Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is now considered one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system.The symptoms cause severe discomfort in the patient, limit physical activity and the treatment is lengthy.
In severe cases, the disease leads to disability.Osteoarthritis of this location is also known as coxarthrosis.This disease causes chronic inflammation of the hip joint.Its cartilage tissue is destroyed and the joint space narrows, which leads to a significant limitation in the mobility of the leg.
The disease most often develops in older patients, but it is sometimes diagnosed in young people.
The nature of the disease
The hip joint is the largest joint in the human body.It is located at the junction of the thigh bones and the pelvis and is therefore subject to significant stress on a daily basis.The joint itself resembles a ball-and-socket joint: the rounded head of the femur sits in the hemispherical hip socket of the pelvis.The surface of the bone tissue is covered with durable and highly elastic cartilage.It acts as a shock absorber and also ensures that the bones slide smoothly.Cartilage tissue prevents destruction of the thigh bones and pelvis.
With coxarthrosis, the cartilage begins to thin and collapse, and, accordingly, the bone tissues come into contact with each other.Slipping becomes difficult and painful.Movements are restricted.Further progression of the disease leads to more destructive changes: the bone surfaces are covered with growths (they arise as a result of constant injuries), which makes movements in the joint even more difficult.
Reasons
There are many known factors that can lead to coxarthrosis.This disease can occur as a result of:
- congenital joint diseases (dysplasia), which can go undetected for many years;
- premature wear of joint mechanisms, which is explained by excessive loads (during intense sports or being overweight);
- previous injuries;
- infectious processes affecting the functions of the musculoskeletal system;
- insufficient blood supply to the joint (e.g. due to arteriosclerosis);
- diseases of the spine;
- hormonal disorders;
- rheumatic processes etc.
Identifying the causes of arthrosis of the hip joint makes it possible to prevent 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 joint body.In total, doctors distinguish 3 main stages of the disease:
- Stage 1. In this disease, the patient suffers from periodic pain in the groin area.They are caused by physical activity, prolonged walking and static standing.As soon as you rest, the symptoms disappear.Therefore, patients do not perceive them as a reason to see a doctor.And the disease continues to develop.
- Stage 2. At this stage of development, coxarthrosis causes more pain.Pain occurs even after slight exertion.The patient begins to limp and the discomfort radiates to the inner thigh.The affected joint may tear.Very 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 level of development that it makes the patient's life almost unbearable.Even with slight exertion, the pain becomes constant and intensifies.A person with arthrosis of the hip joint in the third stage is forced to use a cane.In this case, shortening of the problem leg often occurs, which is explained by the deformation of the pelvis and spine.The muscles atrophy.The third stage of the disease leads to a significant impairment of the general condition.Constant pain affects sleep and causes depression.
Some doctors distinguish separately between 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 small and isolated protrusions may appear in the bone tissue.At this stage of development, the disease can be treated with conservative methods.If in coxarthrosis there is a deep deformation of the joint and contact of the bone surfaces (which is typical for the third stage of the disease), the normal state can only be restored with the help of surgery.
Non-drug treatment
Patients with osteoarthritis of the hip joint are advised to relieve the affected joint as much as possible.For this you need:
- Avoid running, long walks, jumping, heavy lifting, and staying in one position for long periods of time.
- Wear special shoes with well-cushioned soles.
- Additionally, support yourself on a stick or crutch (this must be held in the hand opposite the affected joint).
To relieve pain and improve the functioning of the joint system, it is recommended to regularly perform physiotherapy exercises.Simple exercises help strengthen muscle tissue, which leads to excellent results in the long term.If you are overweight, you need to go on a diet and get rid of those extra pounds.
Drug treatment
Conservative drug treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint is selected individually;Therapy largely depends on the symptoms of the disease and the results of diagnostic procedures.As a rule, patients are prescribed:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They help relieve pain in the affected joint;
- Steroid (hormone) medications.They are used when nonsteroidal drugs are not sufficiently effective;
- muscle relaxants, which reduce muscle tone and help relieve pain;
- Vasodilators.May be necessary if blood flow to the joint is inadequate;
- Chondroprotectors that promote the restoration of joints and prevent their further destruction.
Conservative treatment of the joint can be supplemented by the use of the most modern medical techniques.Patients can be offered plasma lifting procedures, physiotherapy treatment and balneotherapy.All these methods of influence are practiced only after the acute inflammatory process has been eliminated.
Balneotherapy for coxarthrosis
Patients with coxarthrosis may benefit from balneotherapy, particularly mud baths.Such procedures can be carried out in regular clinics, private clinics, rehabilitation centers and sanatorium-resort facilities.Mud baths are often used to treat musculoskeletal disorders.With arthrosis of the hip joint, mud treatment helps to reduce the inflammatory process, relieve unpleasant symptoms and slow down degenerative processes.The effectiveness of such procedures is confirmed by studies by German scientists.In their article published in 2019, experts found that a course of mud baths helped against coxarthrosis:
- Improvement of the motor functions of the joint;
- Significantly reduce the severity of pain (the effect lasted 3 months after the end of therapy);
- slow the progression of the disease.
However, it should be borne in mind that all physiotherapeutic and balneological procedures for coxarthrosis can be carried out only with the consent of the attending physician.Such joint treatment must be combined with taking prescribed medications and compliance with all restrictive recommendations.