Therapy of arthrosis in the hip
Since it is not possible to restore the defective cartilage and bone, the therapy is mainly aimed at reducing pain and slowing down the course of the disease. The conservative therapies include the wearing of: If pain relief under medication such as ibuprofen, Metamizol or Voltaren® is not sufficient, an attempt at therapy can be made by injecting local anaesthetic (short-acting) or cortisone (long-acting) into the joint space of the hip. In cases of high suffering and failure of conservative therapy attempts, surgery of the hip can be considered under appropriate conditions.
Up to the age of 60 and depending on the cause, a joint preserving operation is possible in cases of moderate to moderately severe arthrosis. In this procedure, the femur is deformed in such a way that the pressure of the femoral head is better distributed in the acetabulum and the mechanics are reconstructed. A later joint-replacing therapy with a hip prosthesis should already be taken into account in the joint-preserving therapy.
For patients over 60 years of age, endoprosthetics by means of a hip prosthesis is often a necessary therapy. There is a wide range of models, sizes and combinations of acetabular cup and femoral head replacement available, so that this therapy requires precise individual planning. Following such an operation, the patient’s cooperation is particularly important for the success of the therapy. – soft footwear (gel cushion/buffer heels)
- Weight reduction
- Appropriate nutrition for osteoarthritis
- Joint-gentle sports (cycling, swimming) and
- Physiotherapy to correct muscle loss (muscle atrophies) due to incorrect loading and similar.
Prognosis and prophylaxis
Depending on the cause, there are certain possibilities for prophylaxis: for example, screening of the newborn for hip dysplasia using ultrasound and the associated early therapy. Excursus: Asians and black Africans suffer less frequently from coxarthrosis, which is partly due to a certain wrapping and transport technique of the babies, in which the position of the femoral head is unconsciously favoured in such a way that a congenital hip dysplasia is immediately treated. Arthrosis in the hip is thus prevented.
A body weight within the normal range, as well as sports that are easy on the joints, can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis in the hip, but cannot prevent its development. If osteoarthritis of the hip is known, it cannot be cured. Satisfactory freedom from symptoms can generally be achieved with the above-mentioned therapy options, but not always.
Even with a perfectly implanted hip prosthesis, the function of the joint will not correspond to that of the healthy joint. Patients should be aware of this before surgery. Nevertheless, a hip prosthesis will enable the patient to lead a very productive life again.
