Throughout life, the joints of the feet experience a lot of stress. The hip is a large ball-and-socket joint that provides the ability to move independently. The appearance of painful sensations, tight movements, lame gait makes a person think about the appearance of pathology.
In recent years the number of people under the age of 30 who have been diagnosed with arthropathy has increased dramatically. This statistic is extremely disappointing, as the disease progresses steadily and can lead to severe disability and disability. To protect yourself from the development of side effects, you must immediately start treatment and follow all medical recommendations.
Arthritis of the hip joint causes great suffering to its owner. If there is discomfort in the joint area, it is necessary to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Delayed treatment can cost the patient the ability to walk independently.
What is arthropathy?
Arthropathy is a rheumatological disease, which is based on degenerative and dystrophic changes in the joints. At the same time, not only the articular surfaces, but also the ligamentous apparatus and the capsule are involved in the pathological process. Most often, the joints of the hands, feet, knees suffer, but the most serious disease is arthropathy of the hip joint. With its development, the risk of developing complete disability increases due to severe restrictions on movement.
The base of the articular cartilage consists of collagen molecules and proteoglycans: they are what give the joint strength and elasticity, making it resistant to various types of loads. Under the influence of external factors, the amount of collagen and proteoglycans decreases, resulting in the exhaustion and gradual destruction of cartilage tissue. Arthropathy develops under the influence of the following factors:
- mechanical injury;
- inflammatory processes in the joints.
- excessive load on the lower extremities.
- portliness;
- age-related changes in the body (in people over 55);
- menopause (in women).
- malnutrition with deficiency of protein products and calcium.
- hereditary predisposition?
- transferred joint operations.
How does arthropathy of the hip joint manifest itself?
Arthritis develops gradually, so it is quite difficult to identify its initial manifestations. The patient may ignore the symptoms of the disease, mistaking them for fatigue or overwork. Worsening discomfort may occur after an injury. Arthritis of the hip joint is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the affected limb. It is dull, painful in nature, constant throughout the day. Unpleasant sensations increase during physical activity (exercise, running or walking), decrease during rest. When the hip joint is affected, the pain radiates to the groin, perineum and thigh. The joint may also begin to "respond" to changes in weather conditions or atmospheric pressure.
- Atrophic muscle changes. When walking, the patient unconsciously avoids the affected limb, resulting in less stress on the gluteal and thigh muscles. This is accompanied by atrophy and a decrease in their volume. This is especially noticeable with unilateral arthropathy.
- The appearance of cracking when applying movements to the joint. This sound is similar to the rustling of a plastic bag and becomes louder after a long period of immobility (night sleep). In medicine, this term is called "crepitus". The appearance of creasing is associated with a violation of the mobility of the joint.
- Enlargement of the affected joint into a tumor. This happens as a result of the formation on the bone surfaces of the smallest spikes - osteophytes. Such a reaction occurs as a compensatory response to an increase in the load on the bone surface (with cartilage thinning).
Medical treatment of arthropathy
At present it is not possible to completely prevent the destruction of cartilage tissue. Therefore, the treatment of arthropathy with the help of drugs aims to reduce pain and slow down the progression of the disease. Most often, the following groups of drugs are used in treatment:
- Non-narcotic analgesics and mixed-action analgesics. They help reduce pain and are available in tablets or ampoules for intravenous administration.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of topical ointments or creams are also used to control pain. They are also prescribed if arthropathy is accompanied by inflammation of the synovial membrane of the joint.
- Chondroprotectors are drugs that slow the progression of the disease and improve joint function.
Exercise and physical therapy methods
Non-pharmacological agents are also widely used in the fight against the disease. Doctors prescribe exercise therapy to patients to strengthen muscles and prevent the development of joint immobility. The nature of the exercises and the frequency of their application are determined individually for each case. The treatment of arthropathy also includes such physiotherapeutic procedures as:
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
- acupuncture;
- magnetic therapy;
- electrophoresis with analgesics.
- laser treatment;
- massage.
To reduce the load on the affected limb, the patient is also advised to use crutches or a walker. It will be helpful to wear a hip orthosis, a special device that helps restore leg function and prevent further damage to the joint.
Surgery
Endoprosthesis is prescribed in the event that conservative methods of treating arthropathy of the hip joint are ineffective. The purpose of the operation is to eliminate the pain syndrome and restore the motor function of the limb. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia in a specialized hospital, after which the patient will have a long recovery. The most favorable prognosis of childbirth is in patients aged 40 to 75 years with a body weight of up to 70 kg: the possibility of rejection of the endoprosthesis is minimized in them, which makes the treatment of the joint highly effective. On average, the prosthesis lasts about 10-12 years, but there have been cases of its successful use with minimal wear for 20-25 years.