If you’re preparing for hip surgery, then your doctor has probably already told you about what you can expect both during the procedure and after. Still, many of us underestimate just how serious the recovery process can be following hip surgery, and how long it can take for us to be capable of using our hip joints again.
Each year, about 450,000 people have a surgical procedure performed on their hip. Hip surgery is so common mainly because of how much use the hip joints get on a daily basis. Whether we’re sitting, standing still, walking or laying down, our hip joints are being engaged, as they are engaged regardless of the positioning of our legs.
Over the years, the hips can develop problems due to wear and tear. However, there are other reasons why a person may require hip surgery. One is an injury, whether it be rooted in stress or impact. For instance, athletes are more likely to require hip surgery due to the constant stress on the hip joints, as well as the high risk of impact injury. Another reason for hip surgery could be an underlying disease that weakens the joints over time.
Most Common Types of Hip Surgery
First, let’s break down the most common types of hip surgery.
· Hip Replacement Surgery: Easily the most invasive surgical procedure that can be performed on the hip. In fact, about three out of every four hip procedures performed every year are hip replacements. In this procedure, the hip joint is replaced with a prosthetic one.
· Hip Resurfacing: Common alternative to hip replacement surgery, which involves replacing only the critical parts of the hip joint with metal pieces.
· Hip Arthroscopy: Actually, is a diagnostic procedure in which an arthroscope is inserted into the hip joint so that a surgeon may view the damage to the hip in order to assess what must be needed to correct the issue. It’s minimally invasive but may still require some recovery.
What Should You Expect After Hip Surgery?
Almost any surgical procedure is going to involve some level of pain in the days following. How bad and long-lasting the pain is, depends on the actual procedure that was performed.
Your surgeon will urge you to rest as much as possible, for two reasons. One is that using the hip joints following a procedure will prevent them from fully healing, and potentially make the issue worse than it was prior to surgery. The other reason is that the body must fully rest so that its innate healing process can be uninterrupted.
A person may experience fatigue and psychological distress following hip surgery, due to the stress of the procedure itself combined with the body’s intensive healing process, as well as the limiting nature of recovering.
How Symptoms Following Hip Surgery are Often Treated
Almost definitely, your surgeon will prescribe some type of pain medication following hip surgery. The exact medication and the dosage amount will be based on the surgery that you’ve had performed. In many cases, an opioid will be prescribed, which is a more potent type of pain reliever.
Further, your surgeon will encourage you to rest as much as possible so as not to stress the body and cause more pain than is necessary. Once the recovery process is complete, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy, which helps strengthen the hip joints while increasing their range of motion.
Can CBD Be Used Following Hip Surgery?
Maybe you’ve already used CBD for something along the lines of stress, muscle tension or sleep. If you haven’t, allow us to break down exactly what CBD is and how it works. CBD is cannabidiol, and it’s the most prominent compound in the hemp plant. Being a cannabinoid, it supports the endocannabinoid system’s process of maintaining homeostasis. It accomplishes this by sending CBD to cannabinoid receptors located everywhere in the body, as each receptor triggers the regulation of a particular bodily process.
When we are recovering from surgery, the body needs as much support as it can get to heal itself. That’s where CBD comes in. As it supports the endocannabinoid system, CBD may enhance the natural recovery process while offering distinctive properties that may be particularly helpful following a procedure.
CBD and Pain
One such property is pain relief. Studies have shown that CBD has anti-inflammatory and analgesic-properties that work together to potentially lower pain levels. This means that CBD may be a great addition to your post-operative regimen while you recover from your procedure.
CBD and Stress and Sleep
It’s natural to feel stressed following a surgical procedure. It’s highly invasive, and can trigger the body’s stress response. Further, the pain combined with the inability to perform normal tasks can cause a decent amount of distress. This psychological stress coupled with the physical pain can interfere with sleep as well. CBD’s noted calming properties may aid in both stress relief and sleep enhancement.
Using CBD Following Hip Surgery
If you’d like to try using CBD following hip surgery, it’s imperative that you first get approval from your doctor. Make sure they are aware of the procedure you had performed as well as the medications that you are taking. If your doctor approves the use of CBD, we do not recommend stopping other forms of treatment unless he or she explicitly advises you to do so.
We suggest taking CBD once each day at least. Choose a milligram strength on the higher end of the spectrum. You may find that combining an internal method like a capsule or tincture with a topical that’s applied directly to the hip area is the most efficient way to manage a hemp regimen specifically for post-operative recovery.
Lastly, make sure that the company you buy from is legitimate and known for their quality products.
Final Thoughts
Recovering from hip surgery is rarely a picnic, but your doctor will do what they can to minimize stress and discomfort. If you want to incorporate a natural, holistic product into your recovery regimen, speak to them about using cannabidiol. Plus make sure that the product is high in quality and adequately potent to best satisfy your needs so that you get as much out of the hemp plant as possible.