Arthritis, also known as coxarthrosis disease, is one of the most serious diseases of modern people, often leading to disability. Its first manifestations - mild pain in the groin - are often overlooked. As a rule, patients seek professionally qualified medical help when drug therapy is ineffective and requires hormonal medication.
Reason
Arthritis of the hip occurs due to a combination of many unfavorable circumstances. Micro-injury and total trauma account for about one fifth of all cases (average 10–20%).
Other causes of hip disease include:
- Excessive load.
- Heart attack or aseptic necrosis of the hip joint.
- Prolonged stress, prolonged depression.
- Overweight.
- Heredity.
- Birth defects and underdevelopment.
- Inflammatory process in the joints.
- Hormonal background error.
Excessive load
Until recently, it was believed that overexertion, walking for long hours, working hard (as a carryer) were the main causes of arthritis. But it's not like that.
A healthy joint, never injured, can perfectly withstand all stress, especially at a young age and nothing happens to it.
But if once, even in childhood, microtraumas were present, such a joint is a candidate for the development of coxarthrosis. For this reason, the disease occurs in 20-30% of cases.
Heart attack
This is a violation of blood flow in the joint. In other words, the disease is called aseptic necrosis of the hip joints, which usually occurs after trauma.
Aside from trauma, the cause of a heart attack could be:
- Excessive drinking.
- Regularly injected corticosteroids.
- Sudden shock (severe stress).
- Overloads, once at a time when one is not ready for them.
Heart attacks become one of the causes of coxarthrosis disease quite often - in 10-30% of cases.
Prolonged stress
Few people believe in psychology. However, prolonged experiences, depression, ignorance in the family and various phobias arising from this background are direct pathways to joint problems, and not just with the hip. The incidence of joint disease for this reason is very high - up to 50.
The mechanism of the onset of illness in this situation is very simple. During prolonged depression, the patient's body produces stress hormones belonging to the corticosteroid group. The longer a person stays in this state, the higher their concentration in their blood. Corticosteroids inhibit production of hyaluronic acid, which is a major component of synovial fluid. If it is not produced enough or its composition is altered, the cartilage becomes poorly wetted, dries out and is covered with a mesh of tiny cracks.
Stress hormones reduce the permeability of capillaries while reducing blood circulation in the joint.
Overweight
Is an additional factor among other causes of hip arthritis (coxarthrosis).
Overweight people put stress on their joints, especially ankles, knees and hips.
As long as they are young, everything still seems to function within normal limits. But with age, same weight, joint problems will develop like a snowball.
Genetic
If one of your loved ones has a joint disease, it's unnecessary to get sick as well. However, the appearance of "ulcers" is influenced by the peculiarities of the metabolic process, the structure of the cartilage, and they can be hereditary. This also includes muscle weakness. For this reason, coxarthrosis is only obtainable in 10% of cases. And it is far from the fact that this will happen. The main thing is to undergo regular tests and monitor the health of your joints.
Birth defect
This is often treated during childhood, allowing the child to grow up and use the normal limbs. However, the presence of an anomaly is always at risk of coxarthrosis, especially if you are not monitoring the condition of the joint. The incidence of disease is small - only 5. It should not be overlooked that only a combination of several causes lead to the appearance of fibrosis of the hip joints.
Arthritis
This process is commonly known as arthritis. This disease causes the appearance of secondary coxarthrosis in 2-3% of cases. The inflammatory process changes the quality of the endothelial fluid. It becomes more viscous and no longer performs its direct functions. As a result, the cartilage rubs against the cartilage, gradually deflating.
Among other reasons, directly or indirectly affecting the occurrence of coxarthrosis, one can name hormonal changes during menopause, metabolic disease (diabetes), neuropathy (in which the sensitivity of the lower extremities is lost), osteoporosis.
Symptoms
Osteoarthritis manifests itself in many different ways. At the first stage of the development of the patient's pathology, there is almost nothing to disturb, except for a weak, sometimes painful, feeling of discomfort, passing independently, .
Symptoms of hip arthritis are specific and allow preliminary conclusions (for diagnosis) already at the examination stage:
- Pain in the groin. This is the main symptom of the disease. If you feel like something is not right during this area, try to see a doctor as soon as possible. Pain from the groin usually travels along the front or side of the thigh, and can spread down the buttocks or knees. Very rarely pain in hip to mid-calf arthritis pain. Patients feel discomfort when lowering into a chair or getting up, or after long walks.
- Limited mobility. This signifies that hip arthritis (coxarthrosis) is progressing. If you ask such a patient to "get on the chair", that is, turn around, he would be unlikely to do this.
- The screeching noise of the hip joints when walking. It does not occur immediately, but as the degenerative joint progression and cartilage destruction. Its differences from the usual crackling of a healthy joint are a rather dry sound and pain syndrome of weak or moderate intensity.
- Keep the affected limb short. Occurs when the disease has transitioned to a severe stage.
- Lags, falls limbs due to partial or complete destruction of cartilage.
- Muscle atrophy of the affected leg. It looks dry and unhealthy.
- Knee pain caused by muscle atrophy.
Diagnosis
This time is not too long for the patient. After a visual examination and questioning, the doctor appoints a referral for blood donation - general, biochemical and rheumatic tests. This is done to eliminate inflammatory processes in the body. With arthrosis, all indicators are almost normal.
The next step is to test the instrument:
- X-rays and / or CT.Computed tomography shows slightly better joints.
- MRI. Appointed. Such a survey is as much information as possible.
- Joint ultrasound.One hallmark of coxarthrosis in this study was that the cartilage was visibly thinner. However, the accuracy of the result largely depends on the qualifications of the expert who decodes the data obtained. Therefore, to establish the disease, it is prescribed in rare cases.
The aftermath
If osteoarthritis is not treated, in the hope that "it can be corrected", the disease will progressively progress. The consequences of indifference to themselves are found in muscle atrophy, the diseased leg shortens and dries clearly, at a certain point the patient will not be able to move independently. Pain syndrome will become a regular companion of such patients, even strong pain relievers cannot be relieved. The only way to get rid of this condition would be joint replacement surgery - endoscopy.
If the diagnosis of coxarthrosis is made in an elderly patient, treatment should be initiated immediately. A way of staying sedentary, which always occurs in the patient due to constant intense pain, significantly shortens life expectancy.
Traditional treatment
It can be divided into medical and surgical. The latter is used in the first case with no significant improvement with prolonged use.
Coxarthrosis in the early stages is quite treatable:
- Medicines.
- Manual therapy.
- Traction on a special table.
- With PIR (relax after measurement).
- Massage therapy.
- Heirloom therapy.
- Fitness and nutrition.
Medicines
The mission of drugs is multifaceted. Not only pills, but also ointments and intra-articular injections. Tablets (capsules, packs) are prescribed for pain relief (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), improving cartilage nutrition and improving the quality of endoscopic lubrication (chondroprotectors), reducing muscle spasm (muscle relaxants).
Ointments and creams have the weakest effect and are used for heating and irritation. Their effects are close to that of a placebo. At the moment of friction, the patient's body produces endorphins - the pleasure hormone and they relieve pain quite effectively.
Intra-joint injection for the treatment of hip arthritis is very rare. This is due to the narrow common space, which is quite difficult to enter, even when using special auxiliary equipment. The procedure is performed through the groin and is so complicated that ninety-nine percent of doctors prefer to inject medication into the peristaltic sac by puncturing one side of the thigh.
By injection:
- Reduces intense pain syndrome (corticosteroids).
- They nourish the cartilage (chondroprotectors).
- Improves the quality of the lubricant (hyaluronic acid substitute - injected through the groin).
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are taken by mouth for mild to moderate pain relief. They are also effective in quenching inflammatory processes.
Manual therapy
Treatment by an experienced specialist can help stabilize the patient with the average coxarthrosis. The task of the doctor is to restore mobility to the joint and relieve pain. Manual therapy is divided into movement (a single action on the joint) and motor (4 sessions a year, 3 to 4 sessions each).
Movement allows you to minimize painful stretching of the limb. Expand joint space, relax tense muscles. Manipulation is allowed only in the early stages of the disease.
Dragging on a special table also produces results, but loses significantly to manual therapy. Machines (equipment), in contrast to the hands of doctors, cannot be felt by the patient and if used incorrectly can cause harm.
PIR
Post-isotensive relaxation involves the positive interaction between patient and attending physician. The meaning of the method is that the patient relaxes / stretches some muscle groups as directed by specialists. At this point, the doctor will perform ligament and joint stretching.
This coxarthrosis treatment helps to reduce muscle spasm. This method is effective against coxarthrosis degree I and II.
Massage
If you decide to use this method, you will need to find a professional with a high level of expertise. If not, instead of alleviating the condition, you could make it worse. This method is effective against I and II grade coxarthrosis as an auxiliary method.
Coxarthrosis massage is painless. Feelings during the process are pleasant, relaxing, and comfortable should be felt.
Please note that there are contraindications to massage. Do not self-medicate.
Aspiration therapy
Treatment with leeches helps in the early stages of hip arthritis. The saliva of this worm helps to improve blood circulation, cartilage elasticity and itself contains many useful substances. It works like a chondroprotector, just softer.
The leeches are not only placed on the affected thigh, but also on the sacrum, lower abdomen, and lower back. You need to take 2 courses 10 sessions / year.
Gymnastics
There is no disease that can cure or alleviate a patient's condition without dose-based physical exercises. Osteoarthritis is no exception. If you don't strengthen the muscles, muscle atrophy is inevitable, and the cartilage condition worsens at a double rate.
Should study in a special group under the supervision of a specialist. The medical complex is selected by the doctor based on the examination, the degree of coxarthrosis and the physical abilities of the patient.
Hormonal drugs
Surgical interventions are performed at III and IV levels of coxarthrosis, when conservative treatment has minimal or no effect. The job of the surgeon is to replace both the joint head and the pad itself with artificial implants through a small incision in the thigh.
Such activities are now live streaming. To imagine what awaits you if you ignore the first signs of coxarthrosis, imagine the course of the surgery (in short):
- The patient is under general anesthesia.
- An incision is made on the thigh, the soft tissues are removed, the nerves are pulled.
- The joint is removed from the bed. In a way that is easy to understand, the doctor dislocates the joint to remove the head.
- The first part of the joint that is part of the bone has been removed.
- Axetabulum is cleaned.
- An endocrine, an artificial joint, is inserted into the bone, or rather "clogged".
- An artificial mesh is inserted.
- The match is repositioned. The doctor checked his motor ability by moving his limbs in different directions.
- The wound is disinfected and stitched.
After surgery, it takes a long time of rehabilitation and compliance with a certain regime.
Traditional method
For those who love self-medication, it should be noted that coxarthrosis disease is a disease that should only be treated by a doctor. All the folk remedies in the form of massages, lotions and other "unusual things" won't lead to anything good.
However, some traditional medicine formulas can be used to supplement the early degree of the disease:
- Cabbage leaves.Used for pain relief without the use of pain relievers and for the "torsion" associated with joint pain. At night, tie a few cabbage leaves to your thighs, after applying raw honey to your skin. Cover and warm up with plastic wrap. Take out the honey in the morning, rinse it off with cold water and repeat the application. Repeat until the pain subsides.
- Honey and radish ointment.Same as cabbage leaves. You just need to tinker to cook it. The ratio between radish and honey is 1/1. Put the vegetables in the meat grinder, add honey, stir well. Add 50 ml of vodka or alcohol. Stir again. Rub it into the affected joint until the pain goes away.
- Take a bath and cure.To cook, you need pine sprigs (a few large branches), turpentine (1 teaspoon), bath salt (1 kg), and rinsed Jerusalem artichoke bulbs, cut into pieces (3-4 pieces). Fill with hot water and let it incubate. When the water is comfortable to shower, remove the branches and Jerusalem artichoke and begin the process. Once done, apply an iodine net to the sore thigh or apply honey, wear something warm and go to bed.
Arthritis is a dangerous disease that occurs when many causes are combined.
In order not to become disabled, not waiting for consequences, get an annual exam, as soon as you feel discomfort in the first groin area, seek medical attention.