If arthritis is disabling and hasn’t responded to medical therapies or such non-medication treatments as physical therapy or exercise, or if you can’t tolerate medications, surgery may be an appropriate option.

Your personal physician and a surgeon will determine if surgery – and if so, what type of surgery – might help you. You will play a role in that decision, too, because in many cases, the decision to have surgery is a personal judgment call. Are you willing to undergo major surgery and weeks or months of rehabilitation for the prospect of having a pain-free joint and improved function, possibly for the rest of your life? Would you undergo the risks of surgery, such as potential infections, blood clots or anesthesia complications, for the opportunity to be mobile and maintain your independence?

As you consider whether or not to have surgery, keep in mind that every person’s situation is different. You may not benefit from the same surgery that a friend, family member or the majority of participants in a medical study did. Your doctor may advise against a particular surgery or warn you that its chances of success are low. Even if your doctor thinks that surgery can help you, there are many factors that both you and your doctor must consider, including the following:

• Other health problems
• Your medications
• Infections
• Your weight
• Strength and fitness
• Your care as you recuperate
  

For information about the basic types of joint surgery, facts about surgery, questions to ask yourself and much more, check out the Arthritis Foundation’s book, All You Need to Know About Joint Surgery or call (800) 283-7800.