Extent, symptoms, and treatment of coxarthrosis of the hip joint

The Most common degenerative joint disease is osteoarthritis of the hip joint, the symptoms and treatment which directly depend on the reasons that triggered the development of this disease. As precipitating factors quite a lot, it is worth noting that the risk group includes all age categories. But still, the most often osteoarthritis of the hip joint occurs in people who are over 40 years old.

causes of coxarthrosis of the hip joint

It is Known that the hip joint is the largest joint in the human body. It takes the basic exercise. In coxarthrosis the recovery of construction and destruction of cartilage occurs at different speeds.

The fact that the hip joint connects the pelvis with the femur, with the spherical head of the second is almost included into the cavity of the pelvis bones. All bones are covered with sufficiently strong and elastic cartilage. It provides cushioning and mobility.

If the cartilage does not have time to recover, then over time it becomes thin and dry. The bone then thickens and grows. This, of course, already restrict movement. In the joint gets inflammatory exudate, which stretches it. The patient feels pain and discomfort not only when starting but also while driving.

Among the factors that provoke the development of coxarthrosis, is to provide:

• predisposition by heredity;
• old age
• trauma
• weight.

If at least one item is present in the patient and symptoms of osteoarthritis (second name coxarthrosis), no need to delay a trip to the doctor.

Clinical manifestations

The Symptoms of coxarthrosis of the hip joint appear gradually. Practice shows that in the early stages of the disease appears quite weak; the only thing that may bother the patient, pain in the thigh or groin. Later the patient may complain of:

• increase the pain;
• limited mobility of the hip
• stiffness
• crunch when walking;
• claudication.

Pain may worsen in the morning or after intense physical activity. After relaxing a sharp pain disappears, but the discomfort remains. Stiffness due to disease progression or improper treatment, which the hip joint becomes inflamed.

When the cartilage is completely erased, then the patient is difficult to walk, the muscles weaken and the patient's leg becomes shorter healthy. So there is lameness. This is one of the ultimate negative consequences of the disease. To avoid this from happening, you should immediately seek help from a qualified specialist.

Forms and severity of pathology

The Hip can be primary or secondary. Why does the first form, still could not be determined. Although each case is individual and you can still find reasons, most doctors agree that primary coxarthrosis appears by itself.

Much easier to explain the causes of secondary osteoarthritis. These include:

• injuries to the hip joint;
• disease of the hip joint;
• malformation of the hip joint.

Also secondary osteoarthritis can manifest itself in such forms:

• post-traumatic
• dysplastic
• aseptic necrosis of head of femur;
• development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint may develop in 3 stages. Osteoarthritis of 1 degree is characterized by periodic pain, which appear after physical exercise in your hip area. For stage 1 of the disease the patient still does not feel the stiffness, but x-rays are already visible bony growths.

2nd degree Coxarthrosis is an intense pain. Despite the fact that the place of their localization – thigh, they can "give" in the knee or groin. Characteristically, the discomfort is felt even when the patient is at rest. X-rays taken at this stage, will confirm the diagnosis, since bony growths become more prominent.

Osteoarthritis of the 3rd degree accompanied by constant pain that does not go even in sleep. Often the patient can not do without a stick.

By the way, doctors often allocate 4the degree of coxarthrosis, while the latter is not very different symptoms from the 3rd, but the expert can see the differences in the x-rays.

Peculiarities of treatment depending on the stage

From coxarthrosis impossible to get rid of completely. Medication only helps to relieve pain and to suspend the development of the disease. If osteoarthritis has progressed to severe stages already, it's worth considering this treatment option, surgical intervention.

It is also Important to understand that there is no single scheme of treatment of this disease. Often the doctor prescribes the treatment as the symptoms.

The Main task of the attending physician is to eliminate the discomfort and normalize the functioning of the musculoskeletal system of the patient.

When choosing a method of treatment need to consider:

• the form and stage of the disease;
• patient's complaints
• age;
• underlying disease.

The Main thing – to influence disease in a complex, then the effect will be much better.

In the initial stages of osteoarthritis is necessary to eliminate pain with analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In the period of the acute illness is recommended to reduce physical activity, walking should be alternated with long rest.

Most Often the fight against this disease in the initial stages done at home, without hospitalization. However, the patient should follow all recommendations of your doctor. When pain is not recommended to do massage of the thigh. It is appropriate only when the patient feels no discomfort. Together with this the doctor should prescribe a set of exercises that require special equipment. These lessons will help to slow the development of coxarthrosis.

When it comes to how to cure in the later stages of this disease, it is considered important that conservative methods will not give the proper result. In some cases, the doctor may suggest the patient arthroplasty of the joint, which helps restore the function.

Conservative treatment

Wondering about how to treat coxarthrosis, many patients in most cases, want to hear from your doctor the option of getting rid of the disease without surgery. In almost all cases, first, the doctor prescribes physical therapy.

Drug therapy involves analgesics and hormones. With pain medication the doctor may prescribe not only in pill form, but in injectable form. But to take such drugs over a long period of time is not recommended. As the pain subsides, then there is a false impression that the disease has disappeared. However, the hip continues to progress. In other words, the pain relief only masks the course of the disease.

Plus anti-inflammatory drugs have a wide range of contraindications that must be considered in the admission process.

For cartilage need to take chondroprotectors. These drugs are used to relieve symptoms and to improve the production of synovial fluid. If you take chondroprotectors in the early stages of coxarthrosis, it will provide effective treatment. Along with this there is almost no reason to take these drugs for 3 or 4 stage of the disease, because at this stage the cartilage is already completely destroyed.

However, one pill is not enough cartilage has fully recovered. Often doctors prescribe 2 to 3 courses of treatment with chondroprotectors.

To the patient was not bothered by muscle spasms, you can take muscle relaxants. But you have to be careful using these drugs, since they also eliminate the symptom, not the cause. It turns out that muscle spasm, which is accompanied by cartilage destruction, after administration of muscle relaxants will not bother the patient, however, the cartilage will continue to deteriorate.

Vasodilator drugs need to be taken for the normalization of the articular blood flow. If the bloodstream will be established, "construction material" will be quickly delivered to the affected joint.

Ointments and creams are not have the desired effect on the cause of the disease, but they can help relieve muscle spasm. Special ointment, which should be prescribed by the attending physician (after all, he is thoroughly familiar with medical history and prescribe a drug to which the patient will be allergic), good to use during the massage. Massage with the use of such ointments is one of the ways of how to relieve the pain.

The Doctor treats osteoarthritis, taking into account the individual characteristics of the disease. Do not give up surgery, if the specialist finds his only method of getting rid of the disease.