Do I have Hip Arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease that has more than 100 different forms. With this condition, you can face a lot of trouble in your daily routine due to joint pain and stiffness. In the case of inflammatory arthritis, your immune system becomes overactive and starts damaging your body’s healthy cells. It can have an effect on several different areas of your body at the same time. It can also affect multiple organs like the heart, skin, eyes, etc.

The three most common types of arthritis that affect your hip joints are as follows:

• Inflammatory arthritis, like Rheumatoid arthritis
• Primary hip Osteoarthritis
• Secondary hip Osteoarthritis due to impingement or trauma

Arthritis usually occurs due to cartilage damage within the hip joint. Although there has been no cure for inflammatory arthritis previously, medical science has made several treatment advancements, especially in developing new ways to treat different medical problems. If inflammatory arthritis is diagnosed early, then you can take appropriate measures to maintain your mobility and function and prevent any severe damage.

Anatomy of Hip Joint

Your hip joint is a ball and a socket joint. The ball is the femoral head. It is the upper end of your thighbone (femur). The socket is a part of your large pelvis bone, and the acetabulum forms it. There is a slippery tissue that covers the surface of the ball and socket. This tissue is known as articular cartilage. Due to this tissue, your bones glide easily against each other as a smooth, and low friction surface is created. Synovium is a thin lining that covers the surface of the joint. Synovium produces small pockets of fluids that help in movement by lubricating the cartilage.

Different types of arthritis affecting Your Hips

1. Osteoarthritis

It is one of the most common types of arthritis that affects your hips. It usually occurs due to daily wear and tears. With the passage of time, arthritis damages your cartilage and causes several painful symptoms for you as you reach middle age. It usually develops with age and it is most common in older patients. It is different from inflammatory arthritis.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis and unlike osteoarthritis, it can develop in people of any age. In this condition, your synovium thickens, swells, and generates chemical substances that attack the cartilage covering of your bone and destroys it. It usually affects the same joint on both sides of our body so there is a possibility that both hips might be affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing Spondylitis is an inflammation of the spine from which a person can face pain in his lower back and stiffness. It can affect different joints of your body, including your hip joint.

4. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus most commonly affects the joints, skin, and nervous system. It can cause inflammation in any part of your body, including your hips. It mostly occurs in young and adult women. People suffering from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus are more prone to osteonecrosis of the hip, which can weaken your bone cells and lead to disabling arthritis.

Causes of Hip Arthritis

The causes of hip arthritis are still unknown; however, there is some evidence that suggests that genetics play a key role in the development of this disease.

Symptoms

It doesn’t matter what kind of arthritis you are having; some common symptoms that might indicate that you have hip arthritis are as follows:

• Pain in your hip joint that might be accompanied by pain in your buttocks, outer thigh, or groin.
• With inflammatory arthritis, the pain may be worse when you wake up in the morning but lessens with time when you start performing activities.
• Facing difficulty in walking or standing from the seated position
• Pain gets worse when you do a vigorous or extended activity.
• You have a feeling that your range of motion has been limited.
• Pain at night when turning over in bed

These are some of the most common symptoms. In some cases, a person may also experience fatigue and weakness. Arthritis can affect different joints of your body at the same time.

How Is It Diagnosed?

If you feel that you have hip arthritis, the first thing to do is to get an accurate diagnosis. You need to see an orthopedic surgeon. A doctor will examine you thoroughly and, in the end, will tell you if you have arthritis of the hip or not. A diagnostic evaluation may include the following:

• Your complete medical background.
• A physical examination to check how well your hips are moving.
• X-rays and radiographs to check if there are any abnormalities in your joints.
• Blood tests to check if there are any anti-bodies that might be linked to a specific type of arthritis.

Treatment Options For Hip Arthritis

Non-Surgical Treatments

If you are undergoing non-surgical treatment for hip arthritis then it may include the following:

• Use of NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen.
• Using Corticosteroids (injections to block the inflammation in the joint).
• Undergoing Physical therapy of following a specific exercise program to improve your flexibility and strengthening your muscles.
• Using SMARD’s (symptom-modifying antirheumatic drugs) or DMARD’s (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs).
• Use of special devices like walkers and canes to make it easier for you to walk and provide support.

Surgical Treatments

Mostly hip arthritis can be treated using non-surgical methods, but in some cases, surgery might be the only option for the treatment of arthritis. In that case, you have the following options:

• Total Hip Replacement Surgery if your hips are severely damaged.
• Osteotomy surgery or Hip arthroscopy if the damage is less severe.

If you want to know more about hip arthritis and its treatment options, then you can contact Dr. Gowreeson Thevendran or visit www.orthofootmd.com.