Month: November 2023

23 Nov 2023
Recovering from knee replacement surgery

What to Expect When Recovering from Knee Replacement Surgery

 

Total Knee Replacement is a common orthopedic surgery to replace a worn-out knee with an artificial joint (made of metal and plastic). This surgery, also known as total knee arthroplasty, is performed by orthopedic surgeons, and generally, the success rate is above 90 percent. 

The recovery and rehabilitation can help you return to an active lifestyle. The recovery timeline varies between individuals, and usually, the first 12 weeks are crucial in the faster healing process during the recovery period.

General Knee Replacement Surgical procedure

The Total Knee Replacement surgery is adopted only when other treatment methods, such as physiotherapy and painkiller medications, fail to manage the wear-and-tear pain of the knee. This invasive procedure takes 2 to 3 hours under general anesthesia. 

Below is a brief explanation of the steps involved in Total Knee Replacement Surgery. 

  • The surgeon will make an incision around 6 to 10 inches on your knee area.
  • The kneecap is carefully removed and kept aside. 
  • All the injured and damaged tissues are cut, and the unwanted parts are extracted.
  • The surgeon then attaches the artificial implants (made of metal and plastic). After the procedure, the incisions are stitched, and the patient will be taken to the recovery room.
  • The vitals will be closely monitored in the recovery room after surgery.
  • Once vitals are stable, you will begin preparing for discharge. Medications and physical therapy will be provided to enhance the recovery process.

Step-by-Step Recovery Timeline

The timeline for returning to your regular activities after knee replacement surgery varies from person to person. Here is a general idea of what to expect:

0-2 Weeks- Your hospital stay duration depends on your overall general health. In most cases, patients are discharged within a day or two. You may need a walker or crutches to help with walking. Rehabilitation with physical therapy begins immediately to help you regain mobility. 

This week mostly concentrates on managing the swelling and inflammation after the surgery. Pain and slight discomfort might be reduced by medications and applying an ice pack near the surgery site. You should be fully able to extend your knees from day 1 of surgery. 

2-6 Weeks: You might still depend largely on your walking aid, but there will be more mobility compared to the initial weeks. Continue doing physical therapy, including exercises that help strengthen your knee. 

Sitting for too long during this period can make the knees stiff, so alternate between sitting and walking throughout the day. Post-surgical pain is hardly felt after, and you may not require pain medications. 

2-3 Months: You should see significant improvement in mobility and pain relief. You can start to do light daily activities like driving and light household chores.

3-6 Months: Your knee should continue to get better. Most people can return to work at this point, and you can engage in more physical activities.

6 Months and Beyond: It can take up to a year to fully recover. You should be able to resume most, if not all, of your regular activities without pain.

Tips for speedy recovery after knee replacement surgery

There are plenty of things you can do to help yourself achieve a full recovery. Here are a few tips to help you get back on your feet.

Prioritise rehabilitation and recovery:

Strictly follow the guidance recommended by your physician and physical therapist. Regular gentle exercises and movements are crucial for improving mobility and reducing post-surgery stiffness and swelling. 

Make time for rest: 

Give your body sufficient time to rest and heal. Getting sufficient sleep is essential for both recovery and overall health. Use pillows to elevate your leg; it helps in reducing the swelling during sleep.

Managing Swelling and inflammation: 

Use ice packs to reduce swelling and continue with gentle movements to reduce stiff knees. Consult your physician if there is a persistent inflammation unresponsive to medications.  

Improve your overall health:

Staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet contributes to improved healing outcomes. Proper nutrition supports tissue healing. Maintain a balanced diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. 

Take your prescribed medication: 

Take prescribed pain medications as directed to keep discomfort in check. If you experience any discomfort due to the side effects of the medications, discuss it with your doctor.  

Use walking aids or assistive devices: 

In the initial stages of recovery, walking aids such as crutches or walkers help provide stability and support. You can gradually reduce your dependence on these devices as you regain strength. 

Wear supportive shoes: 

Investing in supportive shoes aids in a quicker recovery after knee replacement surgery. The shoes are designed to provide support and stability as it reduces the risk of slip and falls. Choosing the right footwear minimizes the strain on your knee joint, facilitating a smoother recovery. 

Follow the advice of your medical professional: 

Your surgeon knows what is best for you, and your treatment plans are curated accordingly.  Adhere to their post-operative care guidelines, such as restrictions on weight gain and effective wound care practices to facilitate healing.

For Appointments
Visit :www.germantenhospitals.com

 

15 Nov 2023
5-Tips-For-Understanding-Your-Heart-Failure-Medications

5 Tips For Understanding Your Heart Failure Medications

The heart is a complex organ that continuously pumps and circulates oxygenated blood throughout the body. The heart’s contractions, such as exercise or rest, adapt to varying demands. It also regulates blood pressure and flow by responding to hormonal and neural signals. This complexity enables the organ to keep us healthy. 

Nonetheless, any form of heart damage or heart disease can be a traumatic experience that threatens our ‘well-being.’There is no cure for heart failure, and the only aim of the various treatment methods available is to alleviate symptoms and impede its progression.

These days, we have numerous medicines to treat and keep a check on heart failure, but they have their pros and cons of side effects. Here, we provide five tips to understand and use safely your prescribed heart failure medications

  1. Know your heart type failure.  

    The type of heart failure determines the medications you receive. Heart failure reduces the heart’s pumping ability and needs to be addressed to restore it to a healthy condition. Hence, knowing the type of heart failure affects the medications you need.

    Left-sided heart failure: This is the most common type of heart failure. The left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. In left-sided heart failure, the left ventricle cannot pump efficiently, leading to a shortage of oxygen-rich blood. This leads to a collection of blood in the lungs instead. 

    Right-sided heart failure: This heart failure results as a side effect of the inefficient pumping of the left ventricle. The right ventricle’s job is to pump enough blood that needs to be replenished with oxygen to the lungs. However, there is already accumulated blood in the lungs due to left-sided heart failure. The extra blood causes elevated blood pressure in the blood vessels between the heart and lung, ultimately damaging the heart’s right-side parts.  

    Congestive heart failure: This occurs when fluid accumulates in different parts of the body due to fluid retention in the lungs and reduced blood flow through the circulatory system. It results in edema along with shortness of breath.

  2. Know the role of each medication.
    Each medication prescribed to treat your heart failure has a specific purpose in treating your heart failure. Knowing the purpose of each drug can enhance your understanding of how and when to take it, its dosage, expected outcomes, etc. Keeping a list of your medicines can help you and the physician track your medications and health conditions and avoid any problems related to drug interactions.

  3. Follow the prescribed medication regimen.
    This is one of the crucial steps in managing your heart failure treatment. Follow precisely your physician’s instructions in taking the prescribed medications to receive the full benefit of the treatment. Medications help manage the disease, control the symptoms, and improve the patient’s overall health. 

    Not following a consistent medication routine can lead to ineffective treatment or even cause other health issues. Setting reminders on your phone or using pill organizers can help you maintain the correct medication routine.

  4. Look out for medication side effects.

    It is common to have minor side effects with most heart failure medications. Understanding the potential side effects can help your consulting doctor regulate the medication dosages and monitor the functions of the kidneys and other vital organs. 

    Some common side effects of heart failure medications include dizziness, fatigue, and low blood pressure. However, not everyone will experience these side effects. In many cases, these side effects may persist for a while and slowly subside as your body adapts to the medication. 

  5. Manage stress: 

    Doing regular exercise improves cardiovascular health. Routine exercise helps reduce stress by releasing endorphins and also helps maintain a healthy weight. But don’t forget to discuss with your healthcare provider to determine the most suitable exercise routine for your specific condition.

    Having a low-sodium diet can help control fluid retention; hence, reducing salt intake is important. Introduce fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins to your diet while avoiding saturated fats and sugar. 

    Smoking is considered one of the biggest risk factors for heart failure. The components in cigarettes and tobacco can narrow your blood vessels and cause strain on your heart. Quitting smoking can help in normal blood pumping and distribution of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

    To Conclude:
    Heart failure is a complex yet manageable disease by taking medications on time and following a healthy lifestyle. Remember, abruptly stopping your medications can cause serious consequences. Hence, do not discontinue your medication without discussing it with your physician. 

06 Nov 2023
Times Health

Germanten Hospital has earned a prestigious position in the Times Health Survey 2023!

We’re thrilled to announce that Germanten Hospital has earned a prestigious position in the Times Health Survey 2023! 🏆 on October 31st 2023.
Germanten Hospital is recognized among South Region Hospitals and Hyderabad Hospitals, showcasing our commitment to exceptional healthcare.
This achievement is a testament to our relentless dedication to providing the highest quality of care to our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our patients and well-wishers for placing their trust in us.
Times Health survey 2023
03 Nov 2023
who is at risk for heart disease

Who is at risk for heart disease?

Coronary heart disease or simply CAD, popularly known as heart disease causes roughly around 805,000 heart attacks each year in the USA.  Do you know that every year almost 696,000 people die because of heart disease in the United States of America? 

Unhealthy lifestyle habits, lack of physical exercise and early exposure to smoking and tobacco are some of the leading causes of the growing incidences of heart attacks and heart failure cases across the globe. 

While there are certain risk factors such as age and hereditary disorders which cannot be treated completely, there are many others which are directly under your control. 

It is important to identify and eliminate the controllable risk factors of heart disease to stay safe against serious and long-term cardiac issues that include heart failure and heart attack. 

In this blog, we are going to give you an overview of 6 such risk factors which increase your chances of developing a heart disease.

1. High Blood Pressure

The most common and one of the most dangerous risk factors which can result in both heart disease as well as heart stroke is high blood pressure. 

High blood pressure is commonly termed a ‘Silent Killer’ because it usually does not show any clear-cut symptoms that can be detected and prevented at an early stage. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is by getting it measured. 

However, most people don’t measure their blood pressure until they have a doctor’s visit or suspect the presence of some other disease that affects blood pressure. 

As a result, in most cases, the condition keeps on getting worse as it does not get detected at the right time finally resulting in heart disease. 

The worst part is that it not only affects your heart but also interferes with the proper functioning of other vital organs such as the kidney and brain.

2. Consumption Of Foods Containing High Quantity Of ‘bad’ Cholesterol

There are two main types of cholesterols—

  • Low-Density Lipoprotein Or LDL Cholesterol: LDL cholesterol is generally called “bad cholesterol” because it accelerates the production of plaque which can build up over time and cause blockages in your arteries. These blockages lead to heart disease.
  • High-Density Lipoprotein Or HDL Cholesterol: High levels of HDL Cholesterol are considered to be effective in preventing the onset of heart disease. That is why it is generally called “good cholesterol.”

3. Diabetes

People who have diabetes are at a higher risk of developing heart disease.

Diabetes can occur because of two reasons—

  • Your pancreas is not producing enough insulin 
  • The body is not able to break down and properly utilize the insulin which it produces

As a result, your body has a high amount of blood sugar levels because the abnormal insulin production is not breaking down the sugar leading to its accumulation in your blood vessels. 

Ultimately sugar accumulation causes blockages in the blood vessels that deliver blood to your brain increasing the risk of stroke. 

Apart from this, high blood sugar also damages the blood vessels of your heart. 

4. Smoking, Tobacco Intake And Extreme Exposure To Secondhand Smoke

Research has shown that one 1 out of every 4 deaths that occur because of heart disease is due to excessive smoking.

Here is a list of ways in which smoking affects your heart health—

  • Smoking increases bad cholesterol
  • It makes the blood sticky increasing the chances of clot formation that ultimately blocks the blood vessels causing heart disease
  • It damages the cells that are present on the lining of the blood vessels
  • It makes the blood thicker and the blood vessels narrower
  • It speeds up the formation of plaque (blockages formed from fat, cholesterol, etc.)

5. Obesity 

Being overweight makes you more susceptible towards developing health issues like—

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • High LDL Cholesterol (Bad Cholesterol)
  • Low HDL Cholesterol (Good Cholesterol) 

It is crucial to maintain a healthy body weight and do regular exercise to prevent the risk of heart disease that occurs due to obesity.

6. Absence Of Regular Physical Activity

Being physically inactive is another major cause of heart disease. In fact, it can even cause other related risk factors like high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, and in some cases even type 2 diabetes.

Regular physical activity is therefore crucial for people of all ages and genders as it keeps your cardiovascular system healthy ultimately minimizing the chances of the occurrence of heart diseases.

Conclusion

Heart disease is one of the most prevalent causes of death worldwide. However, certain situations have the potential to increase the possibility of its occurrence. 

Likewise, diabetics, people suffering from unbalanced blood pressure, obese individuals, people who don’t get enough physical activity and people with high cholesterol intake are at a much higher risk of developing heart disease. 

If you are facing any heart conditions, please get in touch with our doctors for appointments.
Call 9000909073 or
visit www.germantenhospitals.com