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 sentence for a patient, who promised him: severe excruciating pain, gradual decrease in mobility, early disability.

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

Understanding the causes of the disease has given rise to the use of an integrated approach to therapy. Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint may include medication and physiotherapy methods.

What is hip arthrosis

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

Deformable arthrosis of the hip joint, with rare exceptions, is seen in patients over 40 years of age. The development of pathology is as follows:

• Metabolism is impaired. Cartilage has no blood vessels, so it is nourished by adjacent muscle tissue. For various reasons, the synthesis of substances is disrupted.
• Due to insufficient nutrition, cartilage begins to lose its elasticity. Over time, it becomes thinner. The interosseous lumen is significantly reduced. Arthrosis in the grade 3 hip joint is characterized by the fact that the growths in the bone tissue rub against each other. Cartilage is practically absent.

• Load on the bone, reducing cartilage thickness 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 disregard for precautions, pathological changes can occur much more rapidly.

How osteoarthritis manifests

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. Moreover, the insidiousness of the disease is that in the early stage of degenerative changes, the pain, as a rule, does not cause great concern, is of a short-term nature, and is often attributed to ordinary fatigue.

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

Symptoms of the disease are:

1. Pain - can occur in the thighs, groin and in the joint itself. It is worth being careful if the pain symptoms appear at rest. This indicates the need for an urgent visit to an arthrologist.
2. Stiffness of movement, lameness. 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, atrophy of muscle tissue is observed, which is palpable.

In diagnosing a disease, it cannot be done without modern diagnostic studies. Thus, grade 1 hip osteoarthritis is diagnosed only with the help of X-rays, CT and MRI. The photograph clearly shows the changes and narrowing of the interosseous lumen.

Stages of hip arthrosis

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

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

In world practice, it is accepted that hip arthrosis has three stages or stages of development. Each of them has its own symptomatology. namely:

1. The first stage.Painful sensations arise only against the background of an excessive strain: running, exercising, training, etc. 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 complete, 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 bone tissue that do not go beyond the so-called articular edge. The joint gap is slightly narrowed, usually in uneven areas.
2. The second phase.It is characterized by migratory pain that begins to spread to the groin, thighs. It can occur spontaneously during rest. The pain in osteoarthritis of the hip in the second stage does not pass by itself and requires the patient to take anesthetics. The range of motion is disturbed, atrophy of muscle tissue is observed. The image clearly shows bone growth and deformities of the femoral head. Perhaps the appearance of a cyst on the busiest part of the thigh - the acetabulum. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the second stage is made quickly. Even with a temporary examination, pathological changes are noticeable. X-rays or MRIs are done to see the degree of deformity.
3. The third phase.The pain starts to be chronic. It is impossible to diagnose osteoarthritis even without a thorough examination. The patient can not move without a cane, has a pelvic tilt, which leads to a shortening of the leg. When moving, the patient should tilt his torso to the damaged joint. As a result, this leads to even greater degenerative changes. The image shows extensive bone deformities. The joint gap is almost invisible.

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

How to treat osteoarthritis in the thigh joint

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

• Remove the pain.
• Provide normal cartilage tissue nutrition and, if possible, restore it.
• Improve blood flow to the affected area.
• Reduce stress on joints.
• Strengthen atrophied muscles.
• Restore joint movement.

To achieve all six goals, it is necessary to use complex therapy. Thus, for example, by prescribing injections into the joints, but without taking care of reducing the load on it, it is possible to cancel out all the beneficial effects of chondroprotectors. It is not surprising that in world practice, 2 to 10 different approaches are usually used simultaneously, depending on the patient's condition.

How to treat hip osteoarthritis

A comprehensive approach to treating thigh joints offers better results than using just one 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 as follows:

• NSAIDs- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the "classic" treatment. Medications for osteoarthritis of the hip joint should be prescribed either in combination with non-steroidal drugs, or have them in their composition. NSAIDs are especially effective during an exacerbation of the disease. They help relieve pain and reduce swelling. Waiting makes it possible to perform exercise therapy exercises for osteoarthritis of the hip joint, go to massage, gymnastics and other physiotherapy procedures. The disadvantage of NSAIDs is their negative effect on the gastric mucosa. Patients should understand that non-steroidal medications for hip osteoarthritis do not cure the disease, but simply eliminate the symptoms, enabling therapy.
• Chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid.These drugs are a new stage in the treatment of the hip joint, so they can be distinguished into a separate group.
  1. Chondroprotectors are described 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 a layer between the bones, thus reducing stress on the joints. Effective as a restorative therapy.
• Muscle relaxants- are vasodilators and can relieve muscle spasm. It is prescribed to reduce the load on the joints. Muscle relaxants can only be used as part of complex drug therapy.
• > On the other hand, pain relievers in the form of oils increase the effectiveness of conservative treatment, allowing you to relieve swelling and alleviate the patient's condition.
• > The most commonly used drugs are corticosteroids. They relieve pain by allowing the patient to begin treatment with physical therapy. The corticosteroid group may also include hyaluronic acid preparations. The effectiveness of injections within the article depends mainly on how experienced the surgeon is (according to statistics, 30% of doctors, when performing manipulations, lose the joint capsule).

Some medicines can be harmful to the body. Strictly forbidden to self-medicate!

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

Alternative methods and physiotherapy

In addition to prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs, injections, and other medications, the patient may undergo physiotherapy and use the help of non-traditional methods of therapy.

• 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 area, manual therapy is not yet taught, but in the West it is widespread and is one of the official methods of therapy.
• Physical therapyfor deforming osteoarthritis is a wide area in which the patient can choose between traditional and non-traditional methods. With hip osteoarthritis, Pilates, yoga, and water exercises and other ways to restore atrophied muscle function are popular. Physical education and moderate exertion, along with medication, have a beneficial effect and contribute to the healing of the patient.
• Traditional medicine- most arthrologists oppose this method as an independent therapy. And their opinion has a foundation. A large number of patients, after refusing the help of traditional medicine, have given themselves a disability. But under the supervision of the attending physician, effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint with folk remedies is quite possible. Most herbs and infusions used have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Some medication charges have serious contraindications, so you should consult an arthrologist before taking them. The use of unconventional alternative methods for the treatment of hip arthrosis with caution is recommended. Some of the recipes not only do not contribute to the improvement, but also lead to the opposite effect, provoking the accelerated destruction of cartilage.
• Homeopathy- helps to normalize the synthesis of substances in the body. Homeopathy is particularly effective in post-traumatic osteoarthritis, allowing you to cope with the key factor that led to the development of the disease.
• Apiterapia- treatment with bee stings is very effective, allows you to combine the effect of acupuncture and drug therapy. Not surprisingly, many warming and effective oils contain processed bee venom. Apitherapy is often more effective than hip block. Improving the use of apitherapy should be decided by the attending physician.
• Magnetotherapy- used as adjunctive treatment and prevention of disease. The effect of the magnet increases blood flow to the tissue, helps restore metabolic processes. Removes salt deposits.
• Hirudotherapy- caterpillar therapy has been used for centuries. It has been proven that caterpillar saliva, which enters the bloodstream, contains a substance that promotes its liquefaction. As a result, blood can even enter atrophied capillaries and blood vessels.
• Mud therapy- has a mild warming effect, helps get the necessary nutrients. Proper application of mud therapy reduces inflammation and pain. It is prohibited with purulent osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Prescribed is carefully prescribed 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 especially effective in the early stages of the disease.
• Self-massage- strokes and sharp aggressive pressure are excluded. When massaging, it is necessary to ensure blood and lymph flow. An experienced chiropractor or massage therapist will indicate the types of movements and their direction.

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip at home using unconventional methods should be supplemented with proper nutrition.

Losing weight by just 5 kg will reduce the chances of starting 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 a woman's body. Most medications are prohibited during pregnancy. At the very least, they should be handled with great care so as not to harm the baby.

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

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

Even when planning the baby, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination of the body. All medicines, oils, painkillers can be taken only according to the doctor's instructions.

Consequences of osteoarthritis

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

1. Replacing joints- fully restores all motor functions. The disadvantage of this solution is the limited life of the prosthesis. On average, after 15 years, it will take a second operation to replace it.
2. Laser therapy for operated arthrosisof the hip joint - used in case of rejection of the articular part of the bone. Using laser therapy, the damaged surface is removed and replaced with an artificial insert.

All types of surgeries are temporary, but without them the patient becomes incapacitated.

Early diagnosis of coxarthrosis and a definite course of restorative therapy is the only reliable way to fight the disease. Ignoring the symptoms leads to disability.