in knee motion and have difficulty climbing stairs
Pay attention to whether you’ve been changing your daily activities to accommodate and reduce your knee pain. For example, if you find you’ve been avoiding stairs or have been neglecting the garden, it may be time to take action.
Common options for knee pain
Knee replacement surgery:
Cost: Up to $30,000
Recovery time: 6 weeks
For most people with knee pain, this is the first option that comes to mind and often the first thing that’s talked about with your doctor. During the surgery, you will be temporarily put under anesthesia and an incision will be made in the front of your knee. The damaged part of your knee will be removed and replaced with an artificial joint. You will stay in the hospital for three to five days and full recovery time is about six weeks.
Knee injections:
Cost: $120-$140 per injection
Recovery time: Temporary relief after 4-12 weeks
Depending on the severity of your knee pain, you may have up to five injections of hyaluronic acid to help lubricate your joint. You will visit your doctor, who will inject the substance into your knee, and you should experience pain relief by four to 12 weeks. The relief should last for several months and the injections can be repeated as necessary.
Weight loss:
Cost: Time and dedication, gym membership, personal trainer
Recovery time: Variable
Every pound you lose is a pound your knee doesn’t have to support. If you have dealt with obesity or health problems, that may be contributing to your knee pain. Starting an exercise routine can both lessen the load for your knee and improve the muscles that help your knee function, resulting in a significant difference in pain.
Electrotherapy:
Cost: $265 and up, one time
Recovery time: 30-60 days
Precision electrotherapy is a treatment solution that utilizes electrical stimulation and precisely placed electrodes along the knee. Electrotherapy sends electrical impulses to the knee, transferring them through the spinal cord, and ultimately reaching up to the brain. It works by suppressing interleukin-1 (IL-1), the cytokine responsible for regulating immune and inflammatory responses in the brain, successfully reducing your pain. Typically, you should feel a dramatic reduction in pain within 30 days and be back doing the activities you love.
Finding a solution
How you decide to treat your knee pain is up to you and what you determine to be best. There are several options available if you are looking to avoid surgery, including injections, weight loss, and electrotherapy.
If you are interested in going the electrotherapy route, take a look at our products at AcuKnee.com. We offer an industry leading three year warranty and a 60-day money back guarantee.
