Have you been experiencing extreme pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving your joints? Maybe you are suffering from arthritis, that’s something you won’t ignore. When people hear about ‘arthritis’, they always have a fear of surgery, and that’s completely understandable, as nobody wants a cut on their body. And this fear sometimes leads to a delay in treatment, which consequently leads to a worse condition. 

The truth about ‘can arthritis be managed without surgery?’ is that not every arthritis condition requires surgery, as some conditions can be treated only with medication and physical therapy. But the question is, how do you know that your condition requires medication or surgery? And that’s why you need to consult an experienced Orthopaedic surgeon for a full diagnosis and treatment. 

In this blog, we will get a glimpse of whether arthritis needs surgery or if we need to make lifestyle changes. 

What triggers arthritis?

Arthritis is a cluster of disorders that consequently leads to difficulty in movement, pain, and inflammation. Many factors are responsible for triggering arthritis, such as

• age
• weight
• any previous injury or overuse
• genetic cause
• lifestyle changes, such as inactivity

Instead of assuming things, you must talk to experienced orthopaedic doctors about triggers and how to manage them.

Can Arthritis Be Managed Without Surgery?

Yes, it can be efficaciously managed without surgery; one should be disciplined with their routine. Here are some non-surgical ways to manage arthritis:

Physical activity 

Many times, people think that only medicine or surgery can treat them, but the first approach toward pain-free joint movement is to maintain physical activity, such as light exercise, as it can improve mobility and reduce muscle pressure.

Prescribed medication

Another effective way to treat arthritis is medication. Yes, it works only if prescribed medication under a doctor’s supervision.

Incorporate assistive devices into your lifestyle

Sometimes doctors also suggest using assistive devices such as braces and shoe orthotics to reduce the pain and swelling. Apart from this, one can also get relief by changing one’s posture. Right posture strengthens muscles and reduces overall pressure on the joints.

Lifestyle adjustments

When it comes to joint pain or arthritis, people ignore lifestyle changes, but as per Dr Kishore Kumar Panda, lifestyle changes play a vital role in treating arthritis. Here are some lifestyle modifications you can incorporate into your lifestyle:

Include a proper, balanced diet in your food source. For example, consuming anti-inflammatory foods such as green leafy vegetables, berries, and fatty fish in your daily diet can alleviate inflammation and pain.

Another change one can make is to manage their weight. Maybe it sounds weird to you, but a higher weight creates pressure on joints, which leads to inflammation or sometimes a delay in recovery. It’s very important to lose some weight as it helps in reducing stress on your joints. You don’t need to follow an extreme diet; a small amount of weight loss can make a big difference.

At what stage is surgery needed?

Not every arthritis patient requires surgery, as it depends on the severity and progression of their arthritic condition.  Initially, doctors evaluate your condition and, based on their clinical assessment, treatment modalities are finalised. 

In certain cases, when conservative (non-surgical) treatment fails to provide relief, surgical procedures are recommended as a last resort.

Conclusion

Now it should be clear that ‘Can Arthritis Be Managed Without Surgery?’ All you need is to connect with an orthopaedic surgeon, as they will guide you to a pain-free journey. One of the best orthopaedic surgeons, Dr Kishore Kumar Panda, treated many patients with arthritis and helped them manage their condition.

With all the above information, you can better understand whether you need to go for surgery or if it can be managed via a non-surgical way.