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

Coxarthrosis is a disease that affects the patient's hip joint. The treatment is long term. Just a few decades ago, such a diagnosis was practically a condemnation for a patient, who had promised him: severe exhausting pains, a gradual decrease in mobility, early disability.

But thanks to the most effective modern methods of treatment, it has become possible not only to suspend the degenerative process, but even to completely cure coxarthrosis in the early stages.

Understanding the causes of the disease has given impetus to the use of an integrated approach in therapy. Treatment for osteoarthritis of the hip joint can include both medication and physiotherapy methods.

What is osteoarthritis of the hip

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

Deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint, with rare exceptions, is observed in patients over 40 years of age. The development of the pathology is as follows:

• The metabolism is disturbed. Cartilage has no blood vessels, so it is nourished by adjacent muscle tissue. For various reasons, the synthesis of substances is disturbed.
• Due to insufficient nutrition, the cartilage begins to lose its elasticity. Over time, it thins. The interosseous lumen is considerably reduced. Grade 3 osteoarthritis of the hip joint is characterized by the fact that the growths of bone tissue rub against each other. Cartilage is practically absent.

• The load on the bone, reducing the thickness of the cartilage contributes to the deformation of bone tissue.

After the onset of degenerative changes, it may take years for the patient to develop the third stage of the disease, but under adverse circumstances and non-observance of precautions, pathological changes can occur much faster.

How osteoarthritis manifests itself

The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip joint and their nature depend on the degree of development of the disease. The most common symptom is pain. It is because of the pain that patients most often turn to a doctor for qualified help. In addition, the insidious nature of the disease is that at the early stage of degenerative changes, the pain, as a rule, does not cause great inconvenience, is short-term in nature and is often attributed to ordinary fatigue.

The delay leads to the fact that the most opportune moment to start treatment is missed, and to cure grade 2 osteoarthritis of the hip requires more time and effort. The chances of a successful prognosis remain, provided the treatment is correctly prescribed.

Symptoms of the disease are:

1. Pain - may appear in the thigh, groin, and in the joint itself. It is worth being wary if the symptoms of pain appear while at rest. This indicates the need for an urgent visit to an arthrologist.
2. Stiffness of movement, limp. It is observed after prolonged immobility of the leg, for example, after sleep.
3. Over time, the diseased leg becomes shorter than the healthy leg, atrophy of muscle tissue is observed, which is palpable.

In diagnosing a disease, one cannot do without modern diagnostic studies. For example, grade 1 osteoarthritis of the hip is only diagnosed using x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans. The photo clearly shows the changes and narrowing of the interosseous lumen.

Stages of osteoarthritis of the hip

After diagnosing a pathology, the patient is given a code according to ICD 10. This is an international classification of diseases, which is revised every 10 years.

Thanks to the assigned code, not only statistics are collected. The therapies that have given the most tangible results can be selected. Thanks to international cooperation, the medical treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip has improved significantly over time.

In worldwide practice, it is recognized that osteoarthritis of the hip joint has three stages or stages of development. Each of them has its own symptomatology. To know:

1. First step.Pain occurs only against the background of excessive exertion: running, exercise, exercise, etc. The pain is concentrated mainly in the joint area. The pain usually goes away on its own after a little rest. In this case, the mobility of the leg remains total, the muscle strength is not limited. First degree osteoarthritis can only be diagnosed by x-ray or tomography. The image clearly shows small deformations of the bone tissue that do not extend beyond the so-called articular lip. Joint space is slightly narrowed, usually in uneven areas.
2. Second step.Characterized by migratory pain that begins to spread to the groin, thigh. May occur spontaneously at rest. Pain in osteoarthritis of the hip joint in the second stage does not go away on its own and forces the patient to take anesthetics. The range of motion is altered and muscle tissue atrophy is observed. The image clearly shows the bony growths and deformities of the femoral head. Perhaps the appearance of a cyst in the most loaded part of the thigh - the acetabulum. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the second stage is made quickly. Even with a superficial examination, the pathological changes are evident. X-rays or MRIs are done to see the extent of the deformity.
3. Third step.The pain begins to be chronic. It is possible to determine osteoarthritis even without a thorough examination. The patient cannot move without a cane, the pelvis is tilted, which leads to shortening of the leg. When moving, the patient should tilt their torso over the damaged joint. As a result, this leads to even greater degenerative changes. The image shows extensive bone deformities. The joint clearance is almost invisible.

Therapeutic treatment for deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint is only effective in stages 1 and 2 of the disease. The third stage in the development of pathology often leads to the need for surgical intervention.

How to treat osteoarthritis of the hip joint

No matter what is used, gymnastics for osteoarthritis of the hip or taking medication, all approaches are based on six fundamental principles. To know:

• Eliminate the pain.
• Provide normal nutrition to cartilage tissue and, if possible, restore it.
• Improves blood flow to the affected area.
• Reduces stress on the joint.
• Strengthens atrophied muscles.
• Restore joint mobility.

To achieve the six goals, it is necessary to use complex therapy. So, for example, by prescribing injections into the joint, but without taking care to reduce the load on it, it is possible to nullify all the beneficial effects of chondroprotectors. It is not surprising that in worldwide practice, 2 to 10 different approaches are usually used simultaneously, depending on the condition of the patient.

How to treat osteoarthritis of the hip

A holistic approach to treating the hip joint gives better results than using a single therapeutic agent - a fact recognized by the world's leading arthrologists. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a patient to be prescribed several types of treatment at the same time, among the following:

• NSAIDs- nonsteroidal drugs to relieve the inflammatory process arethe "classics" of treatment. Medicines for osteoarthritis of the hip joint should be prescribed either in combination with non-steroidal drugs or have them in their composition. NSAIDs are particularly effective during an exacerbation of the disease. They help relieve pain and reduce swelling. The reception allows to perform exercise therapy exercises for osteoarthritis of the hip, go to massage, gymnastics and other physiotherapy procedures. The downside of NSAIDs is their negative effect on the gastric mucosa. Patients should understand that nonsteroidal drugs for osteoarthritis of the hip do not cure the disease, but simply eliminate the symptoms, making therapy possible.
• Chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid.These drugs are a new step in the treatment of the hip joint, so they can be distinguished into a separate group.
  Chondroprotectors
  1. 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 creates an intermediate layer between the bones allowing less stress on the joint. Effective as a restorative therapy.
• Muscle relaxants- are vasodilator drugs and can relieve muscle tissue spasms. 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 advertisements of ointments as a miraculous cure for disease relief, in fact, they only eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease. On the other hand, pain relievers in the form of ointments improve the effectiveness of conservative therapy, allowing you to relieve puffiness and alleviate the patient's condition.
• Intra-articular injections- designed to relieve pain, restore cartilage, or provide protection against excessive pressure on a joint. The most commonly used drugs are corticosteroids. They relieve pain by allowing the patient to begin treatment with physical therapy. The group of corticosteroids may also include preparations of hyaluronic acid. The effectiveness of intra-articular injections largely depends on the experience of the surgeon (according to statistics, 30% of doctors, during manipulations, miss the joint capsule).

Some medicines can harm the body. It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate!

Bandaging the hip joint will relieve stress on the joint and reduce the factor, which is the main cause of the appearance of tissue irritation leading to the inflammatory process. Therefore, together with drug therapy, fixation of the damaged area is often prescribed.

Alternative methods and physiotherapy

In addition to prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections and other drugs, the patient can undergo physiotherapy and use non-traditional therapeutic methods.

• Manual therapy- this procedure has a milder effect on damaged tissue than massage of the hip joint for osteoarthritis. Any aggressive effect on the damaged area can easily provoke the onset of the inflammatory process. In our region, manual therapy is not yet accustomed, but in the West it is widespread and is one of the official methods of therapy.
• Physiotherapyfor deforming osteoarthritis is a large area in which the patient can choose between traditional and non-traditional methods. With osteoarthritis of the hip, Pilates, yoga, as well as exercises in water and other means of restoring the function of atrophied muscles are popular. Physical education and moderate exertion, as well as medication, have a beneficial effect and contribute to the recovery of the patient.
• Traditional medicine- most arthrologists oppose this method as an independent therapy. And their opinion has a basis. A large number of patients, who refused the help of traditional medicine, earned a handicap. But under the supervision of the attending physician, effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip with folk remedies is quite possible. Most of the herbs and infusions used have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Some drug charges have serious contraindications, so you should consult an arthrologist before taking them. It is recommended to use unconventional alternative methods of treating osteoarthritis of the hip joint with caution. Some of the recipes not only do not contribute to the improvement, but also lead to the opposite effect, causing the accelerated destruction of cartilage.
• Homeopathy- helps normalize the synthesis of substances in the body. Homeopathy is especially effective in post-traumatic osteoarthritis, allowing you to deal with the main factor that led to the development of the disease.
• Apitherapy- treatment with bee stings is very effective, it allows you to combine the effect 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 advisability of using apitherapy should be decided by the attending physician.
• Magnetotherapy- is used as an auxiliary treatment and prevention of disease. The effect of the magnet increases blood flow to the tissues, helps restore metabolic processes. Eliminates salt deposits.
• Hirudotherapy- leech therapy has been used for several centuries. The saliva of leeches, which enters the bloodstream, has been proven to contain a substance that promotes its liquefaction. As a result, blood can even get into atrophied capillaries and blood vessels.
• Mud therapy- has a gentle warming effect, helps to obtain the necessary nutrients. Correct application of mud therapy reduces inflammation and pain. Prohibited with purulent osteoarthritis of the hip joint. It is prescribed with caution in the presence of blood clots and vascular disease.
• Shilajit for osteoarthritis- used both in pure form and as part of tinctures and compresses. The beneficial substances that make up Mumiyo promote tissue regeneration. Mumiyo is particularly effective in the early stages of the disease.
• Self-massage- sudden aggressive applause and pressure is excluded. When massaging, it is necessary to ensure the circulation of blood and lymph. An experienced chiropractor or massage therapist will show you the types of movements and their direction.

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint at home using non-traditional methods should be supplemented with proper nutrition.

Losing weight by just 5 kg will reduce the likelihood of the onset of an inflammatory process by about 30%.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint and pregnancy

Pregnancy with osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a double stress for the female body. Most drugs are prohibited during pregnancy. At the very least, they should be taken with great care so as not to harm the baby.

If osteoarthritis of the hip during pregnancy is at an early stage, it is recommended to postpone drug treatment after childbirth.

It is possible to give birth with osteoarthritis of the hip joint, but it is necessary to understand all the associated risks. Complications after the birth of a child are not uncommon, and deformation of cartilage tissue occurs at an accelerated rate.

Even when planning the child, it is necessary to undergo a full body examination. All medications, ointments, and pain relievers can only be taken as directed by a doctor.

Consequences of osteoarthritis

In the advanced stages of the disease, it becomes impossible to cure hip osteoarthritis in the usual way. Surgery is necessary. The operation is a last resort and can be performed 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, it will take a second operation to replace it.
2. Laser therapy for operated on osteoarthritisof the hip joint - is used for rejection of the joint part of the bone. Using laser therapy, the damaged surface is removed and replaced with an artificial insert.

All types of surgery are temporary, but without them the patient becomes disabled.

Early diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis and properly prescribed remedial treatment is the only reliable way to fight the disease. Ignoring the symptoms leads to disability.