Healthcare and treatment of arthrose

Getting old is one thing that all animals on the planet Earth have in common.  With age often comes a multitude of health problems.  For the lucky ones amongst us, we will never have the need to go in to hospital until late in life, but for others that time comes sooner than is expected. arthrosis (Arthrose) is a common finding in a lot of people who are over the age of 60.  Joint narrowing and osteophytes formation are common findings in people who are suffering the onset of arthrosis.  As the joints stiffen it can become painful, and lack of movement can be debilitating at times.  Wear and tear on the joints over the years can mean that things like, knees and hips can wear out, meaning that people are left needing an operation to fit a prosthesis.  Although the operation may seem a daunting one, it can mean the difference between being able to walk with comfort and not walking at all.

After any surgical procedure, the nurses aim is to get the patient moving as soon as is possible after surgery is completed, within the first 24 hours is often the aim.  Within days of the surgery, although uncomfortable, the physiotherapist will aim to get the patient moving freely up and down the stairs and along corridors.  No patient will be aloud home until they are able to climb up and down the stairs with relative ease.  The whole idea of keeping active is to keep the joint and surgical area moving, the more it moves the faster it heals, without this movement the patient can be left unable to walk properly.  An exercise programme is given to all patients on leaving hospital after an arthrosis procedure.  They are asked back for a consultation with the surgeon 6 weeks post surgical procedure.  The doctor will then check the patients progress and discharge if all well.  Once the patient is discharged and there are any problems, the patient will be referred to his/her local GP for advise on the matter.  Should the patient need to see the consultant again, then the GP will re-refer to the necessary consultant.

Keeping active as we get old is essential to healthcare around the world, too many people choose to take the easy option, the key to keeping healthy is keeping fit, active and moving.