When managing arthritic pain isn’t enough, surgery may be an option

Oconto Falls, Wis. – Nearly a quarter of all adults in the United States experience aches and pains associated with arthritis, often with debilitating effects. The joint disease can cause stiffness, swelling and pain in areas of the body like the knees, wrists, ankles and knuckles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated one in 10 adults suffering from arthritis limit their activities because of the condition.

Many people living with arthritis will experience symptoms in different ways, varying from day to day. Dr. Mark Schick, orthopedic surgeon in Oconto Falls, says those impacted by the disease can change their diets to lose weight, become more physically active and better protect their joints in an effort to reduce the pain they’re experiencing.

“I often tell patients through moderate exercises like walking or swimming, they can help decrease some of their arthritic pain,” says Dr. Schick. “Many can also reduce their arthritic discomfort by avoiding overly strenuous activities more likely to cause joint injuries. Others can better manage their weight, to help reduce the extra stress put on joints.”

Walking is one of the most beneficial ways to improve pain, fatigue, stiffness and swelling of the joints associated with arthritis. According to the CDC, walking can ultimately improve an arthritic person’s function by nearly 40%. For individuals considering surgical options for treatment of arthritis, Dr. Schick recommends talking to an orthopedist to find out more about advanced arthritis treatments now available in Oconto Falls.

“If you begin to have difficulty or pain performing everyday tasks, and non-surgical options are not helping, you should talk with an orthopedist about new surgeries, which could help,” says Dr. Schick. “Our orthopedic team offers minimally invasive procedures for total joint and partial knee and hip replacements. If you’re a good candidate, we have multiple procedures now available to help with your joint pain.”

Appointments with Dr. Schick can be scheduled online or by calling (920) 272-3300. He sees patients for comprehensive orthopedic care at the Prevea Oconto Falls Medical Services Building and performs surgery at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls. He also sees patients at Prevea and HSHS hospitals Green Bay.

For more information about surgical care and excellence at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, please visit: https://www.hshs.org/StClare/Services/Surgery

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About HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital
HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital serves Oconto Falls and the surrounding communities as a federally-designated critical access hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, urgent care, general, vascular and orthopedic surgical services, inpatient and outpatient surgical and diagnostic services, rehabilitation, oncology outpatient clinic and women’s care. HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, in affiliation with Prevea Health, has five regional health center locations in Gillett, Lena, Mountain, Oconto Falls and Suring. Founded in 1921 as Community Memorial Hospital, in 2014, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital became the fourteenth hospital in Hospital Sisters Health System. As an affiliate of Hospital Sisters Health System, we draw on the history of St. Francis of Assisi as we move to continue serving the health care needs of our area in Christ’s healing ministry, caring for all people. For more information about St. Clare, visit www.stclarememorial.org.

About Hospital Sisters Health System

Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality, Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our 15 Local Systems and physician practices in Illinois (Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org.  For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.

About Prevea Health

Founded in Green Bay, Wis. in 1996, Prevea Health is a health care organization that provides high-quality, primary and specialty health care in 80+ locations across Northern, Eastern and Western Wisconsin in clinic and hospital settings. It is partnered with six Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) hospitals across Wisconsin to provide patients a system of highly-coordinated care, close to home: HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay; HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan; HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls; HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire; and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls. For more information, visit www.prevea.com.