You are not awake during hip replacement surgery as hip replacement surgery is done under general anesthesia, which puts you asleep completely so you will be unconscious during the hip replacement and sometimes a spinal block or epidural block might also be used to numb the lower half of your body while allowing you to remain awake.
But most people who have hip replacement surgery have it done under general anesthesia where they are not awake.
After a hip replacement you will be in the hospital as long as 1 day to 3 days.
The actual time you will be in the hospital will also vary depending on your overall health and how well you recover from the anesthesia and surgery.
Some people are able to go home the same day after hip replacement and some may need to stay longer to monitor any complications that could come up.
During the hospital stay after a hip replacement your physical therapist will work with you to begin walking with crutches or a walker and you will also get instructions for at home exercises and management of pain.
To recover quickly from a hip replacement, follow your physical therapist's instructions and do the prescribed exercises and maintain a healthy diet and rest as often as possible and get plenty of sleep.
Also walking early after a hip replacement using assistive devices such as a walker is also important to regain movement and prevent any complications after the hip replacement.
Avoid any heavy lifting and anything else that is tough on your hips.
After a hip replacement you can often walk unaided after 2 weeks to 6 weeks, although your individual recovery time can vary.
Some people may be able to walk unaided sooner after a hip replacement and some people need more time to regain their full mobility.
Physical therapy can help with recovery and regaining mobility and strength.
The recovery time for a hip replacement is around 6 weeks, in which most people regain significant daily function and see continued improvement for at least a year.
Full recovery from a hip replacement can take up to 2 years.
The initial rehabilitation from hip replacement starts the day of the surgery, using walking aids and physical therapy.
Other factors that determine the recovery time from a hip replacement also include your general health, any pre existing conditions and your age as well as any commitment to the physical therapy.
The newest procedure for hip replacement is the anterior approach which is a popular minimally invasive hip replacement surgery option which uses a smaller incision and avoids cutting of muscles, which lead to faster recovery and reduced pain.
Other technologies like computer navigation, robotics and advanced imaging are also being used to enhance the precision and customization during the hip replacement surgery.
Hip replacement surgery is worth it if you've tried other treatments including medications and physical therapy and the other treatments have not worked.
Hip replacement surgery is also worth it if the pain and hip problems is debilitating and making it hard for you to walk, stand, causes falls or the pain is really severe.
The average age for hip replacement is 65 years old.
However the age for a hip replacement can vary depending on the persons overall health and the severity of the pain and disability.
People in good overall health might be eligible for hip replacement surgery at a younger age and people with severe pain or limited mobility may require hip replacement surgery sooner.
The signs that you need a hip replacement are you have limited range of motion, are constantly falling, cannot stand too long, you have persistent and debilitating hip pain or stiffness or difficulty walking, limping constantly, experiencing pain even when resting or when trying to sleep or when other treatments like medication and physical therapy do not provide enough relief.
In these cases a hip replacement might be your best option.
The pain before you need a hip replacement will often be felt in your groin, hip joint, buttocks and thighs.
The pain associated with needing a hip replacement is often deep in your inner thigh, near the junction of your leg and pelvis, around the ball and socket of the hip, on the outside of your hip and the pain when you need a hip replacement may also radiate down your thigh, especially when walking or climbing up stairs.
Other signs and symptoms that indicate that you may need a hip replacement are pain that radiates into your knee or lower leg, pain which is present at rest, pain which gets worse with activity, clicking or grinding sounds in your hip joint, difficulty walking or standing on one leg and stiffness in your hip.
When you have hip arthritis the pain is often felt in the inner part of your thigh, near the junction of your leg and pelvis and along your upper thigh, radiating from your hip joint and on the outer side of your hip and in some cases the pain from hip arthritis can extend down to your knee.
The hip arthritis pain might be constant or even intermittent and can get worse with certain activities like climbing stairs, bending over and walking and it may also cause stiffness, a clicking or grinding sensation and even difficulty with your range of motion.
The symptoms of a worn hip joint are pain, stiffness, limited range of motion, swelling, clicking and popping sounds, weakness, difficulty walking, night pain and having difficulty with your everyday normal activities.
When your hip joint is worn out, tasks such as driving, using the bathroom, getting dressed etc, can become difficult.
Pain with a worn hip joint may also become more severe at night, especially when you lay down on the affected side.
The pain or stiffness with a worn hip joint may also make it challenging to walk or stand and the muscles in the surrounding hip can become weak and swelling may also be present around the hip joint.
With a worn hip joint, the joint when it moves can produce grinding sounds or a snapping or clicking sound and with a worn hip joint you may also have reduced ability to rotate or to move the hip joint.
A worn hip joint can also cause difficulty with movements like bending, squatting or getting out of bed or out of a chair.
And the pain with a worn hip joint is often located in your hip, groin, or upper thigh and the pain with a worn hip joint can get worse with activity, sitting for too long of periods or even standing on one leg.
A worn hip joint is also called osteoarthritis.
If you think you may have a worn hip joint you should see a doctor.
In some cases you may need to consider a hip replacement when the hip pain and stiffness limit your daily activities and reduce your quality of life significantly, if other treatments doesn't help.
If the pain with the worn hip joint prevents you from walking, sleeping, climbing stairs or doing other essential tasks it may be time to talk with your doctor about hip replacement.