Azalea OrthopedicsFebruary 2013
Issue No. 4
 
Quick Links
Azalea is proud to announce its online patient resource center. Read more about the ways that it can help you!
Is Joint Replacement for Me?
Learn ways to identify if you or a friend/family member may be a candidate for a knee replacement, as well as what happens during this surgery.
You spend a great deal texting, e-mailing, and more on your smartphone. What effect can this be having on your orthopedic health?
The 2013 All-Star basketball game is almost here! Make sure you have all the details for this annual event.

Azalea Orthopedics: The Difference is Specialty Care 
NEW! Online Patient Resource Centerresource

Azalea is thrilled to announce the installation of its new Online Patient Resource Center. This resource center can be found on the Patient Education page of the Azalea website
and has free 3-D animations/explanations of more than 50 common orthopedic procedures.
 
Accessing these animations is as simple as clicking on the link of the animation that you wish to watch. A slideshow will immediately start playing, containing visual animation alongside audio and text explanations of the specific step of the selected procedure. You can go through the animations at your own pace, as well as print a summary of the slideshow.

We are really excited to share the animation center with you--if you have any family or friends with orthopedic questions, please feel free to direct them to the Azalea Resource Center!

Is Joint Replacement for Me? Knee 

 

Sam Smith worked his entire life and was just six months away from retirement when a hip problem started giving him trouble. The pain was constant and walking was becoming difficult.  Sam thought to himself, "This is not the way it's supposed to be. We were going to travel, play with the grandkids and spend lots of time on the golf course."  Sam had waited a long time for this; these were supposed to be the 'Golden Years."

 

This story is not unlike millions of other people whose hip bones after time become bone on bone with no cushion. "It's like a tire that wears off its tread down to the rim. There is just no way to drive at that point on the tire," says Dr. Ken Kaminski, the newest member of Azalea Orthopedics group.  Dr. Kaminski's focus is replacing hips that have worn out.

 

According to Dr. Kaminski, hip replacement surgery is performed when pain starts negatively affecting one's quality of life --when everyday activities like walking and bending become difficult, when pain continues while one is resting, or when the presence of stiffness in one's hip limits ability to move or lift the leg. Hip replacement may be recommended by one's orthopedic surgeon when pain seriously impacts quality of life.   It is time to consider surgery if you have little pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs or if other treatments, such as physical therapy, do not relieve hip pain.

 

During the surgery the femur (head of the thighbone) and the acetabulum (hip socket) are replaced. Typically, the artificial ball with its stem is made of a strong plastic, and the artificial socket is made of polyethylene, a durable, wear-resistant plastic. The artificial joint is cemented in position or held securely in the bone socket without cement. The ball and insert are designed to glide together to replicate the hip joint.

 

"The main reason I love replacing hips is because it is so successful. My patients are usually up the same day with immediate positive results. The high success rate of these surgeries is so rewarding and gets patients back doing the things they love to do," noted Dr. Kaminski.

 

Who knows -- at some point our bodies could be completely bionic. We can now replace most any bone or joint in the body. Lee Major's "Million Dollar Man" doesn't look so futuristic in the year 2013.

 

High Tech HURTS HighTech
by: Leslie Fossey, Director of Marketing, Azalea Orthopedics

 

Like many of you, I have a love/hate relationship with my Smartphone.  I use my phones to check both of my email accounts, text, Facebook, handle my on-line banking, and more.

 

Recently my thumb and wrist have become quite sore and irritated. So I got the idea to use my Smartphone yet again to look up the ailment. What surfaced in the search seemed witty and enlightening and brought a few new words (sort of) like touch-screen finger, Iphoneitis, and Droid-digits to my vocabulary.

 

  Armed with my newly discovered aliment I called one of our orthopedic hand specialists at Azalea Orthopedics to confirm my self-diagnosis. Dr. Ryan Patterson, one of our newest hand surgeons told me, "In this high tech world it is not uncommon for most of us to send upward of 100 text messages a day. Thumb muscles, which spread across the back of the hand and into the wrist, aren't used to all that up-and-down motion. The keys are so small that it just means the thumb muscles have to work harder."

 

What's the fix to all of my pain? Dr. Patterson says to first lay off the mobile devices.  Some other suggestions are:

 

* If texting starts to hurt, stop. Use the other hand or call instead

* Vary the hand you use when texting

* Vary the digits you use

* Don't text for more than a few minutes without a break

 

Dr. Patterson says that if the pain persists there are other options like bracing and anti-inflammatory medications -inflamitories, injections and/or physical therapy. "These usually work for most of my patients. If not, there are surgical options, but that is always the last step though sometimes a necessary one." He says that what is not necessary is staying in pain.  If the pain does persist, then a visit to an orthopedic surgeon is a good idea.

 

At the end of my ailment search one theme seemed ever present. I need to put down these hand-held devices and when I am tempted to text I might choose a call or to communicate face to face to lessen the pain.

2013 Azalea All-Star ClassicAllStar

It is almost time for the 10th Annual Azalea All-Star Classic & the nomination process has begun! The games will be held on April 13th, 2013 on the campus of Tyler Junior College. The first game is scheduled to start at 5:30 pm with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

If you are an area basketball coach and would like to nominate a player, please visit our website at www.azaleaortho.com to download nomination forms. Nominations should be returned by March 15.

Specific information on ticket prices and more will be out shortly, so keep an eye on our website and Facebook page!
 

The Patient's Right to Choose

 

Getting the highest quality orthopedic care should be easy. It is, but only if you ask for it. At Azalea Orthopedics, we want you to have the care you deserve. That's the reason we want to make sure you ask for Azalea Orthopedics by name when visiting your family physician or any area emergency room. 

 

Intentionally or otherwise, patients of some providers are being misled by statements such as "Not in our network" or "Your doctor is not available". Azalea physicians are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you go to the doctor, the emergency room or any other medical facility, it's your choice who treats you. 

 

Recent new health care legislation may lead many to assume that they do not have a say in where they are treated. That is not the case. You are free to choose, but in order to get the quality care you deserve, you must ask for Azalea by name. 

 

We accept most major insurance companies including Blue Cross and Blue Shield.