Having hip replacement surgery is a life-changing event. Knowing that post-surgical pain will be successfully managed during your recovery can help ease surgery anxiety.
Most hip replacement patients may want to become familiar with the term multimodal pain management. Multimodal pain management means different analgesic drugs will be combined in your pain management plan to ensure the patient experiences little discomfort after surgery.
Traditional medications used in the past to treat post-op surgical pain are associated with significant side effects such as impaired mobility, memory loss, low energy levels and are highly addictive. A multimodal pain management system has enormous benefits.
Benefits of multimodal pain management include:
- Pain is greatly alleviated with fewer side effects
- Faster healing times
- Patients experience the benefits of being alert during recovery
- Greater overall patient satisfaction than with traditional pain management
- Avoid opioids and the potential for addiction, especially for those who have battled addiction in the past
The use of opioids or epidural analgesia can hinder early rehabilitation and recovery. Studies show that intraoperative cocktails used in a multimodal pain management system better decrease pain and increase healing times.
The benefits of a multimodal pain management approach recognize the intricacies of the individual experiencing pain, their psychology, and physiology. Optimizing a holistic approach to pain management can ensure a successful recovery with minimal discomfort.
Book an appointment with Dr. Buchalter at South Palm Orthopedics to discuss a post-surgical multimodal pain management protocol in-depth and how it can benefit your hip replacement recovery.
David N. Buchalter, MD is a board certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive hip and knee replacement surgery at South Palm Orthopedics. Dr. Buchalter uses the latest cutting-edge surgical and nonsurgical techniques for orthopedic patients across South Florida.
