Osteoarthritis of the hip

What is osteoarthritis of the hip?

Osteoarthritis of the hip is a degenerative disease of the cartilage that lines the junction of the pelvic bones and the femur. This tissue facilitates movement between the bones and prevents them from rubbing against each other. When the cartilage decreases in thickness and texture or disappears, the correct meshing between the femur and the pelvis is lost, resulting in osteoarthritis of the hip.

Depending on the symptomatology suffered by the patients, the following types of hip osteoarthritis can be established:

• Mild hip osteoarthritis
• Moderate hip osteoarthritis
• Severe hip osteoarthritis

Prognosis of the disease

Osteoarthritis of the hip is a chronic disease and usually progresses very slowly over the years.

In addition, osteoarthritis of the hip is estimated to be the second or third most common type of osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip

The main indicator of this pathology is pain, which is mainly located in the groin region. Symptoms such as stiffness and impaired mobility may also appear.

Sometimes, the pain goes down the front of the thigh and the knee may also hurt, which may make the patient think that the problem is in the knee.

It is estimated that osteoarthritis of the hip is the second or third most common type of osteoarthritis.

Medical tests for osteoarthritis of the hip

To make the diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the hip, the specialist will perform these steps:

1. Questioning about the type of symptoms and their characteristics.
2. Exploration of the hip joint, with its movements. By means of this the doctor can objectify the degree of arthrosis that exists.
3. X-ray of the hip, to confirm the diagnosis.

What are the causes of osteoarthritis of the hip?

Hip osteoarthritis is a multifactorial disease, that is, it is the consequence of a sum of genetic and environmental factors.

Some of the secondary causes that together or in isolation cause osteoarthritis of the hip:

• Obesity
• Advanced age
• Professional activity
• Excessive load on the joint due to high-level sports.
• Malformations
• Alterations in hip anatomy

Can it be prevented?

One of the causes of the appearance of osteoarthritis of the hip is aging, so it is not possible to avoid the disease, but it is possible to delay its appearance to a great extent.

The main actions that can be carried out with the intention of preventing osteoarthritis of the hip are:

• Losing weight
• Perform physical exercise. This includes exercising the hip joints.
• Avoid movements that produce pain
• Having a postural education
• Use of canes and crutches
• Having a good diet

Treatments for osteoarthritis of the hip

There is currently no treatment that can cure osteoarthritis, but it is possible to alleviate the symptoms, slow its progression and improve the quality of life.

For this, several alternatives are available:

• Physical measures:
  • Controlling body weight.
  • Correcting malformations or anatomical alterations.
  • Physical exercise
• Drugs
• Surgery:
  • Replacement of the joint with a metallic prosthesis. It is generally performed in severe cases of the disease.

Physical measures and drugs could be referred to as conservative treatment, the aim of which is to minimize pain and immobilization and try to delay the progression of the disease as much as possible. Medications for osteoarthritis of the hip (this always has to be said by a doctor).

Which specialist treats it?

The rheumatologist is the most experienced physician to establish the diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the hip and differentiate it from other joint diseases. Likewise, the rheumatologist can refer you to other specialists when necessary.