What is the disease with such a complicated name - coxarthrosis? This disease is a deforming arthrosis of the hip joint and is often called osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
Currently, coxarthrosis is the leader among diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which are degenerative-dystrophic in nature. There are many reasons that contribute to the development of coxarthrosis, and in this regard, this disease has become widespread in all age groups.
Coxarthrosis refers to arthrosis of non-inflammatory nature, in which changes of a degenerative-dystrophic nature initially occur in the cartilage of the hip joint, which coats the surfaces of the articular bones, and in later stages bone changes already occur. directly. During such a gradually developing course of the disease with coxarthrosis, therefore, there is a violation of the naturally normal functions of the affected hip joint, which ultimately leads to a violation of the functions of the musculoskeletal system of the affected person, such as. whole.
In general, osteoarthritis of the hip affects people over the age of forty. Of course, coxarthrosis, like other diseases, can be successfully treated without surgery, but only at an early stage. But in the later stages, it will hardly be possible without surgical intervention, and only one thing can help to avoid disability - prosthetics of the joint affected by coxarthrosis. Unfortunately, people with coxarthrosis, not attaching importance to minor pain in the hip joint in the initial phase of the disease, avoid going to the doctor, and osteoarthritis of the hip joint in the meantime continues to progress day by day, gradually transitioning to a more advanced form.
How does coxarthrosis occur?
Let's look at the mechanism of development of coxarthrosis. And let's start with the fact that the hip joint consists of two bones:
- near the femur itself, ball-like;
- acetabulum, similar to a small billiard pocket, located in the iliac part of the pelvis;
- special articular cartilage on the surface of both bones, reminiscent of a spongy substance and necessary as a shock absorber, compresses during movement and straightens in the absence;
- as well as the ligaments that form the cavity of the hip joint itself and thus form the joint capsule.
In addition, there is muscle tissue around the joint, such as the femoral, gluteal and other muscles, on the functionality of which the condition of the hip joint also depends.
During movement, when the articular cartilage is compressed, a specific fluid is "squeezed" out of it into the joint, which is a kind of lubricant for the bones that articulate in the joint. Also, the articular cartilage itself, as it is an excellent shock absorber during movement.
The very appearance of the disease in coxarthrosis is primarily a consequence of the fact that the nutrition of the cartilage of the hip joint is disturbed. The cartilage becomes thinner and then disappears in some places. If measures are not taken to stop this process, then in those places where the cartilage atrophy described above occurs, the bone itself will grow directly, trying to "fill" the gap in the joint cavity. As a result of such bone changes, osteophytes, or "spikes" on the bone, begin to appear. These deformities, in turn, lead to disruption of the congruence of the articular bones in the hip joint and subsequent "abrasion" of the remaining healthy areas of the articular cartilage.
Causes of osteoarthritis of the hip joint
The causes of coxarthrosis, due to which it occurs, can be divided into primary, unclear etiologies, and secondary, as a result of other diseases, for example, such as:
- congenital hip dislocation;
- hip dysplasia;
- aseptic necrosis of the femoral head itself;
- previously suffered various injuries, such as a fracture of the femoral neck;
- Perthes' disease;
- inflammatory processes in the hip joint;
Since coxarthrosis occurs not only in one but also in both hip joints, it is quite possible to claim that bilateral coxarthrosis is not uncommon. Although with primary coxarthrosis, often usually, the knee joint or spine is also affected.
Symptoms of coxarthrosis
The first symptoms of coxarthrosis directly depend on the degree of damage to the hip joint, as well as the stage of development of this disease, and the main ones are:
- pain that manifests itself during movement, in the hip joint, and disappears at rest;
- emerging lameness;
- stiffness that appeared in the hip joint;
- progressing downward in the range of motion of the hip;
- weakness of the femoral muscles and a marked decrease in their volume.
We consider the symptoms of coxarthrosis separately, depending on the degree of the disease with this disease:
- Symptoms of grade 1 coxarthrosis: pain in the hip joint is of a moderate nature, and only after the joint has been exposed to an intense load for a long time. After removing the load and rest, this syndrome stops completely. With the first degree of coxarthrosis symptoms, gait remains normal and the range of motion of the joint does not change.
- Symptoms of grade 2 coxarthrosis: pain in the hip joint is already felt more intensely than in the first degree, but it is also projected into the inguinal region. Due to the developmental atrophy of the muscles, the knee also starts to hurt, and often more than the ilio-femoral joint itself. Sometimes, with the symptoms of coxarthrosis of the second degree, the pain begins to appear even at rest, and after the load is transferred to the affected joint, a fairly long rest is needed to alleviate it. Hoarseness begins to appear with prolonged running or walking. At the same time, the strength of the thigh muscles is significantly reduced, and the range of motion of the joint is also underestimated.
- Symptoms of grade 3 coxarthrosis: persistent pain in the hip joint, which does not disappear even after an extremely long rest or constant rest, even at night. The pain had already gripped his entire leg. In the background of pain, the patient develops insomnia and various sleep disorders. There is a strong atrophy of the muscles of the thigh, buttocks and lower legs, while the motor volume of the joint is almost minimal. When walking, a sick person is forced to resort to aids, such as a cane, to move.
If such osteoarthritis of the hip develops only in the hip joint of one leg, then its weakened femoral muscles give impetus to the development of lateral pelvic displacement, as a result of which the length of the leg with the affected joint is reduced by coxarthrosis.
Diagnosis of coxarthrosis
When diagnosing coxarthrosis, the symptoms of coxarthrosis described above must be taken into account in combination with the data obtained from the patient's X-ray examination. This technique provides an opportunity to determine not only the degree of coxarthrosis, but also to identify the causes that served as a catalyst for the development of coxarthrosis. Radiography provides an excellent opportunity to identify changes that have specifically caused injury to the hip joint, which is directly related to the mechanism of development of coxarthrosis.
In addition to the already mentioned diagnostic methods, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging methods can be used, which provide the possibility of a more detailed study of developmental pathology, such as the structure of bone tissue whose deformity accompanies this disease. As far as magnetic resonance imaging is concerned, this method still allows the assessment of pathological disorders suffered by the soft tissues surrounding the joint affected by coxarthrosis.
Treatment of coxarthrosis
The choice of coxarthrosis treatment directly depends on the symptoms of coxarthrosis and its stage. Usually, in the first and second stages of coxarthrosis, traditional conservative drug therapy is performed, which consists of taking chondroprotectors, vasodilators and, if indicated, muscle relaxants. In the period when coxarthrosis is especially acute, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also used. It should be borne in mind that such treatment must be carried out by a specialist doctor, because self-medication, unlike traditional medicine, can have an extremely negative effect on the patient's internal organs and completely suppress the ability to restore hyaline cartilage.
Also, in the case of coxarthrosis, various physiotherapeutic procedures and exercise therapy are prescribed. Particularly effective, in combination with traditional drugs for the treatment of coxarthrosis, is the use of magnetotherapy in the treatment of arthrosis using a special device.
The effect of diet on the body of patients with coxarthrosis has no direct therapeutic effect, but obesity is recommended for weight loss, because it reduces the load on the affected joint and thus alleviates the acute symptoms of coxarthrosis.
As for the third degree of the disease with coxarthrosis, whose symptoms are the most painful, the treatment, as such, is carried out only by surgery, for example, hip arthroplasty. Statistics show that after surgery, absolute restoration of limb function with deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint is achieved in 95% of cases, which allows subsequent leading a fairly active lifestyle.
The lifespan of such a prosthesis is about 15-20 years, but at the end of its lifespan, another operation is needed to replace the worn-out endoprosthesis.
Note,it is important! Don't diagnose yourself!If symptoms of coxarthrosis appear, you should consult an orthopedist, because only a qualified specialist can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the most optimal treatment.
Prevention of coxarthrosis
Coxarthrosis diseases can be avoided if the necessary prevention of coxarthrosis is carried out:
- mandatory and timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the joints;
- timely treatment of joint dysplasia;
- mandatory proper and reasonable physical activity, especially weight exercises, which must be performed correctly;
- mandatory control of your body weight, keeping it normal;
- prevention of joint injuries.