Osteoarthritis of the hip is a common name for a group of diseases that include all diseases of the degenerative system of the hip joint, destroying cartilage tissue, with progressive nature. This disease has another name - coxarthrosis. The disease is characterized by pain in the upper region, difficult to treat and diagnose.
Causes and mechanisms of development of hip disease
Osteoarthritis of the hip is divided into primary and secondary. Primary is a disease that develops independently, independent of other factors, such as a side effect of the natural aging process. Secondary arthropathy is the result of complications of a disease of a different nature.
With a healthy pelvis, the distance between the femoral head and the medial process is clearly visible on the x-ray. This indicates the optimal condition of the cartilage that covers the thigh, and is an indication of the absence of joint disease. If the gap is not noticed, the cartilage has been damaged, which means that there is every reason to assume the presence of the disease described above. This form of rheumatic disease is not hereditary, that is, as a rule, it is not inherited. However, factors such as weak cartilage, fragile bones, and metabolic disorders can be passed down from generation to generation and can trigger the development of joint disease.
However, the main cause of this disease is various diseases of an infectious, traumatic nature. For example:
- Hip dislocation, hip dysplasia are the most common congenital diseases diagnosed in childhood by ultrasound diagnostic method. It is very important to identify this pathology, which is present in ten percent of infants, as early as possible, since correction of dysplasia is only possible in the first two years of the child's life.
- Infectious and chronic inflammatory diseases such as tuberculosis of the hip. This disease is especially dangerous because it is difficult to diagnose. Often the symptoms are so mild that it is easy to mistake them for another illness. Even an X-ray can sometimes only help identify tuberculosis in its advanced stages, when full recovery is no longer possible. All of this is exacerbated by the country's lack of narrow specialists who can accurately diagnose and treat the disease.
- Metabolic and thyroid disorders, such as diabetes.
- Perthes disease, which usually affects boys. With this disease, the femoral head is affected, blood circulation is disturbed, as a result of which the cartilage tissue is affected.
- Various mechanical injuries, such as trauma and dislocation of the hip.
Symptom
Arthritis is an extremely dangerous disease that in the beginning can be completely asymptomatic. Often, by just a lucky chance, an X-ray examination reveals the presence of the disease in a patient without finding a single sign in himself.
Osteoarthritis of the hip can be grade 1, grade 2 or grade 3 depending on the severity of the disease. First degree arthritis is characterized by pain only with exertion, for example when walking, and only the joint itself is painful. On radiographs, the distance between the femoral head and the cavernous sinus is half the normal distance. With grade 2 disease, the pain is more intense, spreads down to the groin and can be present even at rest, and lameness may occur. Grade 3 is the most severe level, when the patient cannot move independently without aids, the pain is permanent. A person is forced to lean to one side when walking due to shortened legs.
Diagnose
When making a diagnosis, it is important to give an accurate history. In this case, first of all, attention should be paid to the nature and duration of the pain, the location of the pain point, the atrophy of the muscles and nerve endings, the gait characteristics of the patient, and the blood circulation in the extremities.
Given all of this, the X-ray examination is crucial in the diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis, however, further examination may be required such as: MRI of the thigh, aspiration of the painful area, and a scan. extremity tomography, ultrasound.
Cure
First of all, in the treatment of joints, it is necessary to eliminate the pain, or at least reduce it to a level that the patient can tolerate. For this, NSAIDs are used, which not only combat pain, but also reduce inflammation.
Then drugs are prescribed to provide nutrition to the cartilage tissue that is able to restore it, but only in the early stages of the disease. Hormonal injections are also prescribed if necessary. However, only a doctor can prescribe all of the above drugs!
There is use of physical therapy (although many experts consider such treatment a waste of time). This is special massage, laser treatment, manual therapy, physical therapy exercises. However, these procedures are time-consuming and costly for the patient, and are not a definitive treatment.
However, with grade 3 joint disease, doctors often prescribe surgical intervention, and at the same time replace the destroyed joint with a prosthetic joint.
Folk methods for dealing with arthritis
Traditional medicine also does not stand aside from treating serious diseases. Various ointments and compresses prepared from the leaves of birch, burdock, cabbage are used for these purposes. They are pounded into porridge, and then tied to the painful site.
A mixture of honey, alcohol, iodine and glycerin is used as a compress. Traditional medicine confirms the effectiveness of bathing with nettle decoction. In addition, treatment with bee stings has become very popular for healing. Honey tincture, carrot, radish, radish and aloe vera juice must be poured with vodka and steeped for a week, then tincture can be taken once a day, 20 grams each.
Prevention of coxarthrosis
As a rule, preventive measures include strict weight control (since excess weight puts a lot of pressure on the hip joints), the correct distribution of physical activity so as not to overload the joints and contactconsult a specialist at the slightest doubt. .
Osteoarthritis of the hip is an extremely uncomfortable and dangerous disease, threatening dangerous complications, but timely examination with a qualified doctor will help you avoid the terrible consequences of the disease. cause.