How To Deal With Hip Arthritis

One of the most common disorders that causes hip pain is arthritis. It is a disorder that affects the joints causing them to be inflamed. As time passes by, the condition gradually worsens, and at one point, the pain can be quite unbearable. In this text, we are going to discuss what arthritis is, and how can you deal with it to certain efficiency.

Types of arthritis

There are several types of arthritis, and while not all of them affect the hip joint, there are five that are available for hip arthritis treatment in Melbourne and they are: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriatic arthritis. None of these have a cure for them, but there are ways to treat the pain and the symptoms associated with them.

Diagnosis of arthritis

In case you suspect that you have arthritis that affects the hip, it is very important to provide the correct information to your doctor in order to get the correct diagnosis. When you present your case to the doctor, tell them about your whole medical history, as well as where you feel the pain. Describing the type of pain is also important.

Once you talk with the doctor, they are going to perform a physical exam on you. During this exam, you will be tested to see how well you can move your hip, so the doctor can determine if you actually have arthritis, and how far it progressed. If the doctor suspects anything being abnormal, you will be asked to undergo a radiograph or X-rays to confirm their suspicions.

If necessary, you may also have to provide some blood to the doctor so they can do tests for antibodies that are associated with a certain kind of arthritis. This is not always the case, but it is good to be mentally prepared that you will have to give your blood if needed than to be surprised by this.

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Hip pain is often a sign of hip arthritis

Treatment

There are two categories when it comes to treating arthritis. The treatment usually does not depend on what kind of arthritis you have, but it may be a bit different depending on your medical history and the progression of the disorder in your body.

Non-surgical options

For the non-surgical options, you can expect the doctor to give you some anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or corticosteroids that will block the inflammation point in the joint. Besides medication, you can expect to get some physical therapy or exercise programs that you should follow.

The exercises are used to build up your strength, improve your flexibility, and maintain muscle tone. One of the best exercises for people who have arthritis is swimming, but there are plenty of other options if you are not a fan of it.

There are also drugs that are not appropriate for everyone who has arthritis, and these are the SMARDs and DMARDs. The first one are also known as symptom-modifying antirheumatic drugs, while the other one is called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Lifestyle changes are usually the best treatment for arthritis, and they involve things like maintaining a healthy weight, appropriate pain management, avoiding activities that put stress on the hip, and exercising to build up strength.

Surgical options

Instead of dealing with non-surgical options, a lot of people tend to opt for the surgical ones instead. Most people who have hip arthritis are perfect candidates for the surgical procedures, as the procedure does not involve too much risk considering how perfected and common it is.

The effects of the procedures are quite remarkable, as they will help reduce pain and enhance the quality of life of the patient significantly. They will also improve their ability to perform most everyday tasks with almost no restrictions.

The hip replacement procedure is the one that is most appropriate for those whose hip joint is severely damaged, as non-surgical treatment has barely effect on improving the condition of the patient. Like the name suggests, this procedure focuses on replacing the joint with an artificial one that cannot be affected by arthritis. Even if this does not remove it, it will set it back drastically.

The other procedure is osteotomy, which is for less severe cases. During this procedure, the surgeon will cut and reposition the join so the healthy portion of the hip bears most of the body weight. Unfortunately, only a small number of patients are good candidates for this procedure, and if you want to find out more, visit https://www.moati.com.au/ for more information.

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The surgical procedure will often replace the hip joint

End word

If you suspect that you have arthritis, it is important to check things out with your doctor. Discovering it early will give you a better opportunity to treat it in non-surgical ways and slow down its progression. While you might have to undergo a surgical procedure eventually, it is better to do it later than before.