Degenerative Arthropathy Hip Disease

Degenerative arthropathy is a disease of joints, typically effecting hip joints. There are array of diseases that may result in degeneration of hip. Osteoarthritis or arthropathy, also called as wear-and-tear arthritis, is the most common type of degenerative hip disease. It can adversely affect ones ability to walk, work and live a pain free life.

Osteoarthritis is caused by progressive wearing away of cartilage of the hip joint. A cartilage is a type of dense elastic connective tissues. It covers the surface of joints, allowing the bones to slide over one another thus reducing friction and preventing damage Due to wearing away of cartilage by hip arthritis bare bone gets exposed. Hip arthritis typically affects patients above 50 years of age. It is more common in people who are overweight. There is also genetic cause to this disease, that is hip arthritis tends to runs in families. Other factors that can contribute to the development of hip arthritis include traumatic injuries to the hip.

Hip arthritis symptoms tends to progress as the condition worsens. The most common symptoms of hip arthritis are pain with activities, limited range of motion, stiffness of the hip, walking with a limp. Diagnosis of degenerative hip is done thorough physical examination of patient and X- rays. X-rays are indispensable in diagnosis. This can serve as baseline for further treatment.

Treatment of hip arthritis should begin with basic steps like loosing weight and activity modification, use of assist devices such as cane for walking can also be useful, more progressive steps including total hip replacement surgery. In hip replacement surgery cartilage is removed and a metal and plastic implant is placed in the hip. Loosing weight is probably one of the most important, yet least commonly performed treatment. The less weight the joint has to carry, the less painful activities will be. Not all treatment is appropriate in every patient it varies from patient to patient. Apart from for some patients anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation.

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Degenerative Arthropathy Hip Disease