The coxarthrosis is a deforming arthrosis of the hip joint.
This is a chronic disease characterized by degenerative tissue changes, cartilage damage. Symptomatically, coxarthrosis is determined by regular pain and hip joint deformity, impaired mobility. Pathological changes are based on cartilage damage and the subsequent inflammatory reaction. With arthrosis, bone tissue is modified. The injury occurs locally, but other joints may also be involved. The main contingent of patients are the elderly. A risk factor could be an inherited 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 placed on restoring cartilage structure and function. The 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 physical therapy. Herbal treatment is recommended to keep the joints at home. Proper diet and moderate exercise are essential.
Symptoms of coxarthrosis
With coxarthrosis, the articular cartilage is primarily subject to deforming changes. There are 3 stages of disease development. In the initial phase, there are no morphological changes in joint tissues. Only its functional viability suffers. A person experiences periodic pain in the joint area after physical exertion, running, walking long distances. After rest, the pain syndrome disappears. In the second stage, the bone starts to deform. The naturalness of the movements is drastically reduced. The pain is intense 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, one is forced to lean forward. Several growths appear on the joint bones.
The main symptoms of arthrosis include:
- morning stiffness;
- joint pain;
- difficulty in walking over distances greater than 1 km;
- increased pain with sitting or standing for a long time.
Podiatrists consider coxarthrosis one of the most common types of arthrosis. The risk group includes people with obesity, heavy physical work, the elderly. Lack of treatment leads to complete destruction of the hip joint, accompanied by unnatural mobility or complete immobility, as well as severe lower extremity dysfunction.
drug therapy
The treatment of coxarthrosis begins with exercise limitation. This is a long-term process that combines a variety of therapy methods: taking anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, intra-articular injections, physical therapy and exercise therapy.
Characteristics of the treatment of coxarthrosis 1, 2, 3 degrees:
- in the first stage, NSAIDs are prescribed to stop the inflammatory process, drugs that normalize metabolic processes, analgesics are also needed, folk remedies are used in complex therapies;
- in the second phase of coxarthrosis, intra-articular injections based on hyaluronic acid, laser treatment, electrical stimulation are added to the pharmacotherapy;
- the third stage is treated conservatively and operatively, when it is impossible to face without an operation, joint prostheses are performed.
Medication plays the main role. Without anti-inflammatory and supportive agents, dystrophic changes cannot be avoided and constant pain cannot be eliminated. Physicians prescribe multi-acting pharmacological agents to alleviate the condition of patients during exacerbations.
- Medication plays the main role. Without anti-inflammatory and supportive agents, dystrophic changes cannot be avoided and constant pain cannot be eliminated. Physicians prescribe multi-acting pharmacological agents to alleviate the condition of patients during exacerbations.
- Muscle relaxants. Reduce skeletal muscle tone. The muscles relax, due to which the pain syndrome subsides, the person is at rest from the pain. These medications are contraindicated in patients with cardiac arrhythmias.
- Chondroprotectors. Symptomatic collagen-containing preparations. They nourish and restore damaged cartilage. They supply external collagen to the joint and stimulate its production by the body. Chondroprotective drugs are used for a long time. Under the influence of these funds, tissue metabolism improves, the destroyed cartilage gradually grows. In complex therapy, these drugs are of indisputable benefit, especially in the early stage of the disease. In chronic arthrosis, they postpone the deficiency.
To stop the destruction of cartilage tissue and give "lubrication" to the joint, injections are made with preparations based on hyaluronic acid and synthetic substances, similar in composition to synovial fluid. They are highly compatible with human body tissues. They effectively stop the cartilage destruction process, have analgesic and chondroprotective effects. Synthetic substances contain silver ions, which provide an additional bacteriostatic effect.
prostheses
A stent graft is a surgical method for treating the hip joint. When, as a result of coxarthrosis and dysplasia, irreversible consequences occur in the cartilaginous tissues, they resort to joint replacement. As a result of the operation, it is possible not only to reduce the constant pain syndrome, but also to restore joint function and mobility. Artificial gaskets are made of metal-polyethylene and ceramic. Fixation to living bone occurs in a cemented and uncemented way. Stent grafts take root well and can serve for decades. But in some cases, the prosthesis wears out quickly, so a second operation is needed.
physiotherapeutic treatment
The treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint is carried out with complex measures, including the help of physiotherapy. This direction is associated with physical rehabilitation, support of the body during the period of recovery and remission, prevention of exacerbations. Physical therapy is practiced by orthopedists, traumatologists, rheumatologists, massage therapists, exercise therapy instructors.
The following methods are recognized as effective for the treatment of coxarthrosis:
- ultrasound therapy;
- laser therapy;
- inductothermia;
- massage;
- manual therapy.
With ultrasound therapy, the high frequency waves penetrate the tissues and act like a vibrating massage. They improve biochemical processes, prevent stagnation, promote better absorption of medicinal substances. Ultrasound reduces inflammation.
Laser treatment expands blood vessels, stimulates lymph flow, inhibits inflammation and heals tissues. The technique improves tissue trophism, helps preserve organ structure and function.
During inductothermia, high frequency waves affect the body. The method is effective in the presence of any inflammation and musculoskeletal system pathologies. It stimulates the immune system, relieves pain and has a regenerating effect.
Massage is hardware and mechanics. Contrary to popular belief, during massage, not only the top layer of skin and muscles are exposed. During the work of the masseuse, the reflex and humoral mechanisms of regulation of Organs internal organs are activated. By combining a wide variety of massage techniques, the patient receives antispasmodic, tonic, lymph draining and analgesic effects.
A chiropractor works on a person's bones and joints. Relieves tension in some areas, tones others, eliminates pain, restores the functional viability of joints. First, the doctor applies diagnostic techniques, during which he determines the condition and capabilities of muscles, ligaments, and joints. He then proceeds to treatment. Manual techniques are not used during exacerbations and complications.
The role of spa treatment
Treatment with a sanatorium is of great importance for coxarthrosis. Treatment and prophylaxis institutions supporting people with musculoskeletal system diseases mainly use natural factors.
- Climatotherapy. These are terrain features, a combination of climatic factors, sea water, sun, air. Climatotherapy helps with recovery, prevents the development of exacerbations, improves the course of biological and physiological processes in the body. The ideal conditions for treating arthrosis are created in areas with high air temperatures and a lot of solar radiation.
- Healing mud. They differ in origin. They are peat, sulphide silt, 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 joints. They improve metabolic processes, reduce inflammation and normalize blood circulation.
- Mineral water. Contains trace elements, dissolved salts and biologically active substances. For diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the ingestion of mineral baths is indicated. Procedures increase mobility, tone, activate blood circulation, improve metabolism.
- Phytotherapy. A method based on the use of medicinal herbs. Infusions, decoctions contain a lot of active substances that not only effectively support the sick body, but also have a pronounced therapeutic effect.
Treatment with natural factors in sanatoriums is combined with methods of physiotherapy, exercise therapy, dietary nutrition, adherence to the daily regimen. Spa programs are designed for all stages of joint disease.
Physical activity
In recommendations for people with arthrosis, doctors advise limiting the load on the legs. It pays to stop squatting, squatting and doing physical work more carefully in the house and garden. Do not force the joint if there is already pain (reduce the cardinal load). Especially, it is worth excluding running, jumping. However, you cannot do without gymnastics.
For the joint to work, special exercises must be done. A person with arthrosis is categorically not suitable for "youth" gymnastics - fast-paced, with increasing loads, with high intensity throughout the session. With a painful joint, gymnastics should be done extremely slowly, gently and measured, until discomfort or pain appears. If there is pain, it's worth taking a break.
Therapeutic gymnastics helps to normalize the condition of muscles, improve blood circulation in the joint, provide adequate nutrition and remove the products of deterioration and inflammation. Gymnastics helps drugs to quickly enter a painful joint and initiate a therapeutic effect. The most difficult task of physical therapy exercises is to correctly dose the load. Too short a workout will not achieve the healing effect. And the excessive load will bring additional damage to the joint. Competent recommendations can only be given by the treating physician. They will depend on the patient's condition and the characteristics of the course of the disease in each case.
Nutrition for coxarthrosis
There are many reasons for cartilage destruction. Nutrition is of great importance in the treatment of 1, 2, 3 degree arthrosis of the hip joint. Today the market is crammed with foods rich in preservatives. Attractive hams, smoked meats, sausages, sporting on the shelves, contain a large number of specific components. Meat is treated with enzymes, active substances that speed up the production process and quickly obtain an attractive product. Preservatives extend the shelf life of any product: ready-made or raw, which must be widely used among manufacturers.
When eating foods filled with preservatives, a person gets an excess of salt, which retains moisture. Salt is retained and accumulated in cartilage tissue and joint disorders. This arthrosis is inherently a simple inflammation that is well suited to therapy. And coxarthrosis, which emerged in the context of metabolic disorders, metabolic failure, junk food ingestion, requires adherence to a diet. It is not necessary to strictly limit yourself to food intake or give up a whole list of healthy foods. Just follow some simple rules:
- refuse any ready-made smoked meats from the store;
- exclude the consumption of concentrated broths;
- according to the cooking method, give preference to cooking and stewing;
- completely exclude salt intake, do not buy salted fish, sausage, canned food;
- do not consume more than 10-15 g of animal fats per day, prepare meals with the addition of various vegetable oils;
- monitor the caloric content of foods, abandon so-called "fast" carbohydrates, sugar, confectionery;
- exclude mayonnaise from the diet, season salads and sauces with low-fat cream;
- exclude the consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- limit consumption of fatty fish, caviar.
Instead of smoked meat, buy natural meat, chicken raised on farms by national producers. It is best to cook first courses in vegetable broths, without boiling vitamin-rich foods for several hours. The bouillon cubes popular today are almost 100% chemical. This is evil in its purest form.
you must not completely abandon cooked meat. But it's better to take pre-cooked lean pieces and put them in portions on a plate, and then pour in the vegetable soup. A complete rejection of the flesh is an extreme.
An old recipe for preserving bone and joint strength is gelled meat. A few decades ago, when little was known about artificial preservatives, this was justified. Now this product can only raise cholesterol.
Fresh fish has never been treated with preservatives. But modern manufacturers have learned this too. Today, we can only talk about the benefits of fish if it arrived at the counter directly from a fishing trawler or was purchased alive.
Only by changing the principles of nutrition can a person reduce the suffering of deforming arthrosis. Diet should include a lot of fresh vegetables, berries, herbs, 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 fast days with kefir, cottage cheese, fruit, herbal decoctions.