Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the cartilaginous tissue that can affect the joints of the vertebrae and all the bones of the skeleton.The hip joint (HJ) is the largest and most stressed bone joint.Therefore, coxarthrosis (deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint) is a very common cause of disability among patients over 50 years of age.
Coxarthrosis (osteoarthritis of the hip joint): symptoms
Reasons
The causes of coxarthrosis are varied.This pathology can cause:
- Age-related dystrophic changes in cartilage.
- Constant physical activity among athletes and heavy load for several years.
- congenital dysplasia.
- TJ injuries.
- Necrosis of the femoral head (Perthes disease).
The head of the femur, covered by elastic cartilage, is located in the acetabulum of the pelvic bones.
There are unilateral lesions (when the disease affects one joint) and bilateral, when both articular surfaces of the hip are affected.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
When diagnosed, the following symptoms of hip osteoarthritis are observed:
- Thinning of the cartilage, it becomes dry and rough.
- Thickening of the underlying bone, its growth to the sides.
- Fibrotization and inflammation of the joint capsule.
- The appearance of inflammatory exudate in the capsule.
- Joint stiffness, appearance of contractures.
Externally, these changes are manifested by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the joint, radiating to the groin, hip and knee.
- The symptom of initial (morning) pain that disappears after warming up.
- A rigid, insecure and lame step.
- Shortening the leg on the affected side (the reason is contracture).
- Weakening and atrophy of the femoral muscle.
- A crunch in the joint.
Stages of the disease
According to the signs and symptoms, three stages of the disease can be distinguished:
first
- Discomfort and pain, which generally disappear with rest.
- Absence of external symptoms: lameness, stiffness, atrophy.
These signs do not particularly alarm patients, and few people pay attention to episodic pain, much less begin to treat it.
But precisely at the initial stage, osteoarthritis of the hip joint remains a reversible disease.
second grade
- Painful symptoms become more intense and may persist even at rest.
- The functional characteristics of the hip joint decrease:
- Restrictions appear in hip abduction and internal rotation.
- lameness is observed
- X-rays show:
- marginal osteophytes;
- deformation of the head and change in its contour;
- Reduction of joint space.
Third stage
- The pain becomes constant and the most unbearable night pain also begins.
- The patient is forced to rely on a cane.
- There is a strong restriction of movement and atrophy of the muscles of the glutes, thighs and calves.
- There is a shortening of the leg and limping.
- Due to excessive growth of osteophytes, the joint space practically disappears, fusion and complete loss of function of the hip joint occur.
It happens that the first attack occurs at a fairly young age, around forty years old.Most likely, a person will forget and remember it already between the ages of 50 and 60, when deformities in the joints become significant and affect the quality of life.
Diagnosis
Radiological and functional diagnoses are carried out.The orthopedist not only deciphers the image, but also rotates, bends the femur in all directions and studies the symptoms that arise when walking.
However, increasingly, if a patient is suspected of having coxarthrosis of the hip joint, leading specialists refer them for diagnosis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).The explanation for this is the absolute safety and high information content of the procedure.It is the MRI examination that makes it possible to detect the slightest changes in the hip joint at an early stage, which contributes to the development of the most effective treatment tactics.
Treatment of coxarthrosis of the hip joint.
Treatment is carried out according to the principle "the sooner the better."
Early coxarthrosis can be treated with:
- Chondroprotectors.
- Light physiotherapy: swimming, aerobics, walking and cycling.
- Regulation of admissible physical loads in the joint.
- Weight correction (downwards).
- Physiotherapeutic treatment
- Extraction procedures.
- Massage sessions.
- Compresses on the pain area.
Painful symptoms can be relieved with NSAIDs.
Annual treatment in a sanatorium is also very effective.
Pain-relieving intra-articular corticosteroid injections may be used to treat more severe pain in the later stages.
Treatment of coxarthrosis at a late stage is very difficult due to the complete erasure of the hip joint.Chondroprotectors in this case are absolutely useless.
All kinds of external remedies in the form of ointments and gels can relieve muscle spasms and pain, but, of course, they will not in any way affect the state of the diseased immobilized joint.Therefore, it is necessary to take a sensible approach to all types of advertising that will ensure that by smearing the sore area with ointment, you will soon be able to forget about the disease.
hip replacement
The only option for complete restoration of the hip joint in the third stage of coxarthrosis is surgery - endoprosthesis (atroplasty) of the hip joint.
The endoprosthesis consists of two components: a head and a cup.
This operation is not easy:
- After surgery, a long rehabilitation period is required.
- Healing of the joint is painful (the pain may persist for a year).
- You will have to walk for a while with the help of a walker or using a cane for support.