Hip osteoarthritis is today considered one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system.Its symptoms cause significant discomfort for the patient and limit physical activity, and treatment is long.
In severe cases, the disease causes disability.Osteoarthritis of this location is also known as coxarthrosis.With this disorder, the hip joint suffers from chronic inflammation.Its cartilage tissue is destroyed and the joint space narrows, leading to a significant decrease in leg mobility.
The disease most often develops in elderly patients, but it is sometimes diagnosed in young people.
The essence of the disease
The hip joint is the largest joint in the human body.It is located at the junction of the femur bones with the pelvis, so it supports a significant daily load.The joint itself resembles a ball and socket joint: the rounded head of the femur sits within the hemispherical acetabulum of the pelvis.The surface of bone tissue is covered with durable, highly elastic cartilage.It acts as a shock absorber and also ensures problem-free sliding of the bones.Cartilage tissue prevents the destruction of the femurs and pelvis.
With coxarthrosis, the cartilage begins to thin and collapse, and as a result, bone tissues come into contact with each other.Sliding becomes difficult and painful.Movements become constrained.Further progression of the disease leads to more pronounced destructive changes: the bone surfaces are covered with growths (they arise due to constant injury), which further complicates the movements of the joint.
Reasons
Many known factors can lead to coxarthrosis.This disease can occur as a result of:
- congenital joint pathologies (dysplasia), which can remain undiagnosed for many years of life;
- premature wear of joint mechanisms, which is explained by excessive loads (during intense sports or excess body weight);
- previous injuries;
- infectious processes affecting the functions of the musculoskeletal system;
- inadequate blood supply to the joint (for example, due to atherosclerosis);
- spinal diseases;
- hormonal disorders;
- rheumatic processes, etc.
Identifying the causes of hip arthrosis allows you to prevent the further development of the disease, select the most comprehensive treatment and relieve unpleasant symptoms.
Symptoms
Signs of coxarthrosis directly depend on the degree of degenerative processes in the articular body.In total, doctors distinguish 3 main stages of the disease:
- Stage 1. In this condition, the patient is bothered by periodic pain in the groin area.They are caused by physical activity, prolonged walking and static position.Once rested, the discomfort disappears.Therefore, patients do not perceive them as a reason to consult a doctor.And the disease develops further.
- Stage 2. At this stage of development, coxarthrosis causes more pronounced pain.Pain occurs even after minor exertion.The patient begins to limp and the discomfort radiates towards the inner thigh.The affected joint may crack.Quite often, osteoarthritis at this stage limits motor activity and leads to a decrease in muscle strength.
- Stage 3. At this stage, coxarthrosis reaches such a stage of development that it makes the patient's life almost unbearable.The pain becomes constant and intensifies even under small loads.A person with the third stage of hip osteoarthritis is forced to use a cane.In this case, the problem leg is often shortened, which is explained by the distortion of the pelvis and spine.Muscles atrophy.The third stage of the disease leads to a significant deterioration in the general condition.Constant pain interferes with sleep and causes depression.
Some doctors separately distinguish stage 4 of coxarthrosis, in which the affected joint becomes completely immobile.
You can see the development of osteoarthritis of the hip joint on a regular x-ray.When the pathological process is just beginning to develop, the joint space narrows slightly and isolated small protrusions can be found on the bone tissue.At this stage of development, the disease can be managed using conservative methods.If coxarthrosis leads to deep deformation of the joint and contact of bone surfaces (which is typical for the third stage of the disease), the normal state can be restored only with the help of surgical intervention.
Non-drug treatment
Patients suffering from hip osteoarthritis are advised to relieve the affected joint as much as possible.For this you need:
- avoid running, long walks, jumping, lifting heavy objects and staying in the same position for a long time;
- wear special shoes with well-cushioned soles;
- Also lean on a cane or crutch (it should be held in the hand opposite the affected joint).
To reduce pain and improve the functioning of the joint system, it is recommended to regularly perform physiotherapy exercises.Simple exercises help strengthen muscle tissue, which gives excellent long-term results.If you are overweight, you need to go on a diet and get rid of those extra pounds.
Drug treatment
Conservative drug treatment of hip arthrosis is chosen on an individual basis;Treatment largely depends on the symptoms of the disease and the results of diagnostic procedures.Typically, patients are prescribed:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They help relieve pain in the affected joint;
- Steroid (hormonal) medications.They are used when non-steroidal drugs are not effective enough;
- Muscle relaxants that reduce muscle tone and help eliminate pain;
- Vasodilators.May be necessary if there is insufficient blood flow to the joint;
- Chondroprotectors that promote the restoration of joints and prevent their further destruction.
Conservative treatment of the joint can be supplemented by using the latest medical techniques.Patients can be offered plasma lifting procedures, physiotherapeutic treatments and balneotherapy.All these methods of influence are practiced only after the elimination of the acute inflammatory process.
Balneotherapy for coxarthrosis
Patients with hip osteoarthritis can benefit from balneotherapy treatments, in particular mud baths.Such procedures can be performed in regular clinics, private clinics, rehabilitation centers and resort establishments.The device used is a very suitable therapeutic device.For osteoarthritis of the hip, mud treatment helps to reduce the inflammatory process, relieve unpleasant symptoms and slow down degenerative processes.The effectiveness of such procedures is confirmed by research carried out by German scientists.In their article published in 2019, the experts noted that a course of mud baths for hip osteoarthritis helped:
- improve motor functions of the joint;
- significantly reduce the severity of pain (the effect persisted for 3 months after the end of treatment);
- slow the progression of the disease.
However, it should be noted that all physiotherapeutic and balneological procedures for coxarthrosis can be carried out only after the approval of the attending physician.Such treatment of the joint should be combined with taking prescribed medications and compliance with all restrictive recommendations.