One of the most common degenerative-dystrophic diseases today is arthrosis of the hip joint, otherwise known as coxarthrosis.This disease can affect either 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 of age suffer from coxarthrosis, but this disease has many causes, and in principle, it can occur among people of different age groups.In children, arthrosis of the hip joint, fortunately, is not common.Congenital dysplasia of the hip joint leads to childhood coxarthrosis.Its cause is underdevelopment of bone tissue and ligaments of this joint.Children born with this condition often experience hip subluxations and dislocations, when the head of the femur comes out of the socket.
Description and causes of the disease
The hip joint is located between the ilium and the femur.This is why 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 it contracts, depending on the load on the joint, it releases the required amount of fluid that has a lubricating effect.After the load stops, the cartilage pores fill with fluid again.One of the reasons for the development of a disease such as hip arthrosis is a change in the properties of synovinal 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 operation of all mechanisms and processes, perform a protective function for 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 the consequences of injuries, inflammatory processes and infections occurring in the body, as well as congenital dislocations of the hip or congenital disorders of joint development (dysplasia).
Degrees and symptoms of arthrosis
There are four degrees of this disease:
- Arthrosis of the hip joint 1st degree.At this stage of the disease, the patient feels some discomfort, this is especially pronounced after physical exertion, as well as going down or up the stairs.Pain in the first degree of hip arthrosis can occur in the area of both the hip and knee.
- 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 when the leg is at rest; with prolonged walking, even lameness is possible.The nature of the pain is pronounced, it radiates to the groin, back or knee.The function of the joint with this degree of arthrosis is already impaired.
- With hip arthrosis of the third degree, the pain is constant, not stopping even at night.The patient is able to move only with the help of orthopedic devices (cane or crutches).The movement of the joint is severely limited.
- Arthrosis of the hip joint of the 4th degree is expressed by large bony growths (visible on an 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 arthrosis of the hip joint vary depending on the degree of the disease:
- limping, impaired leg mobility 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 causes a visit to a doctor is pain.Here, a timely trip to the hospital plays a special role, since most patients present with 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.At its first stage, the doctor talks with the patient, determines complaints of pain and other factors that are the cause of anxiety.After this, the patient is examined to identify disturbances in gait, the difference in the length of a healthy and diseased limb, as well as pain that occurs during palpation.In addition, the sensitivity of diseased areas is examined for its 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 of all, the patient is sent for an x-ray.Plain and axial radiographs give the doctor the opportunity to see an almost complete picture of the disease.
- If the x-ray is not enough, the patient is sent for magnetic resonance or computed tomography.
- The essence of laboratory research is both a blood test to identify inflammatory processes in the body and the collection of synovinal fluid through a puncture.Using the latter, you can observe whether the composition of a given fluid has changed, since these changes are often the cause of the development of coxarthrosis.
Treatment of hip arthrosis
Treatment of coxarthrosis, as well as its diagnosis, should be combined.There is an opinion that the only sure 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 should be treated in other ways.Here everything depends not only on the condition in which the patient is, but also on the stage of the disease.
Arthrosis of the first degree can be completely cured without surgery.Of course, this treatment is complex and requires great effort, which the patient must make for his recovery.A number of procedures performed for hip arthrosis include:
- drug treatment to relieve inflammation, reduce pain and improve metabolism in the joint area;
- the patient must regularly perform special sets of exercises prescribed by the doctor;
- 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 area of the hip joint in particular depend on proper nutrition.
In the second degree of the disease, we cannot talk about a complete recovery, since deformation has already occurred in the bones, however, with the help of a set of certain procedures, it is possible to postpone the operation for a longer period or avoid it altogether.In addition to drug treatment using the same painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, a set of exercises and a special diet, second-degree hip arthrosis also requires hospital treatment 1-2 times a year.
The third stage of arthrosis 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 the treatment of hip arthrosis is diet.The diet of a patient with coxarthrosis must 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 and legumes, as well as jelly and not very fatty jellied meat.It is necessary to take into account the fact that the goal of the diet, in addition to saturating the body with essential microelements, is weight loss.This is necessary to ease the load on the joint.Based on this, you should reduce your consumption of fatty, salty and other high-calorie foods.
Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint with folk remedies can relieve pain and reduce some unfavorable processes associated with this disease.However, any recipes of traditional medicine 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 it with honey and apply it to the sore joint overnight, wrapping it in cellophane and a woolen bandage.
- Rub the joint with celandine tincture in olive oil.To prepare it, pour 7-8 tablespoons of plant stems with a liter of oil and leave for two weeks.
- Mix aloe juice with eucalyptus and mint leaves and apply this composition to the sore joint several times a day.
- Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint with salt is also common, since dry heat has a beneficial effect on getting rid of inflammation and pain.Pour salt, previously heated in a frying pan or in the oven, into a bag made of thick fabric and apply it to the sore spot.