Hip arthritis, the most common form of osteoarthritis, is a form of wear-and-tear arthritis concerning the weight-bearing joints located on the hips. Normally, a joint is where two bones meet which is lined by a surface cartilage. Surrounding the joint is a capsule containing a thin lining of synovial cells. These cells are responsible for producing a thin layer of lubrication film called synovial fluid. The lubrication film and surface cartilage both act as a shock absorber so that the joints will move smoothly and will last for many years.
In the case of hip arthritis, the cartilage lining may be thinner or may be completely absent. This usually happens when the surface cartilage is severely damaged or if the joint surfaces are not aligned correctly, such as in the case of a shallow hip). The cartilage will wear out and tear faster thus, exposing the bones to each other. The constant rubbing of the bones produces joint pain.
Hip arthritis is usually characterized by pain in the outer thigh, groin and buttocks. The pain may be worsen by movement and activity thus, hip arthritis or any other type of arthritis hinder a person from his/her daily activities.
People who are over 50 years old are more prone in developing hip arthritis. It is also common in people who are obese and overweight although weight loss may reduce the symptoms of hip arthritis. It may also be genetic; people from a family with an arthritis history are more prone in developing hip arthritis in the future. Other factors such as accidents and traumatic injuries on the hip such as fracturing the bone around the joint may also cause hip arthritis.
The symptoms of hip arthritis worsens as the condition progresses however, in some cases, the symptoms do not progresses steadily through time. Some people have good and bad months and symptoms may also be affected by weather conditions and changes.
Some of the most common symptoms of hip arthritis are joint pain that is worse by activities and movement, limited range for movement, walking with a limp and stiffness of the hip. Pain around the hip area may also occur. It is important to have a physical examination together with an x-ray to help in evaluating and determining the condition and progression of the disease.
There are many treatments that can be done for patients with hip arthritis, although not all treatments are appropriate for all patients. It is important to discuss it with your doctor to see and determine what the best treatment for you is.
Weight loss is advised for people who are obese and overweight since lesser weight in the joints will also lessen the pain since it will lessen the strain that is put on the joints. Activity modification is also necessary since some people may find it hard to continue with their everyday activities. It is important to only do the things that you can. Physical therapy is advised to help strengthen the muscles around the hip joint.
Some doctors advised the usage of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help alleviate the pain and inflammation. Hip replacement and hip resurfacing surgery may also be done to help treat hip arthritis faster.
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