How to treat osteoarthritis of the hip joint - methods and tools

Coxarthrosis is a disease that affects the patient's hip joint. Treatment is long term. Just a few decades ago, such a diagnosis was practically a judgment for a patient who had promised him: severe strenuous pain, a gradual decrease in mobility, and premature disability.

Thanks to the most effective modern treatment methods, however, it has become possible not only to stop the degenerative process, but even to completely cure coxarthrosis in the early stages.

Understanding the causes of disease has driven the use of an integrated therapeutic approach. Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint can include both the use of medication and methods of physical therapy.

What is hip arthrosis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease in which the normal structure of the cartilage tissue of the joints is disturbed. Unlike arthritis, the cause of the deformity is not an infectious inflammation of the tissues, but a violation of the metabolic processes.

In patients over 40 years of age, with rare exceptions, deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint has been observed. The development of the pathology is as follows:

• The metabolism is disturbed. Cartilage has no blood vessels and is therefore nourished by the adjacent muscle tissue. The synthesis of substances is disturbed for various reasons.
• Due to insufficient nutrition, the cartilage begins to lose its elasticity. It gets thinner over time. The interosseous lumen is significantly reduced. Arthrosis in the 3rd degree hip joint is characterized by the fact that the growths on the bone tissue rub against each other. Cartilage is practically absent.

• The stress on the bone and the reduction in cartilage thickness contribute to the deformation of the bone tissue.

After the onset of degenerative changes, it can take years for the patient to develop the third stage of the disease. However, under adverse circumstances and failure to observe precautions, pathological changes can occur much more quickly.

How osteoarthritis manifests itself

Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip joint and its type depend on the degree of development of the disease. The most common symptom is pain. Most often, because of the pain, patients turn to a doctor for qualified help. In addition, the insidious disease consists in the fact that pain in the early stages of degenerative changes, as a rule, does not cause great discomfort, is short-term in nature and is often attributed to normal fatigue.

A delay means that the most favorable time to start treatment is missed and the healing of the 2nd degree hip osteoarthritis requires more time and effort. The chances of a successful prognosis remain, provided the therapy is correctly prescribed.

The symptoms of the disease are:

1. Pain - can occur in the thigh, in the groin and in the joint itself. It pays to be careful when symptoms of pain appear at rest. This indicates the need for an urgent visit to an arthrologist.
2. Stiffness of movement, limping. It is observed after prolonged immobility of the leg, for example, after sleep.
3. Over time, the diseased leg becomes shorter than the healthy one, a muscular atrophy is observed that can be felt.

When diagnosing an illness, one cannot do without modern diagnostic studies. Therefore, hip osteoarthritis of the first degree is only diagnosed with X-rays, CT and MRI. The picture clearly shows changes and narrowing of the interosseous lumen.

Stages of hip arthrosis

After a pathology is diagnosed, the patient is assigned a code in accordance with ICD 10. This is an international classification of diseases that is revised every 10 years.

Thanks to the assigned code, not only statistical data is recorded. Therapies that have produced the most tangible results can be selected. Thanks to international cooperation, the medical treatment of hip osteoarthritis has improved significantly over time.

In world practice it is recognized that osteoarthritis of the hip joint has three stages or stages of development. Each of them has its own symptoms. Namely:

1. First level.Painful sensations appear only against the background of excessive exertion: running, sports, exercise and so on. The pain is mainly concentrated in the joint area. The pain usually goes away on its own after a break. In this case, the mobility of the leg remains full, the muscle strength is not restricted. First degree osteoarthritis can only be diagnosed with x-rays or tomography. The picture clearly shows small deformities of the bone tissue that do not go beyond the so-called joint lip. The joint space is slightly narrowed, usually in uneven areas.
2. Second level.Characterized by migratory pain that spreads to the groin and thigh. Can occur spontaneously at rest. Pain in osteoarthritis of the hip joint in the second stage does not go away on its own and requires the patient to take anesthetics. The range of motion is disturbed, muscle tissue atrophy is observed. The picture clearly shows the bone growth and deformities of the femoral head. Perhaps the appearance of a cyst in the most stressed part of the thigh - the acetabulum. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the second stage is carried out quickly. Even on a cursory examination, pathological changes are evident. X-rays or MRIs will be done to determine the extent of the deformity.
3. Third level.The pain starts to be chronic. Osteoarthritis can also be diagnosed without a thorough examination. The patient cannot move without a stick, the pelvis is inclined, which leads to a shortening of the leg. During the movement, the patient has to tilt his / her upper body onto the damaged joint. This leads to even greater degenerative changes. The picture shows extensive bone deformities. The joint space is almost invisible.

The therapeutic treatment of deforming arthrosis of the hip joint is only effective in stages 1-2. The third stage in the development of pathology often leads to the need for surgical intervention.

Treatment of osteoarthritis in the hip joint

Regardless of what is used, gymnastics for osteoarthritis of the hip joint or taking medication, all approaches are based on six basic principles. Namely:

• Take the pain away.
• Provide the cartilage tissue with normal nutrition and restore it if possible.
• Improve blood flow to the affected area.
• Reduce the stress on the joint.
• Strengthens stunted muscles.
• Restore the mobility of the joints.

Achieving all six goals requires complex therapy. For example, prescribing injections into the joint, without reducing the stress on the joint, can cancel out all the beneficial effects of chondroprotectors. Not surprisingly, in world practice, depending on the patient's condition, typically 2 to 10 different approaches are used at the same time.

Treatment of hip arthrosis

A comprehensive approach to treating the hip joint gives better results than using just a single therapeutic - a fact recognized by the world's leading arthrologists. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a patient to be prescribed more than one type of treatment at the same time for the following reasons:

• NSAIDs- non-steroidal drugs to alleviate the inflammatory process are "classics" of treatment. Medicines for osteoarthritis of the hip joint must either be prescribed in combination with non-steroidal drugs or be in their composition. NSAIDs are particularly effective in making the disease worse. They help relieve pain and reduce swelling. The reception enables the implementation of movement therapy exercises for osteoarthritis of the hip joint, massages, gymnastics and other physiotherapy interventions. The disadvantage of NSAIDs is their negative effect on the gastric lining. Patients need to understand that nonsteroidal hip osteoarthritis drugs do not cure the disease, but simply remove symptoms and provide therapy.
• Chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid.These drugs are a new stage in hip joint treatment, so they can be divided into a separate group.
  1. Chondroprotectors are prescribed as restorative therapy. With prolonged use, chondroprotectors restore damaged cartilage tissue, but their effectiveness is limited by the initial stage of the disease.
  2. Hyaluronic acid forms a layer between the bones, which means that the joint is less stressed. Effective as restorative therapy.
• Muscle relaxants- are vasodilators and can relieve muscle cramps. It is prescribed to reduce the load on the joint. Muscle relaxants can only be used as part of complex drug therapy.
• Anesthetic ointment- despite the advertising of ointments as miraculous means of relieving the disease, they actually only eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease. On the other hand, pain relievers in the form of ointments improve the effectiveness of conservative treatment, allowing you to relieve swelling and relieve the patient's condition.
• Intra-articular injections- for pain relief, restoration of the cartilage or protection from excessive pressure on a joint. The most common drugs used are corticosteroids. They relieve pain by allowing the patient to begin treatment with physical therapy. The group of corticosteroids can also include hyaluronic acid preparations. The effectiveness of intra-articular injections largely depends on how experienced the surgeon is (according to statistics, 30% of doctors miss the joint capsule during manipulations).

Some drugs can be harmful to the body. It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate!

The hip joint bandage relieves the joint and reduces the factor that is the main cause of the occurrence of tissue irritation that leads to the inflammatory process. Therefore, fixation of the damaged area is often prescribed along with drug therapy.

Alternative methods and physiotherapy

In addition to prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections and other drugs, the patient can undergo physical therapy and use the help of non-traditional therapy methods.

• Manual therapy- This procedure has a softer effect on damaged tissue than massaging the hip joint for osteoarthritis. Any aggressive action on the damaged area can easily provoke the onset of the inflammatory process. Manual therapy is not used in our region, but it is widespread in the West and one of the official therapy methods.
• Physiotherapyfor deforming osteoarthritis is a wide area in which the patient can choose between traditional and non-traditional methods. For hip osteoarthritis, Pilates, yoga, water exercises and other methods to restore the function of atrophied muscles are popular. Physical education and moderate exertion, along with medication, have a positive effect and contribute to the patient's recovery.
• Traditional medicine- Most arthrologists reject this method as an independent therapy. And their opinion has a basis. Large numbers of patients who have refused the help of traditional medicine have earned a disability. However, under the supervision of the attending physician, effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint with folk remedies is quite possible. Most of the herbs and infusions used have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Some drug charges have serious contraindications, so you should consult an arthrologist before taking them. It is recommended that unconventional alternative methods be used to carefully manage osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Some of the recipes not only do not help improve, but also lead to the opposite effect, causing accelerated destruction of cartilage.
• Homeopathy- helps normalize the synthesis of substances in the body. Homeopathy is especially effective for post-traumatic osteoarthritis and allows you to cope with the main factor that led to the development of the disease.
• Apitherapy- The treatment with bee stings is very effective and allows you to combine the effects of acupuncture and drug therapy. Not surprisingly, many warming and effective ointments contain processed bee venom. Apitherapy is often more effective than hip block. The advising doctor should decide whether or not to use apitherapy.
• Magnetotherapy- used as an auxiliary treatment and prevention of the disease. The action of the magnet increases blood flow to tissues and helps restore metabolic processes. Removes salt deposits.
• Hirudotherapy- Leech therapy has been used for several centuries. The saliva of leeches that enter the bloodstream has been shown to contain a substance that promotes its liquefaction. As a result, blood can even enter atrophied capillaries and blood vessels.
• Mud therapy- has a mildly warming effect and helps to retain the necessary nutrients. Proper use of mud therapy reduces inflammation and pain. With purulent arthrosis of the hip joint, this is prohibited. It is prescribed with caution for blood clots and vascular diseases.
• Shilajit against osteoarthritis- is used both in its pure form and as part of tinctures and compresses. The beneficial substances that make up Mumiyo promote tissue regeneration. Mumiyo is especially effective in the early stages of the disease.
• Self-massage- sharp, aggressive clapping and pressure are excluded. When massaging, the blood and lymph flow must be ensured. A chiropractor or an experienced massage therapist will show the types of movement and their direction.

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint at home using non-traditional methods must be complemented by adequate nutrition.

If you lose just 5 kg, the likelihood of an inflammatory process will decrease by about 30%.

Arthrosis in the hip joint and pregnancy

Pregnancy with osteoarthritis in the hip joint puts a double burden on a woman's body. Most drugs are prohibited during pregnancy. At the very least, they must be taken with great care so as not to harm the baby.

If hip osteoarthritis is at an early stage during pregnancy, it is recommended that drug treatment be postponed until after the birth.

It is possible to give birth to osteoarthritis in the hip joint, but it is necessary to understand all the risks involved. Complications after the birth of a child are not uncommon, and the deformation of the cartilage tissue occurs faster.

A full body examination is also required during the planning of the child. All medicines, ointments and pain relievers should only be taken as directed by a doctor.

Consequences of osteoarthritis

In the late stages of the disease, it becomes impossible to cure coxarthrosis in the usual way. Surgery is required. The surgery is a last resort and can be done in a number of ways.

1. Joint replacement- completely restores all motor functions. The disadvantage of this solution is the limited lifespan of the prosthesis. On average, after 15 years, a second surgery will be required to replace it.
2. Laser therapy for osteoarthritis that has been operated onof the hip joint - is used when the joint part of the bone is rejected. With laser therapy, the damaged surface is removed and replaced with an artificial insert.

All types of operations are temporary, but without them the patient becomes handicapped.

An early diagnosis of coxarthrosis and properly prescribed restorative therapy are the only reliable way to combat the disease. Ignoring symptoms leads to disability.