# Question for anyone with an artificial joint **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825 "2000-12-22T05:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/1 "2000-12-22T05:29:33Z")
I had a hip replaced last march/april so I still have questions . I’m having a little problem with cold weather. Anyone else have problems? I’m having some pain when I get chilled. I don’t know what to do about it expept move to some tropical island. I guess I’ll sell my cross country skis. Anybody want to buy a snowmobile? ---
**Author:** ![Fanny\_May](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Fanny\_May](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fanny_May)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/2 "2000-12-22T07:21:30Z")
The friends I have with them say they are better than the real thing. But then they don’t ski and such. Maybe it gets better. Did they promise that? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/3 "2000-12-22T14:41:15Z")
Better than asking around the message boards: talk to your doctor or someone with knowledge. Just because others are feeling discomfort doesn’t necessarily mean you should put up with pain. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/4 "2000-12-22T17:24:50Z")
Of course you’re right C.K. I just wanted to hear what some people who have artificial joints have to say about the subject.I’d like to have some first hand knowlege before I hear it from the Doc and maybe the answer to my problem is so simple I just haven’t thought of it. I’m really new to living with any kind of affliction. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/5 "2000-12-22T18:36:23Z")
Aside from hips, what other artificial joints are there? When I was a kid I knew a man with severe rheumatoid arthritis whose natural knuckles had been replaced with plastic ones. They never looked right; this was in the 70’s so I suppose they make them much better now. I know there are artificial knees. Are there ankles? Wrists? Shoulders? ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/6 "2000-12-22T20:02:09Z")
There are sholders Don’t know about anything else. I once told a Dr. that the only joint they could replace on me was my right pinkey knuckle.Due to an injury it is about 1/2 again its normal size and doesn’t work well. Well you’d think I had insulted him. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/7 "2000-12-22T20:14:36Z")
The same people who make hips and hip sockets also make knees. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/8 "2000-12-22T20:15:20Z")
I have a fake hip. I don’t think the temperature should make a difference. It is 98.6 or 96.8, whatever, degrees F inside us. A change of a degree or two makes us very sick, so if we felt cold that deep inside, it would make us very ill. Like, death from exposure. Maybe it’s the shivering from cold. Perhaps the involuntary muscular contractions make the artificial joint hurt. My physician, ( I forgot this in email, Justwanna) unlike the orthopedic surgeon, says they will all hurt to some degree and gave me another flavor of anti-inflamatory. I’m so happy to be merely uncomfortable that I don’t bother to take them. ---
**Author:** ![SouprChckn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@SouprChckn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouprChckn)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/9 "2000-12-22T23:32:31Z")
This may be a dumb question but how exactly does an artificial joint “hurt”? I mean, its artificial, right? So technicaly, theres no nerves running through the metal or alloy its made of. Also, any have an artificial joint made from that indestructable alloy I read about? Its some zirconium alloy deal. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/10 "2000-12-22T23:40:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SouprChckn \* > \*\*how does an artificial joint “hurt”? \*\* Well, gee. I reckon it’s not really the joint or bone that hurts, but the associated nerves which are still there. ---
**Author:** ![SouprChckn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@SouprChckn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouprChckn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/11 "2000-12-23T04:17:42Z")
Well obviously there are nerves there if there is pain, unless its one of those made up pains. But how come most regular joints don’t hurt and these artificial ones do? ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/12 "2000-12-23T04:20:53Z")
Carniverousplant I know what you mean about being just uncomfortable.I don’t take anything,except for tylenol,either.You may have something there with the rattleing joints. SouprChckn Yeah Carniverousplant didn’t tell you but we are really bionic, It is really a military secret.Shhhhh Seriously though,Its stainless steel ---
**Author:** ![suziek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@suziek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suziek)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/13 "2000-12-23T04:51:59Z")
Justwannano: Everything you ever wanted to know about hip replacements and a forum - [http://www.totallyhip.org](http://www.totallyhip.org) ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/14 "2000-12-23T07:57:44Z")
Thanks Suziek I wish I had known about that site before my operation. Boy did I ever have a lot of questions. Heck I guess I still do. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/15 "2000-12-23T16:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SouprChckn \* > \*\*But how come most regular joints don’t hurt and these artificial ones do? \*\* I think it has to do with cutting your leg off with an electric saw, drilling holes in the bone that is left with a Black & Decker, (cool) applying a socket wrench and giving you a massive antibiotic dose whenever you have your teeth cleaned just in case and bacteria decide to attack you stainless steel/ceramic parts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SouprChckn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@SouprChckn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouprChckn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/16 "2000-12-23T23:13:39Z")
Touché. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/17 "2000-12-23T23:17:19Z")
Hell, I’m just happy I can get through the metal detector at the airport. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![suziek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@suziek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suziek)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/18 "2000-12-24T00:47:35Z")
Carnivorous, you forgot the part about hammering the stem into your femur after they cut the top off. Oh, and initially, dislocating your leg from the socket. Thank you god for anesthetic!!! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/19 "2000-12-24T00:55:40Z")
Hammering? I thought it was threaded. I \* knew \* I shouldn’t have dozed off! ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-with-an-artificial-joint/46825/20 "2000-12-24T01:12:39Z")
Hey gang lets not let our mouths run over here. I’m very very glad I had the operation. Don’t want to scare anyone off. The pain before my operation,although bearable, would have left me an invalid. I don’t feel much different than I did years before I had the operation. There are a few things I can’t do but I can make a pretty good life for myself now.Don’t want to think what it would be like if I hadn’t had the operation.