Throughout life, the joints of the legs experience a lot of stress. The hip is a large spherical joint that provides the ability to move independently. The appearance of painful sensations, tight movements, limping gait makes a person think about the appearance of pathology.
In recent years, the number of people under 30 who have been diagnosed with arthrosis has increased dramatically. This statistic is extremely disappointing, as the disease progresses steadily and can lead to serious disability and disability. To protect yourself from the development of adverse effects, you must immediately begin treatment and follow all medical recommendations.
Arthrosis of the hip joint causes a lot of inconvenience to its owner. If there are discomfort in the joint area, it is necessary to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Late treatment may cost the patient the ability to walk independently.
What is arthrosis
Arthrosis is a rheumatological disease, which is based on degenerative and dystrophic changes in the joints. At the same time, not only the articular surfaces, but also the ligamentous apparatus and the capsule are involved in the pathological process. Most often, the joints of the hands, feet, knees suffer, but the most severe disease is arthrosis of the hip joint. With its development, the risk of developing complete disability increases due to severe restrictions in movements.
The basis of articular cartilage is collagen molecules and proteoglycans: they give the joint strength and elasticity, make it resistant to various kinds of loads. Under the influence of external factors, the amount of collagen and proteoglycans decreases, resulting in depletion and gradual destruction of cartilage tissue. Arthrosis develops under the influence of the following factors:
- mechanical injury;
- inflammatory processes in the joints;
- excessive load on the lower limbs;
- obesity;
- age-related changes in the body (in people over 55 years old);
- menopause (in women);
- malnutrition with a deficiency of protein products and calcium;
- hereditary predisposition;
- transferred operations on the joints.
How does arthrosis of the hip joint manifest?
Arthrosis develops gradually, so it is quite difficult to detect its initial manifestations. The patient may ignore the symptoms of the disease, mistaking them for fatigue or overwork. Exacerbation of discomfort may occur after an injury. Arthrosis of the hip joint is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the affected limb. It is dull, aching in nature, constant throughout the day. Unpleasant sensations increase during physical activity (exercise, running or walking), decrease at rest. When the hip joint is affected, pain radiates to the groin, perineum, and thigh. The joint may also begin to "respond" to changes in weather conditions or barometric pressure.
- Atrophic muscle changes. When walking, the patient unconsciously spares the affected limb, resulting in less stress on the muscles of the buttocks and thighs. This is accompanied by their atrophy and decrease in volume. This is especially noticeable with unilateral arthrosis.
- The appearance of a crunch during the implementation of movements in the joint. This sound resembles the rustling of a plastic bag and intensifies after a long period of immobility (night sleep). In medicine, this term is called "crepitus". The appearance of a crunch is associated with a violation of the mobility of the joint.
- Enlargement of the affected joint in volume. This occurs as a result of the formation on the bone surfaces of the smallest spikes - osteophytes. Such a reaction occurs as a compensatory response to an increase in the load on the surface of the bones (with thinning of the cartilage).
Medical treatment of arthrosis
It is currently not possible to completely prevent the destruction of cartilage tissue. Therefore, the treatment of arthrosis with the help of drugs is aimed at reducing pain and slowing down the progression of the disease. Most often, the following groups of drugs are used in therapy:
- Non-narcotic analgesics and analgesics of mixed action. They help reduce pain and are available in tablets or ampoules for intravenous administration.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of topical ointments or creams are also used to control pain. They are also prescribed if arthrosis is accompanied by inflammation of the synovial membrane of the joint.
- Chondroprotectors are drugs that slow down the progression of the disease and improve joint function.
Exercise therapy and physiotherapy methods
Non-pharmacological agents are also widely used in the fight against the disease. Doctors prescribe exercise therapy to patients to strengthen muscles and prevent the development of joint immobility. The nature of the exercises and the frequency of their implementation are determined individually for each case. Treatment of arthrosis also includes such physiotherapeutic procedures as:
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation;
- acupuncture;
- magnetic therapy;
- electrophoresis with analgesics;
- laser therapy;
- massage.
To reduce the load on the affected limb, the patient is also recommended to use canes or a walker. It will be useful to wear a hip orthosis, a special device that helps restore leg function and avoid further damage to the joint.
Surgery
Endoprosthetics is prescribed in the case when conservative methods of treating arthrosis of the hip joint are ineffective. The purpose of surgery is to eliminate the pain syndrome and restore the motor function of the limb. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia in a specialized hospital, after which the patient will have a long rehabilitation. The most favorable labor prognosis is in patients aged 40 to 75 years with a body weight of up to 70 kg: the probability of rejection of the endoprosthesis is minimized in them, which makes the treatment of arthrosis extremely effective. On average, the prosthesis lasts about 10-12 years, but there have been cases of its successful use with minimal wear for 20-25 years.