One of the most common degenerative dystrophic diseases today is arthrosis of the hip joint, also known as coxarthrosis.This disease can affect one or both joints, but these processes occur gradually.At the initial stage of the disease, one joint is affected, and a little later - the second.
Most often, patients over 40-45 years old suffer from coxarthrosis, but this disease has many causes and, in principle, can occur in people of different age categories.In children, osteoarthritis of the hip joint, fortunately, is not common.Congenital dysplasia of the hip joint leads to infantile coxarthrosis.Its cause is the underdevelopment of the bone tissue and ligaments of this joint.Children born with this condition often have hip subluxations and dislocations, when the head of the femur comes out of its socket.
Description and causes of the disease
The hip joint is located between the ilium and the femur.That is why the inflammation and pathology are called arthrosis of the hip joint of the sacroiliac joints.
The space between them also includes the synovial membrane and hyaline cartilage, together all these components ensure the normal functioning of the joint.All this is clearly visible in the photo of arthrosis of the hip joint.
The work of hyaline cartilage resembles the work of a sponge.When contracting, depending on the load on the joint, it releases the necessary amount of fluid that has a lubricating effect.After the load stops, the cartilage pores fill with liquid again.One of the reasons for the development of a disease such as hip arthrosis is a change in the properties of synovial fluid.
In addition to the work of hyaline cartilage, the causes of arthrosis of the hip joint can also be a slowdown in the metabolic process in the joint, which occurs as a result of poor circulation.These processes lead to atrophy of the muscles surrounding the joint.These muscles, during the normal functioning of all mechanisms and processes, perform a protective function of the joint.In case of careless movements, falls or jumps, they reduce the risk of injury.
The causes of the development of the disease can also be consequences of injuries, inflammatory processes and infections occurring in the body, as well as congenital hip dislocations or congenital disorders of joint development (dysplasia).
Degrees and symptoms of osteoarthritis
There are four degrees of this disease:
- 1st degree arthrosis of the hip joint.At this stage of the disease, the patient feels some discomfort, especially pronounced after physical exertion, as well as when going down or climbing stairs.Pain in the first degree of hip osteoarthritis can occur in both the hip and knee regions.
- Arthrosis of the hip joint 2 degrees.This degree of the disease is characterized by the manifestation of pain of a more intense nature.In addition to physical activity, pain can occur even with the leg at rest;with prolonged walking, even lameness is possible.The nature of the pain is pronounced, radiates to the groin, back or knee.The function of the joint with this degree of arthrosis is already impaired.
- In third-degree hip osteoarthritis, the pain is constant, not stopping even at night.The patient can only move with the help of orthopedic devices (cane or crutches).Joint movement is severely limited.
- Arthrosis of the hip joint of the 4th degree is expressed by large bone growths (visible on x-ray), severe pain, which is constantly intensifying.This degree of arthrosis is also called pronounced.The function of the joint is completely impaired, movement is limited or impossible.It can only be treated through surgery.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip joint vary depending on the degree of the disease:
- lameness, impaired mobility of the legs in the hip area;
- stiffness of movement, both after exercise and at rest;
- atrophy of the thigh muscles and shortening of the diseased limb.
The main symptom that provokes a medical consultation is pain.Here, a timely visit to the hospital plays a special role, since most patients present complaints already during the active development of the second or even third degree of the disease.You should not wait until the pain becomes pronounced, as this is fraught with irreversible processes that can occur in your body.
Diagnosis of the disease
This disease requires a combined diagnosis.In the first stage, the doctor talks to the patient, determines complaints of pain and other factors that cause anxiety.After that, the patient is examined to identify gait disturbances, a difference in the length of a healthy and diseased limb, as well as pain that occurs during palpation.In addition, the sensitivity of the diseased areas is examined for reduction and a process is carried out to determine the functions of neighboring joints.Already at this stage of diagnosis, the doctor can make a presumptive diagnosis: hip arthrosis at one stage or another.
After the conversation and examination, it's time for laboratory and instrumental studies:
- First, the patient is sent for an x-ray.Plain and axial x-rays give the doctor the opportunity to see an almost complete picture of the disease.
- If the x-ray is not sufficient, the patient is referred for MRI or CT.
- The essence of laboratory research is both a blood test to identify inflammatory processes in the body and the collection of synovial fluid using a puncture.With the latter, it is possible to observe whether the composition of a certain fluid has changed, since these changes are often the cause of the development of coxarthrosis.
Hip osteoarthritis treatment
The treatment of coxarthrosis, as well as its diagnosis, must be combined.There is an opinion that the only safe way to get rid of hip arthrosis is surgery.But often, for a number of individual reasons, such as general health or advanced age, surgery may be extremely undesirable or impossible.In this case, coxarthrosis must be treated in other ways.Here everything depends not only on the state in which the patient is, but also on the stage of the disease.
First-degree osteoarthritis can be completely cured without surgery.It is clear that this treatment is complex and requires a lot of effort, which the patient must make for recovery.Various procedures performed for hip osteoarthritis include:
- drug treatment to relieve inflammation, reduce pain and improve metabolism in the joint area;
- the patient must regularly perform special series of exercises prescribed by the doctor;
- The diet for arthrosis of the hip joint of the 1st degree also plays an important role, since the processes of blood circulation and metabolism in the body and in the hip joint region in particular depend on adequate nutrition.
At the second degree of the disease, we cannot talk about complete recovery, since deformation of the bones has already occurred, however, with the help of a set of certain procedures, it is possible to postpone the operation for a longer time or avoid it altogether.In addition to drug treatment with the same analgesics and anti-inflammatories, a series of exercises and a special diet, second-degree hip arthrosis also requires hospital treatment 1 to 2 times a year.
The third stage of osteoarthritis requires surgery.The joint tissue is severely depleted, the deformation in the joint area is irreversible and there is probably no other way out.However, there are particularly persistent patients who, with the help of incredible efforts and constant work on themselves, achieve significant improvements without surgical intervention.
Diet and folk remedies in the treatment of coxarthrosis
As mentioned above, an important part of hip osteoarthritis treatment is diet.The diet of a patient with coxarthrosis should be balanced and include all the necessary microelements.The basis of any tissue in the human body is protein, so you need to eat dairy products and legumes, as well as low-fat jelly and jellied meat.It is necessary to take into account that the purpose of the diet, in addition to saturating the body with essential microelements, is weight loss.This is necessary to relieve the load on the joint.Based on this, you should reduce the consumption of fatty, salty and other high-calorie foods.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint with folk remedies can alleviate pain and reduce some unfavorable processes associated with this disease.However, any traditional medicine recipes must be agreed with a doctor before use and used only with his approval.Here are some methods used for Coxarthrosis:
- Cut a cabbage leaf with a knife, spread honey on it and apply it to the sore joint overnight, wrapping it in cellophane and a woolen bandage.
- Rub the joint with tincture of celandine in olive oil.To prepare it, pour 7 to 8 tablespoons of plant stems with a liter of oil and leave for two weeks.
- Mix aloe vera juice with eucalyptus and mint leaves and apply this composition to the painful joint several times a day.
- Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint with salt is also common, as dry heat has a beneficial effect on eliminating inflammation and pain.Pour the salt, previously heated in the frying pan or oven, into a thick fabric bag and apply it to the wound.