What is this disease with such an intricate name - coxarthrosis? This disease is a deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint and is often also called osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
Currently, coxarthrosis is the leader among diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which are degenerative-dystrophic in nature. There are many reasons that contribute to the appearance of coxarthrosis, and in connection with this, this disease has become widespread in all age groups.
Coxarthrosis refers to osteoarthritis that is not inflammatory in nature, in which changes of a degenerative-dystrophic nature initially occur in the cartilage of the hip joint, which covers the surfaces of the articular bones, and in stages bone changes occur later. directly. In the course of such a gradual course of development of the disease with coxarthrosis, therefore, there is a violation of the naturally normal functions of the affected hip joint, which ultimately leads to a violation of the functions of the musculoskeletal system of the sick person as a whole.
For the most part, arthrosis of the hip joint affects people over the age of forty. Of course, coxarthrosis, like other diseases, can be successfully treated without surgery, but only in its early stages. But in its later stages it will hardly be possible to do without surgical intervention, and only one thing can help to avoid disability - prosthetics of the joint affected by coxarthrosis. Unfortunately, people with coxarthrosis, who do not attach importance to minor pains in the hip joint at the initial stage of the disease, avoid going to the doctor, and osteoarthritis of the hip joint, meanwhile, continues to progress day. day after day, gradually turning into a more advanced form.
How does coxarthrosis develop?
Let's look at the mechanism of development of coxarthrosis disease. And let's start with the fact that the hip joint consists of two bones:
- the end of the femur itself, similar to a ball;
- acetabulum, similar to a small billiard bag, located in the iliac part of the pelvis;
- special articular cartilage on the surface of both bones, resembling a spongy substance and necessary as a shock absorber, compressing during movement and straightening in its absence;
- as well as the ligaments that form the cavity of the hip joint itself and thus form the joint capsule.
Around the joint, in addition, there is muscular tissue, such as the femoral, gluteal and other muscles, on whose functionality the condition of the hip joint also depends.
In the course of movement, when the articular cartilage is compressed, a specific fluid is "squeezed" into the joint, which is a kind of lubricant for the bones articulating in the joint. In addition, the articular cartilage itself, moreover, performs the function of evenly distributing loads on the joint surface, being an excellent shock absorber during movements.
The very occurrence of the disease with coxarthrosis is primarily due to the fact that the nutrition of the cartilage of the hip joint is disturbed. The cartilage becomes thinner and subsequently disappears in places. If measures are not taken to stop this process, then in those places where the cartilage atrophy described above occurs, the bone will grow directly, trying to "fill" the resulting void in the joint cavity. As a result of such bone changes, therefore, osteophytes begin to appear, that is, "spikes" on the bone. These deformities, in turn, lead to a violation of the congruence of the bones articulating in the hip joint and the subsequent "abrasion" of the remaining healthy areas of articular cartilage.
Causes of osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
The causes of coxarthrosis, for which it occurs, can be divided into primary, which have an unclear etiology, and secondary, as a consequence of other diseases, for example, such as:
- hip dislocation, which is congenital;
- hip dysplasia;
- aseptic necrosis of the femoral head itself;
- he previously suffered various injuries, such as a femoral neck fracture;
- Perthes disease;
- inflammatory processes in the hip joint;
Since coxarthrosis disease occurs not only in one, but simultaneously in both hip joints, it is quite possible to state that bilateral coxarthrosis is not uncommon. Although with primary coxarthrosis, the knee joint or spine is often also affected.
Symptoms of coxarthrosis
The first symptoms of coxarthrosis directly depend on the degree of damage to the hip joint, as well as the stage of development of this disease, and the main ones are:
- pain that manifests itself during movement, in the hip joint, and disappears at rest;
- emerging lameness;
- stiffness that appeared in the hip joint;
- progress down the hip range of motion;
- weakness of the femoral muscles and a marked decrease in their volume.
Separately, we consider the symptoms of coxarthrosis, depending on the degree of the disease with this disease:
- Symptoms of the first degree of coxarthrosis.: in the hip joint there are pains that are of a moderate nature, and only after the joint has been subjected to intense load for a long time. After removing the load and resting, this syndrome stops completely. With the first degree of coxarthrosis symptoms, the gait remains normal, and the range of motion of the joint does not change.
- Symptoms of the second degree of coxarthrosis.: the pains in the hip joint are already felt more intense than in the first degree, but in addition, they are projected towards the inguinal region. In view of the developing muscle atrophy, the knee also begins to hurt, and quite often more than the ilio-femoral joint itself. Sometimes, with symptoms of coxarthrosis of the second degree, the pain begins to appear even at rest, and after the load is transferred to the affected joint, a fairly long rest is already required for its relief. Lameness begins to appear when running or walking for a long time. At the same time, the strength of the thigh muscles is greatly reduced and the range of motion of the joint is also underestimated.
- Symptoms of the third degree of coxarthrosis.: persistent pain in the hip joint, which does not go away even after extremely long or constant rest, including at night. The pain has already affected the whole leg. Against the background of pain, the patient develops insomnia and various sleep disorders. There is a strong atrophy of the muscles of the thigh, buttocks and lower leg, while the motor volume of the joint is almost minimal. When walking, a sick person is forced to resort to assistive devices, such as a cane, to move.
If such arthrosis of the hip joint develops only in the hip joint of one leg, then its weakened femoral muscles prompt the development of a lateral displacement of the pelvis, as a result of which the length of the leg with the joint affected by coxarthrosis decreases.
Diagnosis of coxarthrosis
When diagnosing coxarthrosis, the symptoms of coxarthrosis described above are necessarily taken into account in combination with the data obtained from an X-ray examination of the patient. This technique provides an opportunity to determine not only the degree of coxarthrosis, but also to identify the causes that served as a catalyst for the development of coxarthrosis. Radiography provides an excellent opportunity to determine the changes that specifically caused the injury to the hip joint, which is directly related to the mechanism of development of coxarthrosis.
In addition to the already listed diagnostic methods, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging methods can also be used, which provide an opportunity for a detailed and comprehensive study of the developing pathology, such as, for example, the structure of bone tissue, whose deformation is a companion of this disease. As for magnetic resonance imaging, this method still makes it possible to evaluate the pathological disorders that the soft tissues surrounding the joint affected by coxarthrosis have suffered.
Treatment of coxarthrosis disease
The choice of treatment for coxarthrosis directly depends on the symptoms of coxarthrosis and its stage. Usually, with the first and second degree of coxarthrosis, traditional conservative drug therapy is carried out, which consists in taking chondroprotectors, vasodilators, and, if indicated, also muscle relaxants. During the period of time when the coxarthrosis is especially acute, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also used. It should be borne in mind that such treatment should be carried out by a specialist doctor, since self-medication, unlike traditional medicine, can have an extremely negative effect on the patient's internal organs and completely suppress the ability to restore hyaline cartilage. .
Also, in case of coxarthrosis, various physiotherapeutic procedures and exercise therapy are prescribed. Especially effective, in combination with traditional drug treatment of coxarthrosis, is the use of magnetotherapy in the treatment of arthrosis with a special device.
The impact on the body of a patient with coxarthrosis with a diet does not have a direct therapeutic effect, but obese people are recommended to reduce body weight, as it allows to reduce the load on the affected joint, thereby relieving the Acute symptoms of coxarthrosis. .
As for the third degree of the disease with coxarthrosis, the symptoms of which are the most painful, treatment, as such, is carried out only by surgical intervention, for example, hip arthroplasty. Statistical data indicate that after surgery, the absolute restoration of the functions of a limb with deforming arthrosis of the hip joint is achieved in 95% of cases, which makes it possible to subsequently lead a fairly active lifestyle.
The service life of such a prosthesis is about 15-20 years, but at the end of its service life, a second operation is necessary to replace the worn stent.
Note,It is important! Don't self-diagnose!If symptoms of coxarthrosis appear, you should consult an orthopedic doctor, since only a qualified specialist can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe the most optimal treatment.
Prevention of coxarthrosis disease
Coxarthrosis diseases can be avoided if the necessary prevention of coxarthrosis is carried out:
- mandatory and timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the joints;
- timely treatment of joint dysplasia;
- compulsory, correct and reasonable physical activity, especially exercises with weights, which must be performed correctly;
- mandatory control of your body weight, keeping it in the norm;
- prevention of joint injuries.