Characteristics of complex therapy in the treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint

Hip osteoarthritis is a complex pathology that can cause dangerous health consequences.

To slow down its development and deal with the dangerous symptoms, you should visit a doctor in time. The specialist will make the correct diagnosis and choose the appropriate treatment.

Clinical picture and classification of pathology

The pathology has a progressive nature and is accompanied by destruction of the bones and cartilage of the hip joint. In medicine, this disease is often called coxarthrosis. It is classified in ICD-10 under code M16.

Most often, the pathology occurs in people over 40 years old, and women are more susceptible to it.

In the elderly, the disease is associated with the natural aging of the body. In young people, the reason for the development of the disease can be traumatic injuries, excess weight, increased physical activity.

In the initial stage of the disease, there are periodic pains in the joint area. Without appropriate therapy, the disease progresses, which can lead to disability.

Causes and provoking factors

The pathology has a gradual development and is associated with various factors. The following factors lead to the appearance of the disease:

1. Hormonal imbalance - can be age-related or pathological.
2. Violation of blood flow - occurs as a result of injuries, increased physical exertion, vascular pathologies.
3. Inflammation - can be seen in arthritis.
4. Excess weight - increased load on the hip joint provokes its compression and destruction.
5. Genetic predisposition - disorders in the structure of the femoral head often lead to arthrosis.
6. Increased physical activity - rarely provokes arthrosis, but can accelerate the onset of the disease with other unfavorable factors.
7. Traumatic injuries - this includes sprains, fractures, sprains.

Stages and types of arthrosis

There are several stages of pathology development:

1. The first stage - at this stage uncomfortable sensations periodically appear. The provoking factor is prolonged physical activity. After a short rest, the discomfort subsides.
2. The second stage - the pain in the hip joint increases, affecting the groin and thigh. Discomfort also occurs at rest. After prolonged movement, lameness appears. At this stage, the function of the joint suffers, its motor activity decreases. Contractures gradually develop, strength and muscle mass decrease.
3. The third stage - the pain syndrome is constant and occurs even at night. Walking without a cane is very difficult. Movements are impaired and sharply limited, there is hypotrophy of the buttock, thigh and lower leg muscles. When moving, one must rely on the toes and lean toward the injured side.
4. The fourth stage - at this stage, the hip joint completely loses motor activity.

Symptoms and manifestations

With the development of this type of arthrosis, the following manifestations appear:

1. Severe pain in the area of the affected joint and knees. Groin discomfort may also occur. The pain is constantly present. As the disease worsens, it affects the legs.
2. Impairment of motor activity. Excruciating pain syndrome impairs a person's ability to move. In this situation, he must use a cane or crutches.
3. Shortening of the affected limb.
4. Lameness.
5. Creaking in the joint that occurs with every movement.
6. Stiffness of movements.
7. Atrophy of the muscle tissue in the thigh area - detected by X-ray.

Methods of diagnosis of the hip joint

When making the diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the clinical manifestations of the pathology, the anamnesis, the results of the patient's external examination and instrumental studies.

To make an accurate diagnosis, perform the following tests:

1. Analysis of patient complaints and external examination of the damaged area.
2. X-ray - with its help, it is possible to identify the dimensions of the joint gap, bone growths, etc.
3. Ultrasound procedure.
4. Blood tests.
5. Magnetic resonance.

If necessary, the inner surface of the articulation is examined using arthroscopic instruments. Differential diagnosis is carried out to exclude gonarthrosis, lumbosacral or thoracic osteochondrosis. Arthritis pain can be disguised as clinical manifestations of radicular syndrome caused by pinching or inflammation of the nerve. It is usually possible to rule out neurogenic pathology using a number of tests. Osteoarthritis of the hip joint must be distinguished from trochanteric bursitis of the hip joint, Bekhterev's disease, reactive arthritis. To rule out autoimmune pathologies, biochemical tests of blood and synovial fluid are performed.

Treatment

To deal with arthrosis of the hip joint, it is necessary to choose combined therapy.

General recommendations for daily routine and nutrition

In the initial stage of the pathology, the doctor advises to make lifestyle adjustments. This will help stop the pain and stop the progression of the disease. At this stage, it is usually enough to adjust your lifestyle and stick to a special diet.

The doctor recommends the patient to perform special physical exercises. Equally important is the correction of the diet. If you are overweight, you definitely need to lose weight. Increased stress on the joint will not make it possible to eliminate arthrosis.

The basis of the diet should be fish. You can also eat lean meat, pulses, green vegetables, wholemeal bread. At the same time, it is recommended to give up fried foods and fast food. You should eat partially, in small portions.

Conservative therapy

Medical treatment is aimed at solving such problems:

• pain relief;
• normalization of tissue nutrition;
• stimulation of the regeneration process;
• improved blood flow;
• reducing pressure on damaged areas;
• widening of the joint space.

To solve these problems, you should use the following categories of drugs:

1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs relieve pain and inflammation. However, they are unable to regenerate the affected cartilage.
2. Chondroprotectors. They provide the tissues with nutrients and stop the destruction of the joints, which helps to restore their functions.
3. Muscle relaxants. With the help of such means, it is possible to eliminate muscle tissue spasms and normalize blood flow in the tissues.
4. Creams and ointments. Such means activate blood flow and eliminate spasms.
5. Steroid hormones. These drugs are injected into the joint cavity. Thanks to this, it is possible to cope with the exacerbation of the disease and eliminate severe pain.
6. Vasodilators. They contribute to the expansion of blood vessels in the joints and supply the tissues with useful substances.

Folk and alternative means

In addition to standard therapy, you can use the following tools:

1. Tinctures and decoctions for internal use. The basis of such remedies can be lemons, mummy, honey, medicinal plants.
2. Ointments from natural ingredients. For their preparation, you can use eucalyptus oil, aloe, celandine.
3. Baths and compresses. Compresses based on cabbage leaves and baths with Jerusalem artichoke can be used to relieve the symptoms of arthrosis.

Physiotherapy

At the stage of remission, physiotherapy is actively used:

1. Shock wave therapy – in this case, the body is affected with sound waves that ensure blood flow to the desired area. This improves the regeneration process of the dermis and stimulates metabolic processes.
2. Myostimulation - helps to restore the functioning of muscle tissue that has weakened due to a forced reduction in motor activity.
3. Phonophoresis - under the influence of a special device, a special medicine in the form of an ointment or cream is injected into the affected area.
4. Ozone therapy – reduces discomfort and activates cartilage development. This effect is achieved thanks to the influence of the ozone-oxygen composition.

Surgical methods

If conservative therapy is ineffective, surgical procedures are prescribed:

1. Puncture - is to pump excess fluid from the joint. Thanks to this, it is possible to stop the pain and normalize physical activity.
2. Arthroscopic debridement - involves cleaning the inner joint surface of cartilaginous elements and washing the cavity with a special solution.
3. Periarticular osteotomy - is an artificial fracture of the femur. It is then spliced at a different angle, which minimizes the load on the joint.
4. Arthroplasty - in this case, the entire joint is replaced with a prosthesis.

It is impossible to restore cartilage tissue in a joint damaged by arthrosis without prosthetic surgery, but with a correct approach to treatment, compliance with all medical prescriptions, maintaining the right lifestyle, performing therapeutic exercises, regular massage courses, takingvitamins and proper nutrition, you can stop the process of damage and destruction of cartilage and hip joints.

Orthopedic goods

A cane can be used to relieve the strain on the hip joint. In some situations, a person is advised to use crutches.

Quite often, people with this diagnosis are advised to wear a soft bandage. The use of an orthosis helps to reduce the load on the affected area, protects it from dislocations and reduces physical activity.

Effects

In the most difficult situation, a person becomes disabled, completely loses his ability to work and cannot lead an active lifestyle. This condition is very dangerous for the elderly. If you do not help a person, his life expectancy is significantly reduced.

Forecast

The pathology has a favorable prognosis for life. In addition, the disease usually develops slowly. However, in some situations there is a risk of aseptic necrosis of the femur, which is life-threatening.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a serious pathology that can lead to a complete loss of motor activity. To avoid this, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner and strictly follow his recommendations.