How to treat arthrosis of the hip joint – methods and means

Coxarthrosis is a disease that affects the patient's hip joint.The treatment is long-term.Just a few decades ago, such a diagnosis was practically a death sentence for the patient, promising him: severe, debilitating pain, a gradual decrease in mobility, and early disability.

However, thanks to modern, highly effective treatment methods, it is possible not only to stop the degenerative process, but even to achieve a complete cure of coxarthrosis in the early stages.

Understanding the causes of disease has provided the impetus for the application of an integrated therapeutic approach.Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint can include both medication and physiotherapy methods.

What is hip osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease in which the normal structure of the cartilage tissue of the joints is disrupted.In contrast to arthritis, the cause of the deformation is not an infectious inflammation of the tissue, but a disorder of metabolic processes.

With rare exceptions, deforming arthrosis of the hip joint is observed in patients over 40 years old.The development of pathology occurs as follows:

• The metabolism is disturbed.Cartilage tissue has no blood vessels and is therefore nourished by adjacent muscle tissue.The synthesis of substances is disturbed for various reasons.
• Due to inadequate nutrition, cartilage begins to lose elasticity.Over time it becomes thinner.Interosseous clearance is significantly reduced.Grade 3 osteoarthritis in the hip joint is characterized by growths on the bone tissue rubbing against each other.Cartilage tissue is practically absent.

• The load on the bones and a decrease in cartilage thickness contribute to the deformation of bone tissue.

After the onset of degenerative changes, it can take years for the patient to progress to the third stage of the disease.However, under unfavorable circumstances and a lack of precautionary measures, pathological changes can occur much more quickly.

How does osteoarthritis manifest itself?

The symptoms of arthrosis of the hip joint and their type depend on the degree of development of the disease.The most characteristic symptom is pain.Because of the pain, patients most often turn to a doctor for qualified help.In addition, the insidiousness of the disease is that pain in the early stages of degenerative changes usually does not cause much inconvenience, is short-term in nature and often occurs due to normal fatigue.

A delay results in missing the best time to start treatment and healing grade 2 hip osteoarthritis requires more time and effort.There are still chances of a successful prognosis if the therapy is prescribed correctly.

Symptoms of the disease are:

1. Pain can occur in the hip, groin, and in the joint itself.If pain symptoms occur while resting, caution is advised.This indicates the need for an urgent visit to an arthrologist.
2. Stiffness of movement, limping.It is observed after prolonged immobility of the leg, for example after sleeping.
3. Over time, the diseased leg becomes shorter than the healthy one, and muscle tissue atrophy occurs, which can be felt when palpated.

Diagnosis of the disease is impossible without modern diagnostic studies.Therefore, grade 1 hip osteoarthritis is only diagnosed using X-rays, CT and MRI.The image clearly shows changes and narrowing of the interosseous space.

Stages of hip osteoarthritis

After the pathology is diagnosed, the patient is assigned a code according to ICD 10.This is an international classification of diseases that is revised every 10 years.

Thanks to the assigned code, not only statistical data is recorded.The therapies that have produced the most significant results can be selected.Thanks to international collaboration, drug treatment for hip osteoarthritis has improved significantly over time.

In world practice it is recognized that arthrosis of the hip joint has three stages or stages of development.Each of them has its own symptoms.Namely:

1. First stage.Painful sensations appear only against the background of excessive loads: running, playing sports, playing sports, etc. The pain is mainly concentrated in the joint area.The pain usually disappears on its own after a while of rest. The mobility of the leg is fully retained and muscle strength is not restricted.First degree osteoarthritis can only be diagnosed using X-rays or tomography.In the picture, slight deformations of the bone tissue can be clearly seen, which do not extend beyond the so-called labrum.The joint space is slightly narrowed, usually in uneven places.
2. Second stage.Migrating pain that begins to spread to the groin and thigh is characteristic.May occur spontaneously at rest.Pain due to arthrosis of the hip joint in the second stage does not go away on its own and requires the patient to take anesthetics.The range of motion is impaired and muscle tissue atrophy occurs.The image clearly shows bone growth and deformation of the femoral head.Possibly the appearance of a cyst in the most stressed part of the thigh - the hip socket.The diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the second stage is made quickly.Even on a superficial examination, pathological changes are obvious.To determine the extent of the deformity, X-rays or MRIs will be ordered.
3. Third stage.The pain begins to become chronic.Osteoarthritis can be diagnosed even without a thorough examination.The patient cannot move without a cane;This leads to a tilt of the pelvis, which leads to a shortening of the leg.When moving, the patient must tilt his body towards the damaged joint.This subsequently leads to even greater degenerative changes.The image shows extensive bone deformation.The joint space is almost invisible.

Therapeutic treatment of deforming arthrosis of the hip joint is effective only in stages 1-2 of the disease.The third stage of pathology development often requires surgical intervention.

How do you treat osteoarthritis in the hip joint?

Regardless of whether it is gymnastics for osteoarthritis of the hip joint or taking medication, all approaches are based on six basic principles.Namely:

• Relieve pain.
• Provide normal nutrition of cartilage tissue and, if possible, restore it.
• Improve blood circulation to the affected area.
• Reduce stress on the joint.
• Strengthen atrophied muscles.
• Restore joint mobility.

To achieve all six goals, complex therapy is required.For example, if you prescribe injections into a joint without paying attention to reducing the load, you can nullify all the positive effects of chondroprotectors.It is not surprising that in world practice, depending on the patient's condition, two to ten different approaches are usually used at the same time.

How do you treat hip osteoarthritis?

An integrated approach to treating the hip joint delivers better results than using just one therapeutic agent - this is a fact recognized by the world's leading arthrologists.Therefore, the patient is often prescribed several of the following types of treatment at the same time:

• NSAIDs- Non-steroidal drugs to relieve the inflammatory process are the “classics” of treatment.Medicines for arthrosis of the hip joint are necessarily prescribed either in combination with non-steroidal drugs or contain them in their composition.NSAIDs are particularly effective for exacerbations of the disease.Help relieve pain and reduce swelling.The appointment allows performing physiotherapy exercises for arthrosis of the hip joint, transitioning to massage, gymnastics and other physiotherapeutic procedures.The disadvantage of NSAIDs is their negative effect on the gastric mucosa.It must be clear to patients that non-steroidal drugs used to treat hip osteoarthritis do not cure the disease, but simply eliminate the symptoms and thus enable therapy.
• Chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid.These drugs represent a new level in the treatment of the hip joint and can therefore be classified into a separate group.
  1. Chondroprotectors are prescribed as restorative therapy.With prolonged use, chondroprotectors restore damaged cartilage tissue, but their effectiveness is limited to the initial stage of the disease.
  2. Hyaluronic acid forms a layer between the bones, reducing stress on the joint.Effective as a restorative therapy.
• Muscle relaxants- are vasodilators and allow the relief of muscle spasms.Prescribed to reduce stress on the joint.Muscle relaxants can only be used as part of complex drug therapy.
• Pain relieving ointment- Although advertising talks about ointments as a means of miraculously eliminating the disease, in reality they only eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.On the other hand, painkillers in the form of ointments increase the effectiveness of conservative treatment by relieving swelling and alleviating the patient's condition.
• Intraarticular injections- Designed to relieve pain, restore cartilage tissue or protect against excessive pressure on a joint.Corticosteroids are most commonly used.They relieve pain and allow the patient to begin treatment with physical therapy.The group of corticosteroids also includes hyaluronic acid preparations.The effectiveness of intra-articular injections largely depends on the experience of the surgeon (according to statistics, 30% of doctors miss the joint capsule during manipulations).

Some medications can harm the body.Self-medication is strictly prohibited!

A hip joint bandage relieves the joint and reduces the factor that is the main cause of tissue irritation, which leads to the inflammatory process.Therefore, along with drug therapy, fixation of the damaged area is often prescribed.

Non-traditional methods and physiotherapy

In addition to prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections and other medications, the patient can undergo physiotherapy and use alternative methods of therapy.

• Manual therapy- This procedure has a gentler effect on damaged tissue than massaging the hip joint for arthrosis.Any aggressive impact on the damaged area can easily trigger the beginning of the inflammatory process.Manual therapy is not yet common in our area, but in the West it is widespread and is one of the official therapy methods.
• Therapeutic exercisefor deforming osteoarthritis – a wide field in which the patient can choose between traditional and non-traditional methods.For hip osteoarthritis, Pilates, yoga, water exercises and other methods of restoring the function of atrophied muscles are popular.Physical education and moderate exercise as well as medication have a positive effect and contribute to the patient's recovery.
• Traditional medicine- Most arthrologists are against this method as an independent therapy.And their opinion has a basis.A large number of patients who refused the help of traditional medicine have acquired disability.However, under the supervision of the attending physician, effective treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint with folk remedies is quite possible.Most herbs and infusions used have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.Some medicines have serious contraindications.Therefore, you should consult an arthrologist before taking it.It is recommended to use non-traditional folk methods for treating arthrosis of the hip joint with caution.Some of the recipes not only do not contribute to improvement, but also lead to the opposite effect, provoking accelerated destruction of cartilage.
• homeopathy- helps to normalize the synthesis of substances in the body.Homeopathy is especially effective for post-traumatic arthrosis and allows you to combat the main factor that led to the development of the disease.
• Apitherapy- Treatment with bee stings is very effective because it allows you to combine the effects of acupuncture and drug therapy.It is not surprising that many warming and effective ointments contain processed bee venom.The use of apitherapy is often more effective than a hip block.The treating physician should decide on the appropriateness of the use of apitherapy.
• Magnetic field therapy- used to support the treatment and prevention of diseases.The effect of a magnet increases blood circulation in tissues and helps to restore metabolic processes.Removes salt deposits.
• Hirudotherapy- Leech treatment has been used for several centuries.It has been proven that the saliva of leeches, entering the blood, contains a substance that contributes to the thinning of the blood.This allows blood to even reach atrophied capillaries and vessels.
• Mud therapy- has a mild warming effect and helps retain important nutrients.With proper use of mud therapy, the inflammatory process and pain syndrome are reduced.Prohibited for purulent arthrosis of the hip joint.Use with caution in the presence of blood clots and vascular diseases.
• Shilajit for osteoarthritis- used both in pure form and as a component of tinctures and compresses.The beneficial substances contained in Mumiyo promote tissue regeneration.Mumiyo is particularly effective in the early stages of the disease.
• Self-massage- Sharp aggressive popping noises and pressure are eliminated.When massaging it is necessary to ensure blood and lymph flow.A chiropractor or experienced massage therapist will show you the types of movements and their direction.

Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint at home using unconventional methods must be supplemented with proper nutrition.

A weight loss of just 5 kg reduces the likelihood of an inflammatory process breaking out by about 30%.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint and pregnancy

Pregnancy with osteoarthritis in the hip joint places a double burden on the woman's body.Taking most medications during pregnancy is prohibited.At least they must be taken with the utmost care so as not to harm the child.

If hip osteoarthritis is in an early stage during pregnancy, it is advisable to postpone drug treatment until after birth.

It is possible to give birth with osteoarthritis in the hip joint, but you need to understand all the risks associated with it.Complications after the birth of a child are not uncommon and there is an accelerated deformation of the cartilage tissue.

A comprehensive examination of the body is also necessary when planning to have a child.All medications, ointments and painkillers may only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.

Consequences of osteoarthritis

In the later stages of the disease, coxarthrosis can no longer be cured in the usual way.Immediate surgical intervention is required.Surgery is a last resort and can be performed in a variety of ways.

1. Joint replacement- completely restores all motor functions.The disadvantage of the solution is the limited service life of the prosthesis.On average, a second replacement operation is required after 15 years.
2. Laser therapy for operated osteoarthritisHip joint – used in cases of rejection of the articular part of the bone.Using laser therapy, the damaged surface is removed and replaced with an artificial insert.

All types of surgical procedures are temporary, but without them the patient becomes disabled.

The only reliable way to combat the disease is early diagnosis of coxarthrosis and properly prescribed restorative therapy.Ignoring the symptoms leads to disability.