Conditions / Hips / Adults

Hip Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease of the joints that can affect your hips and other joints in the body.

Different factors including age and trauma can cause the cartilage that cushions our joints to begin to break down. And arthritis is where the articular cartilage which is smooth has been damaged and without it, our joint bones rub together when we move. Bone on bone action causes pain and stiffness as well as being a limit to mobility. This is especially true with OA of the hip, as it is central to carrying the body’s weight.

Diagnosis for OA of the hip can be difficult at first. This is because pain can appear in different locations, including the groin, thigh, buttocks, or knee. The type of pain can vary and may be stabbing and sharp or a dull ache, and the hip can often feel stiff.

Factors that may contribute to OA of the hip include joint injury, increasing age, being overweight and there are sometimes other factors that can be causal including:

• The joints may not have formed properly (dysplasia).
• There may be genetic defects in the cartilage.
• The person may be putting extra stress on the hip, through extra weight or physical activities.

Pain management and lifestyle changes including weight loss, diet, stretching and exercise are often recommended as a first course of treatment for OA of the hip. For those people with OA that doesn’t respond to conservative treatment, who extreme pain even when at rest, or whose hips become deformed from the degenerative disease hip replacement surgery can be performed.

GET IN TOUCH WITH A REPUTABLE HIP ARTHRITIS TREATMENT SPECIALIST IN SYDNEY

Hip arthritis can cause debilitating pain but there are a variety of treatment options available. To learn more about how to manage your condition, please do not hesitate to book a preliminary appointment with Dr. Louis Shidiak at any of his clinics near you.