In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Jerome Adams, in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons has recently advised hospitals to stop elective surgeries and procedures, as of March 17th. This coincides with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC).
Efforts to slow the COVID-19 pandemic and “flatten the curve” are ongoing and ever-evolving in the interest of public health and safety, as well asstaffing bandwidth and equipment conservation.However, those who have been patiently waiting for an elective surgery for months may find themselves experiencing an increased sense of uncertainty and anxiety now that their surgery is on hold.
Just because a surgery is “elective” doesn’t mean the associated symptoms, discomfort, or pain are as well.If you are a patient who has had to cancel an elective surgery due to the spread of COVID-19, you may be wondering what to do.
Dr. Benjamin Domb and the American Hip Institute & Orthopedic Specialists (AHI) continue to serve patients in this time of need. While elective surgeries are currently cancelled until May 6th at AHI, patients do have options for support in this intermediate state.
Find a Private Facility for Treatment
Surgery may be the best solution for a variety of conditions, such as severe hip pain or an athletic injury. Of course, if surgery is urgent, doctors will determine as such and allow the procedure to proceed. However, if the surgery is elective and can wait, there are ways to treat patients in the interim until the COVID-19 pandemic slows and things return to normal.
Dr. Domb and his team treat patients in a private facility, and therefore continue to see and acceptnew patients with hip, knee, or shoulder pain issues. The team can do this both in-person and through telemedicine, which involves the use of telecommunication technologies to provide consultations, care, education, monitoring, and more. While COVID-19 has certainly sped up the mainstream adaptation of this technology for doctors across the world, it undoubtedly helps to put patients at ease in the comfort of their own home – perfect in a time of social distancing and “shelter-in-place” orders.
Additionally, their facility is available to support patients from other institutions that may be short on staff or supplies at this time.
In an abundance of caution, AHI is screening all patients prior to entry to avoid COVID-19 exposure within their clinic, as well as increasing the frequency of sanitization and cleaning practices.
Reduce Stress with Surgeon-Approved Aids and Exercises
As social distancing is the name of the game, there are also practices that you can implement into your daily routine at home while you wait for your elective surgery. Avoid further injury by using a protective splint or brace. Reduce stress on the joints in question with a cane, a walker, crutches, or other mobility aides.
You can also safely stay active with stretches and exercises, depending on the severity of your condition. View a previous post we shared here on stretches to help avoid hip injuries as a good place to start.
During this unprecedented time, it’s important to have the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 to stay safe and healthy. If your elective surgery has been cancelled and you are feeling stressed, anxious, or scared, know that we are all in this together – and that you can trust the American Hip Institute to have the information you need to get through this and come out on top.
Are you experiencing physical pain amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and looking for some relief? Contact us to schedule an appointment.
