Is hip osteoarthritis cured? Should I undergo surgery? Can this be avoided? There are many questions you are sure to ask regarding osteoarthritis of the hip, its treatment, diagnosis, and symptoms. Our specialists explain in this article what this health problem consists of, which affects 40% of people over the age of 70.
The hip joint is the joint that forms the head of the femur with the pelvis. The contact zone between the two bones is a kind of hinge covered with cartilage, which helps to distribute the loads and reduce the friction between the bones with the movements of the joint. Osteoarthritis of the hip involves the gradual loss of existing cartilage in that joint.
the
overweight, age, excessive overload of the hip joint and high-intensity physical activity promote the appearance osteoarthritis of the hip, a health problem that affects 4% of people over 20, with the incidence increasing tenfold in people over 70 years of age.
How do I know if I have hip osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis of the hip can produce different symptoms. The most common is pain, which usually occurs during movement or walking. It is a pain usually localized in the fold of the groin, in the gluteal region or, sometimes, in the internal part of the knee.
In addition to pain, we may notice creaking when moving the joint, a difficulty separating the leg from the body or turn it outward, or even a stiffness.
How is it diagnosed?
If you have any of these symptoms and think you have osteoarthritis of the hip, talk to your family doctor, who will carry out a physical examination and, if necessary, may request an imaging examination. A hip x-ray shows what is called “joint tightness”, which corresponds to the loss of space between the two bones of the joint.
The radiological image does not always match the patient’s symptoms. This means that a patient with a very altered x-ray may feel almost no pain and vice versa.
What can you do to improve your symptoms?
- Lose weight. Get moderate physical exercise and a healthy diet. A lost kilo means a load of 4 kilos for the hip.
- Swim and cycle, take walks on a flat ground, without irregularities or slopes. do gymnastics with stretching, toning and relaxation.
- Apply local heat (hot shower, electric blanket).
- In case of acute painful attacks: resting in the position that suits you prevents the hip from contracting in flexion. Try to rest regarding 24 hours following the onset of severe pain. It is good to cross small periods of rest during the activities of daily living.
- Use a crutch placed on the healthy side.
- Spas: The medicinal mineral waters relieve pain and relax muscles.
- If you feel pain, you can take paracetamol; it is the right medicine for osteoarthritis of all kinds.
- Rehabilitation exercises: Lying on your back on a more or less hard surface, with your legs extended and parallel, you can perform several exercises that will help you improve your symptoms:
- Bend the knee and thigh, trying to touch the abdomen. Then fully extend your leg.
- Bend the knee without detaching the sole of the foot from the surface. Point the bent knee toward the extended leg. Then direct the knee to the opposite side, spreading the leg as far as possible. Always keep your foot on the surface.
- Bend both knees and try to push them apart keeping the soles of the feet on the surface.
Your doctor will monitor your arthritis and help improve your symptoms. You may need specific rehabilitation treatment with doctors of the musculoskeletal system. If you need an operation because treatment and rehabilitation measures do not improve you, you will be referred to a trauma department for surgery.
- L’
osteoarthritis
of the hip healed?
: Non - Should I take calcium supplements? : Non
- Should I undergo surgery? : Non
- Is there a medication or vitamin supplement that slows or cures the progression of osteoarthritis? : Non
- Are there preventive medications? : Non
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