Posted on: February 13, 2010
If you have a defective hip, either due to its age or because your device was recalled, it may be time to visit your surgeon for an evaluation and hip revision surgery. But what if you haven’t experienced any problems? That doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have a faulty device. As a Charleston hip implant lawyer , I’ve compiled 10 clues of a defective hip:
1. Pain near the hip itself. Most patients describe discomfort of varying intensity in the artificial hip itself, in the groin, or in the lower back.
2. Pain on the opposite side. Because people with a failing hip unconsciously alter their stride and posture, pain is often felt on the side opposite the affected joint because that half of the is carrying more than its share of the “load.”
3. Weight-bearing pain. With defective hip joints, weight bearing-activities cause both pain and a sense of being unstable and off balance.
4. Limping. Many patients say they suddenly “realize” they are limping. In truth, they have been compensating for failing hip function for some time.
5. A “wrong” feeling. Though difficult to articulate, patients say that something is “just not right.”
6. Decreased flexibility. This may manifest as stiffness, awkward movement, or an inability to perform tasks that were previously possible, like climbing stairs.
7. Fatigue and decreased stamina. Regular activities are suddenly tiring because, without realizing it, the patient is working harder to overcome the failing function of the prosthetic.
8. Noises emanating from the hip. While squeaking in and of itself does not signal that an artificial hip joint is failing, a prosthetic that is degrading will often make noises.
9. Inflammation or swelling at the site of the implant. This kind of activity generally indicates advanced deterioration.
10. No symptoms whatsoever. Often the defect is revealed through routine x-rays or in the event of a Hip replacement recall.
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