Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint

Coxarthrosis is a deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint.It is a chronic disease characterized by degenerative changes in tissues, damage to the cartilage. Symptomatically, coxarthrosis is determined by regular pain and deformation of the hip joint, reduced mobility. The pathological changes are based on damage to the cartilage and the ensuing inflammatory reaction. With osteoarthritis, bone tissue is changed. The lesion occurs locally, but other joints can also be involved. The main contingent of sick people are the elderly. A risk factor can be hereditary predisposition, heavy body weight, and trauma. Endocrine disorders and metabolic imbalances are found in people with this problem. But the main emphasis in treatment is on restoring the structure and function of cartilage. Treatment of coxarthrosis is a long-term process, including anti-inflammatory therapy, the use of chondroitin and glucosamine preparations to replenish joint nutrition, exercise therapy, and physiotherapy. Herbal treatment is recommended to maintain the joints at home. A good diet and moderate exercise are essential.

Symptoms of coxarthrosis

With coxarthrosis, the articular cartilage is mainly subjected to deforming changes. There are 3 stages in the development of the disease. At the initial stage, there are no morphological changes in the tissues of the joint. Only its functional viability suffers. A person experiences periodic pain in the joint area after physical exertion, running or walking for long distances. After rest, the pain syndrome disappears. In the second stage, the bone begins to deform. The naturalness of movements is greatly reduced. The pain is severe and often appears at rest. The third stage is characterized by chronic pain syndrome. Pain bothers patients day and night. Walking without a cane is difficult, the person is forced to tilt the body forward. Multiple growths appear on the joint bones.

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• morning stiffness;
• articular pain;
• difficulty in moving at a distance of more than 1 km;
• increased pain with prolonged sitting or standing.

Podiatrists call coxarthrosis one of the most common types of osteoarthritis. The risk group includes obese people, heavy physical labor, the elderly. Lack of treatment leads to complete destruction of the hip joint, accompanied by unnatural mobility or complete immobility, as well as severe dysfunction of the lower extremities.

Drug therapy

Treatment of coxarthrosis begins with limiting exercise. This is a long-term process that combines a variety of therapeutic methods: taking anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, intra-articular injections, physiotherapy and exercise therapy.

Features of the treatment of coxarthrosis 1, 2, 3 degrees:

• at the first stage, NSAIDs are prescribed to stop the inflammatory process, drugs that normalize metabolic processes, analgesics are also required, folk remedies are used in complex therapies;
• at the second stage of coxarthrosis, intra-articular injections based on hyaluronic acid are added to drug therapy, laser treatment, electrical stimulation are carried out;
• the third stage is treated conservatively and operatively, when it is impossible to do without an operation, joint prostheses are performed.

Medicines play the biggest role. Without anti-inflammatory and supportive agents, dystrophic changes cannot be avoided and constant pain cannot be eliminated. Doctors prescribe pharmacological agents of various actions to alleviate the condition of patients during exacerbations.

• Medicines play the biggest role. Without anti-inflammatory and supportive agents, dystrophic changes cannot be avoided and constant pain cannot be eliminated. Doctors prescribe pharmacological agents of various actions to alleviate the condition of patients during exacerbations.
• Muscle relaxants. Reduce skeletal muscle tone. The muscles relax, which decreases the pain syndrome, the person rests from the pain. These drugs are contraindicated in patients with cardiac arrhythmias.
• Chondroprotectors. Symptomatic preparations containing collagen. They nourish and restore damaged cartilage. They supply the joint with collagen from the outside and stimulate its production by the body. Chondroprotective drugs are drunk for a long time. Under the influence of these funds, the metabolism in the tissues improves, the destroyed cartilage gradually grows. In complex therapy, these drugs have an undoubted advantage, especially at the initial stage of the disease. In chronic osteoarthritis, they delay disability.

To stop the destruction of cartilage tissue and provide "lubrication" to the joint, injections are performed with preparations based on hyaluronic acid and synthetic substances, the composition of which is similar to synovial fluid. They are highly compatible with the tissues of the human body. They effectively stop the process of cartilage destruction, have analgesic and chondroprotective effects. Synthetic substances contain silver ions, which give an additional bacteriostatic effect.

Prostheses

Stent grafting is a surgical method to treat the hip joint. When, as a result of coxarthrosis and dysplasia, irreversible consequences occur in the cartilage tissue, they resort to joint replacement. As a result of the operation, it is possible not only to reduce the syndrome of constant pain, but also to restore the function and mobility of the joint. Artificial joints are made of metal-polyethylene and ceramic. Fixation to living bone is done in a cemented manner and without cement. Stents root well and can serve for decades. But in some cases, the prosthesis wears out quickly, so a second operation is necessary.

Physiotherapy treatment

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint is carried out with complex measures, including with the help of physiotherapy. This direction is associated with physical rehabilitation, support of the body during the period of recovery and remission, the prevention of exacerbations. Physiotherapy is practiced by orthopedists, traumatologists, rheumatologists, masseurs, exercise therapy instructors.

The following methods are recognized as effective for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis:

• ultrasound therapy;
• laser therapy;
• inductothermia;
• massage;
• manual therapy.

With ultrasound therapy, high frequency waves penetrate the tissues and act like a vibration massage. They improve biochemical processes, prevent stagnation, promote better absorption of medicinal substances. Ultrasound reduces inflammation.

Laser treatment dilates blood vessels, stimulates lymphatic flow, inhibits inflammation, and heals tissue. The technique improves tissue trophism, helps preserve the structure and functions of organs.

During inductothermia, high frequency waves affect the body. The method is effective in the presence of any inflammation and pathology of the musculoskeletal system. Stimulates the immune system, relieves pain and has a regenerating effect.

The massage is material and mechanical. Contrary to popular belief, during massage not only the surface layer of skin and muscles are exposed. During the work of the masseur, the reflex and humoral mechanisms of regulation of the internal organs are activated. The combination of a wide variety of massage techniques, the patient receives antispasmodic, tonic, lymphatic drainage and analgesic effects.

A chiropractor works on a person's bones and joints. It relieves tension in some areas, tones others, eliminates pain, restores the functional viability of the joints. First of all, the doctor applies diagnostic techniques, during which he determines the condition and capabilities of muscles, ligaments and joints. Then he goes on to treatment. Manual techniques are not used during exacerbations and complications.

The role of spa treatment

Treatment in a sanatorium is of great importance for hip osteoarthritis. Treatment and prophylaxis institutions to support people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system mainly use natural factors.

• Climatotherapy. These are characteristics of the terrain, a combination of meteorological, seawater, sun and air factors. Climatotherapy helps recovery, prevents the development of exacerbations, improves the course of biological and physiological processes in the body. Ideal conditions for the treatment of osteoarthritis are created in areas with high air temperature and strong solar radiation.
• Healing mud. Different from origin. These are peat, sulphurous silts, sapropel, hydrothermal. They are characterized by a high heat capacity. They contain mineral, organic and biologically active components that penetrate the skin and have a beneficial effect on the joints. They improve metabolic processes, reduce inflammation and normalize blood circulation.
• Mineral water. It contains trace elements, dissolved salts, biologically active substances. For diseases of the musculoskeletal system, taking mineral baths is indicated. The procedures increase mobility, tone, activate blood circulation, improve metabolism.
• Phytotherapy. A method based on the use of medicinal herbs. Infusions, decoctions contain a large amount of active substances that not only effectively support the sick body, but also have a pronounced therapeutic effect.

Treatment with natural factors in sanatoria is combined with methods of physiotherapy, exercise therapy, dietary nutrition, observance of the daily regimen. Spa programs are developed for all stages of joint disease.

Physical activity

In the recommendations for people with osteoarthritis, doctors advise limiting the load on the legs. It is worth stopping squatting, squatting and doing physical labor in the house and in the garden more carefully. Do not force the joint if pain is already felt (reduce cardinal load). Most of all, it is worth excluding running, jumping. However, you cannot do without gymnastics.

In order for the joint to work, special exercises must be performed. A person with osteoarthritis is absolutely not suitable for gymnastics of "young people" - at a rapid pace, with increasing loads, with a high intensity of the whole session. With a sore joint, gymnastics should be performed extremely slowly, smoothly, in a measured manner, until the appearance of discomfort or pain. If there is pain, it is worth taking a break.

Therapeutic gymnastics allows you to normalize the condition of the muscles, improve blood circulation in the joint, provide it with adequate nutrition and remove the products of caries and inflammation. Gymnastics helps drugs quickly get into a painful joint and begin a therapeutic effect. The most difficult task in physiotherapy exercises is to correctly dose the load. Too short training will not achieve the healing effect. And excessive load will cause further damage to the joint. Competent recommendations can only be given by the attending physician. They will depend on the patient's condition and the features of the course of the disease in each case.

Nutrition for coxarthrosis

There are many reasons for the destruction of cartilage. Nutrition is of great importance in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint of 1, 2, 3 degrees. Today, the market is full of foods rich in preservatives. Attractive hams, smoked meats, sausages, spread out on the shelves, contain a large number of specific components. The meat is processed with enzymes, active substances that speed up the production process and quickly produce an attractive product. Preservatives increase the shelf life of any product: ready to use or raw, which can only be widely used by manufacturers.

When eating foods full of preservatives, a person receives excess salt, which retains moisture. Salt is retained and accumulated in cartilage tissue, and joint dysfunctions. Such osteoarthritis is inherently simple inflammation which lends itself well to therapy. And coxarthrosis, which appeared against the background of metabolic disorders, metabolic failure, consumption of junk food, requires compliance with a diet. There is no need to limit yourself strictly to food intake or to give up an entire list of healthy foods. Just follow a few simple rules:

• refuse ready-to-use smoked meats from the store;
• exclude the consumption of concentrated broths;
• depending on the cooking method, favor cooking and stewing;
• completely exclude the consumption of salt, do not buy salted fish, sausages, canned goods;
• consume no more than 10-15 g of animal fat per day, prepare meals with the addition of various vegetable oils;
• monitor the calorie content of food, abandon so-called "fast" carbohydrates, sugar, sweets;
• exclude mayonnaise from the diet, season salads and sauces with low-fat sour cream;
• exclude the consumption of alcoholic beverages;
• limit the consumption of fatty fish, caviar.

Instead of smoked meats, buy natural meat, chickens raised on farms by domestic producers. It is better to cook the first dishes in vegetable broths, without boiling vitamin-rich foods for several hours. The bouillon cubes that are popular today are almost 100% chemical. It is evil in its purest form.

you should not completely abandon boiled meat. But it is better to take pre-cooked lean pieces and portion them on a plate, then pour in the vegetable soup. Complete rejection of meat is an extreme.

An old recipe for maintaining strong bones and joints is jellied meat. A few decades ago, when little was known about artificial preservatives, this was justified. However, such a product can only increase cholesterol.

Fresh fish has never been treated with preservatives before. But modern manufacturers have learned this too. Today, we can only talk about the benefits of fish if it came to the counter directly from a trawler or if it was bought alive.

Only by changing the principles of nutrition can a person reduce suffering from deforming osteoarthritis. The diet should include a large amount of fresh vegetables, berries, herbs and fruits. Low-fat dairy products, lean meats, and chicken are helpful. Rice, beets, potatoes, watermelon help to remove salt from the body. Once a week, it is recommended to organize fasting days on kefir, cottage cheese, fruits, herbal decoctions.