Osteoarthritis of the hip joint, otherwise known as coxarthrosis, is one of the most serious diseases of modern man. The first manifestations - mild groin pain - are generally ignored. A patient, as a rule, seeks qualified medical care when drug treatment is already ineffective and endoprosthetic is required.
Reasons
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint occurs due to a combination of different, unfavorable conditions. Microtraumas and full-blown injuries account for one-fifth of the total number of cases (average 10-20%).
Other causes of hip osteoarthritis are:
- Excessive loads.
- Heart attack or aseptic necrosis of the hip joint.
- Long-term stress, long-term depression.
- Overweight.
- Heredity.
- Congenital anomalies and underdevelopment.
- Inflammatory processes in the joints.
- Hormonal back error.
Overloads
Until recently, excessive physical exertion, long hours of walking, and strenuous work (as a loader) were believed to be the main causes of osteoarthritis. But this is not the case.
A healthy joint that has never been damaged, especially at a young age, is perfectly tolerant of any stress and nothing happens to it.
But once, even in childhood, if there are microtraumas, such a combination is a candidate for the development of coxarthrosis. For this reason, the disease occurs in 20-30% of cases.
heart attack
This is a disorder of blood flow in the joint. In other words, the disease is generally called aseptic necrosis of the hip joint after injury.
In addition to injury, there may be a cause of heart attack:
- Excessive alcohol consumption.
- Frequent injection of corticosteroids.
- An unexpected shock (severe stress).
- Excessive, one-time loads at a time when a person is not ready for them.
Heart attack is one of the causes of coxarthrosis - in 10-30% of cases.
Secret Stress
Few people believe in psychosomatics. However, prolonged experiences, depression, misunderstandings in the family, and various phobias that arise against this background are a direct path not only to hip problems, but also to joint problems. For this reason, the incidence of osteoarthritis is very high - up to 50.
In this case, the mechanism of onset of the disease is simple. During prolonged depression, the patient's body produces stress hormones belonging to the group of corticosteroids. The longer a person is in this condition, the higher the concentration in the blood. Corticosteroids inhibit the production of hyaluronic acid, a major component of joint fluid. When not produced enough or the composition is changed, the cartilage is poorly moisturized, dries, and covered with a mesh consisting of small cracks.
Stress hormone reduces capillary permeability while disrupting blood circulation in the joints.
Overweight
Coxarthrosis is an additional factor among other causes of osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
Overweight people put a lot of stress on their joints, especially the ankles, knees and hips.
As long as they are young, everything works normally. However, with the same weight with age, joint problems will grow like a snowball.
Heredity
If one of your relatives has osteoarthritis, it is not important that you get sick. However, the formation of "wounds" is influenced by metabolic characteristics, cartilage structure, and these can be inherited. This includes weakness of the muscular apparatus. For this reason, coxarthrosis can be obtained in only 10% of cases. And it is far from the truth that this will happen. The key is to get regular checkups and monitor the condition of your joints.
Congenital anomaly
It is usually treated in early childhood, which allows the child to grow and use the environment normally. However, the presence of an anomaly always carries the risk of getting coxarthrosis if you do not always monitor the condition of your joints. The incidence rate is small - only 5. It should not be taken into account that the combination of only a few causes leads to the formation of osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
joint inflammation
This process is commonly called arthritis. The disease causes secondary coxarthrosis in 2-3% of cases. The inflammatory process changes the quality of intra-articular fluid. It becomes more viscous and stops performing its functions directly. As a result, the cartilage gradually collapses and rubs against the cartilage.
Other causes that directly or indirectly affect the development of coxarthrosis include menopause, metabolic diseases (diabetes), neurological diseases (loss of sensitivity of the lower extremities), and hormonal changes in osteoporosis.symptoms
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint manifests itself in different ways. In the early stages of the patient's pathology, almost nothing is disturbed, except for the weak unpleasant, sometimes painful, independent feelings.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip joint are specific and allow a preliminary conclusion (for diagnosis) at the stage of examination:
- Groin pain. This is the main symptom of the disease. If you feel something is wrong in this area while moving, consult a doctor as soon as possible. Pain from the groin usually extends along the front or sides of the thigh and can spread to the back or knee. It is extremely rare for pain in the hip joint to reach the middle of the calf muscle. The patient feels discomfort when sinking or getting up in a chair or after a long walk.
- Limited mobility. This symptom indicates that hip arthrosis (coxarthrosis) is already developing. If you ask such a patient to "sit on a chair, " that is, to sit back, he is unlikely to be able to do so.
- Grinding of the hip joint while walking. Not immediately visible, but with the development of osteoarthritis and the destruction of cartilage. In contrast to the usual crisis of a healthy joint, it is a very dry sound and pain syndrome of weak or moderate intensity.
- Shortening of the patient's joint. Occurs when the disease is already sufficiently advanced.
- Falling on a painful leg due to partial or complete destruction of cartilage.
- Muscle atrophy of the affected leg. It looks visually dry and unhealthy.
- Pain in the knee joint due to muscle atrophy.
Diagnostics
This moment is not too long for the patient. After a visual examination and questioning of the patient, the doctor prescribes a blood test - a general analysis, biochemistry and rheumatic test. This is done to exclude the inflammatory process in the body. With osteoarthritis, all indicators are close to normal.
The next step is instrumental examinations:
- X-ray and / or CT.Computed tomography shows the joints a little better.
- MRI. Initially appointed. Such a survey is as informative as possible.
- Ultrasound examination of joints.In this study, one of the symptoms of coxarthrosis is a clear thinning of the cartilage. However, the accuracy of the result depends largely on the qualifications of the specialist deciphering the data obtained. Therefore, it is rarely prescribed to establish the disease.
Results
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint will actively develop if left untreated in the hope that it will "probably go away on its own. "The consequences of such indifference to oneself are expressed in muscle atrophy and a marked shortening and drying of the diseased joint, at which point a person will not be able to move independently. Pain syndrome will be a constant companion of such a patient; even strong painkillers cannot eliminate it. The only way out of this situation will be a joint replacement operation - endoprosthetic.
If an elderly patient is diagnosed with coxarthrosis, treatment should be started immediately. Due to severe persistent pain in a patient, a sedentary way of life, which occurs constantly, significantly shortens life.
Traditional Treatment
It can be divided into medical and surgical. The second is used when the first does not bring significant improvement with long-term use.
Early coxarthrosis is highly treatable:
- Medications.
- Manual therapy.
- Do not draw on a special table.
- With PIR (relaxation after measurement).
- Therapeutic massage.
- Hirudotherapy.
- Healing gymnastics.
Medications
The role of drugs is multifaceted. Not only tablets but also ointments and intra-articular injections are used. Tablets (capsules, packs) are prescribed to relieve pain (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), to improve cartilage nutrition and improve the quality of intra-articular lubrication (chondroprotectors), to relieve muscle spasms (muscle relaxants).
Ointments and creams have the weakest effect and are used to warm and irritate. Their effect is close to placebo. At the moment of rubbing, endorphins - pleasure hormones - are formed in the patient's body and effectively eliminate the pain.
Intra-articular injections are very rare for osteoarthritis of the hip joint. This is due to the narrow joint space, which is very difficult to access even with the use of special ancillary equipment. The procedure is performed through the groin and is so complicated that nine percent of doctors prefer to inject drugs into the periarticular sac by piercing the edge of the thigh.
By injection:
- Eliminate high-intensity pain syndrome (corticosteroids).
- Nourish cartilage (chondroprotectors).
- improves the quality of lubricating oil (hyaluronic acid substitutes - injected from the groin).
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for painful and moderate pain. They also effectively extinguish inflammatory processes.
Manual therapy
Treatment by an experienced specialist can put patients with moderate coxarthrosis on their feet. The doctor's task is to restore mobility in the joint and relieve pain. Manual therapy is divided into manipulation (single effect on the joint) and mobilization (4 courses per year, 3-4 sessions each).
Mobilization allows you to extend the affected joint with minimal pain. Expand the joint space, relax tight muscles. Manipulation is allowed only in the early stages of the disease.
Drawing on a special table also gives certain results, but significantly loses the manual treatment. Unlike the doctor's hands, the machine (device) does not feel the patient and can be damaged if used incorrectly.
PIR
Post-isometric relaxation involves an active interaction between the patient and the attending physician. The meaning of the method is that the patient relaxes / tenses certain muscle groups under the guidance of a specialist. At this time, the doctor stretches the ligaments and joints.
For coxarthrosis, this treatment helps relieve muscle spasms. The method is effective for grade I and II coxarthrosis.
Massage
If you decide to use this method, you need to find a highly qualified specialist. Otherwise, instead of reducing the situation, you can make it worse. The method is effective as an adjunct for grade I and II coxarthrosis.
For coxarthrosis, massage should not cause pain. Feelings are pleasant during the procedure, you should feel relaxed and at ease.
Please note that there are contraindications to massage. Do not self-medicate.
Hirudotherapy
Leech treatment helps in the early stages of osteoarthritis of the hip joints. The saliva of this worm improves blood circulation, cartilage elasticity and contains many useful substances. It acts as a chondroprotector, only softer.
Leeches are placed not only on the thighs, but also on the sacrum, lower abdomen and lower back. You must complete 2 courses of 10 sessions each year.
Healing gymnastics
No disease can be treated or alleviated without a single dose of exercise. Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is no exception. If you do not strengthen the muscles, their atrophy is inevitable, and the condition of the cartilage will double.
It is preferable to study in special groups under the supervision of specialists. The medical complex is selected by the doctor on the basis of complex examinations, the degree of coxarthrosis and the patient's physical capabilities.
Endoprosthetic
Surgery is performed in grade III and IV coxarthrosis, when conservative treatment has minimal results or is generally ineffective. The surgeon's task is to replace both the articular head itself and the acetabulum with artificial implants with a small incision in the bud.
Now such operations are in progress. Imagine the course of the operation (in short) to imagine what awaits you if you ignore the first signs of coxarthrosis:
- The patient is anesthetized.
- The Buddha is incised, the soft tissues are removed, and the nerves are pulled back.
- Removed from the joint bed. Simply put, the doctor makes an artificial incision to get the head.
- The head of the joint is removed with a piece of bone.
- The acetabulum is cleansed.
- The bone is given an endoprosthesis, an artificial joint head, or rather a "clogged" place.
- An artificial acetabulum is placed.
- The joint is relocated. The doctor checks the mobility of the limb by moving it in different directions.
- The wound is disinfected and repaired.
It is necessary to rehabilitate for a long time after the operation and follow a certain regimen.
Traditional methods
For those who love self-medication, it should be noted that coxarthrosis is a disease that should be treated only by a doctor. Not all folk remedies in the form of rubs, lotions and other "unusual things" will lead to anything good.
However, some recipes of traditional medicine can be used as an adjunct to the first degree of the disease:
- Cabbage leaves.It is used to relieve pain without taking an analgesic and to relieve "twisting" in a painful joint. At night, after rubbing clean honey on your skin, apply a few cabbage leaves to your thighs. Cover with plastic wrap and something warm. Remove in the morning, rinse the remaining honey with cold water and repeat the compress. Repeat until the pain subsides.
- Honey and turnip ointment.Similar to cabbage leaves. You just have to tinker to cook. Turnip and honey ratio 1/1. Bend the root vegetables in a meat grinder, add honey and mix. Pour 50 ml of vodka or alcohol. Mix again. Rub on the affected joint until the pain disappears.
- Healing baths.To cook, you need pine branches (a few large branches), turpentine turpentine (1 teaspoon), bath salt (1 kg) and washed Jerusalem artichoke tubers chopped into pieces (3-4 pieces). Fill with hot water and let it brew. When the water is pleasant to bathe, remove the twigs and Jerusalem artichoke and begin the procedure. When you're done, apply iodine mesh or honey to your thigh pain, put on something warm, and go to bed.
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a serious disease that occurs when a number of causes are combined.
To avoid disability, do not wait for the results, undergo annual examinations, consult a doctor at the first feeling of discomfort in the groin area.