Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is today considered one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system.Its symptoms cause severe discomfort to the patient and limit physical activity, and the treatment is long-term.
In severe cases, the disease leads to disability.Arthrosis of this localization is also known as coxarthrosis.Along with this disorder, the hip joint suffers from chronic inflammation.His cartilaginous tissue is destroyed, and the joint space narrows, which leads to a significant decrease in leg mobility.
The disease most often develops in elderly patients, but it is sometimes diagnosed in young people as well.
The essence of the disease
The hip joint is the largest joint in the human body.It is located at the junction of the femur bones with the pelvis, so it bears a significant daily load.The joint itself looks like a ball joint: the rounded head of the femur is located in the hemispherical acetabulum of the pelvis.The surface of bone tissue is covered with durable and highly elastic cartilage.It acts as a shock absorber and guarantees smooth sliding of the bones.Cartilage tissue prevents the destruction of the femur and pelvis.
In coxarthrosis, the cartilage begins to thin and collapse, and accordingly the bone tissues come into contact with each other.Sliding becomes difficult and painful.Movements become limited.Further progression of the disease leads to more pronounced destructive changes: bone surfaces are covered with growths (caused by constant injuries), which further complicates movements in the joint.
Reasons
There are many known factors that can lead to coxarthrosis.This disease can occur as a result of:
- congenital joint pathologies (dysplasia), which may remain undiagnosed for many years of life;
- premature wear of joint mechanisms, which is explained by excessive loads (during intense sports or excessive body weight);
- previous injuries;
- infectious processes affecting the functions of the musculoskeletal system;
- improper blood supply to the joint (for example, due to atherosclerosis);
- diseases of the spine;
- hormonal disorders;
- rheumatic processes, etc.
Identifying the cause of arthrosis of the hip joint allows preventing the further development of the disease, choosing the most comprehensive treatment and alleviating unpleasant symptoms.
Symptoms
Signs of coxarthrosis directly depend on the degree of degenerative processes in the joint body.In total, doctors distinguish 3 main stages of the disease:
- Phase 1. In this condition, the patient suffers from periodic pains in the groin area.They are caused by physical activity, long-term walking and static standing.When you rest, the discomfort goes away.Therefore, patients do not perceive them as a reason to consult a doctor.And the disease continues to develop.
- Stage 2. In this stage of development, coxarthrosis causes more pronounced pain.Pain occurs even after minor exertion.The patient begins to limp, and the discomfort spreads to the inner thighs.The affected joint may crack.Very often, arthrosis at this stage limits motor activity and leads to a decrease in muscle strength.
- Stage 3. In this stage, coxarthrosis reaches such a level of development that it makes the patient's life almost unbearable.The pain becomes constant and intensifies even with light loads.A person with the third stage of arthrosis of the hip joint is forced to use a cane.In this case, the problematic leg is often shortened, which is explained by the distortion of the pelvis and spine.Muscles atrophy.The third stage of the disease leads to a significant deterioration of the general condition.Constant pain disturbs sleep and causes depression.
Some doctors separately distinguish stage 4 coxarthrosis, in which the affected joint becomes completely immobile.
On a regular X-ray, you can see the development of arthrosis of the hip joint.When the pathological process just begins to develop, the joint space narrows slightly, and small and isolated protrusions can be found on the bone tissue.At this stage of development, the disease can be treated with conservative methods.If coxarthrosis leads to deep deformation of the joint and contact of bone surfaces (which is typical for the third stage of the disease), then the normal state can be restored only with the help of surgery.
Treatment without drugs
Patients with arthrosis of the hip joint are advised to relieve the affected joint as much as possible.For this purpose you need:
- avoid running, long walking, jumping, lifting heavy loads and staying in one position for a long time;
- wear special shoes with well-soft soles;
- additionally rely on a stick or crutch (it must be taken in the hand opposite the affected joint).
Regular physiotherapy exercises are recommended to reduce pain and improve the functioning of the joint system.Simple exercises help strengthen muscle tissue, which gives excellent results in the long run.If you are overweight, you need to follow a diet and get rid of excess weight.
Drug treatment
Conservative medicine for arthrosis of the hip joint is selected on an individual basis;therapy largely depends on the symptoms of the disease and the results of diagnostic procedures.As a rule, patients are prescribed:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They help relieve pain in the affected joint;
- Steroid (hormonal) drugs.They are used when non-steroidal drugs are not effective enough;
- Muscle relaxants that reduce muscle tone and help relieve pain;
- Vasodilators.It may be necessary if there is not enough blood circulation in the joint;
- Chondroprotectors that promote the restoration of joints and prevent their further destruction.
Conservative treatment of the joint can be supplemented by the application of the latest medical techniques.Patients can be offered plasma lifting procedures, physiotherapeutic treatments and balneotherapy.All these methods of influence are practiced only after the acute inflammatory process is eliminated.
Balneotherapy of coxarthrosis
Patients with coxarthrosis can benefit from balneotherapy courses, especially mud baths.Such interventions can be carried out in regular clinics, private clinics, rehabilitation centers and sanatorium-resort institutions.Mud baths are widely used in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.With arthrosis of the hip joint, mud treatment helps to reduce the inflammatory process, relieve unpleasant symptoms and slow down degenerative processes.The effectiveness of such procedures is confirmed by the research of German scientists.In their article published in 2019, experts noted that a course of mud baths for coxarthrosis helped:
- improve the motor functions of the joint;
- significantly reduce the intensity of pain (the effect lasted 3 months after the end of the therapy);
- slow down the progression of the disease.
However, it is worth considering that all physiotherapeutic and balneological interventions for coxarthrosis can be carried out only after a doctor's approval.Such treatment of the joint must be combined with taking prescribed drugs and following all restrictive recommendations.