Arthritis of the Hip: What You Need to Know

If you’re experiencing joint pain, hip pain, or stiffness in your hips, you may be dealing with arthritis of the hip. While the situation can hit at any age, it is most popular in adults over the age of 50, particularly those over 60 years old. Arthritis of the hip occurs when your cartilage and bone are damaged by osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), or other causes of inflammation and pain in your joints such as bursitis and tendonitis.

Arthritis as a Primary Illness

The disease arthritis involves inflammation. Osteoarthritis is what happens when age and wear-and-tear cause your joints to break down, while rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks joint tissue, causing inflammation and pain. Arthritis can affect any joint in your body, but it most commonly impacts the knees, hips, hands, wrists, and feet. It can also impact the neck and lower back joints. More than one million Canadians suffer from some form of arthritis, with women more likely to be affected than men.

A Summary of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory disease that occurs when the joints become badly affected. Osteoarthritis can appear at any age, but it is most common in the population over the age of 50. According to Mayo Clinic, approximately 27 million Americans have osteoarthritis. The condition is characterized by pain and stiffness in and around your joints. Arthritis refers to joint inflammation, but different types of arthritis cause different symptoms.

Pain in the Hip

While numerous types of arthritis affect the hip, osteoarthritis is most common and tends to happen when the cartilage between the joints wears down, likely to result in pain and inflammation. There are also other causes of hip pain, including bursitis, or inflammation in the tissue surrounding joints. Any harm or muscular pull in the hip area can also cause pain. And certain conditions, such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis can cause severe hip pain as well. If you’re experiencing joint pain near your hip area and don’t know what’s causing it, talk with your doctor about several options for treatment and prevention.

Treatments for Osteoarthritis

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen can be used to treat osteoarthritis pain. These drugs work by reducing inflammation around your joints and making it easier for you to move. A doctor may also recommend physical therapy, exercise, or joint manipulation exercises as a treatment option. If pain persists or worsens, however, a doctor may prescribe injections of hyaluronic acid that help lubricate your joints. Some patients find relief from osteoarthritis pain through corticosteroid shots or surgery that removes damaged cartilage in their knee joint.

The Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Ra ) is a chronic, inciteful issue that impacts your joints, notably those in your hands and feet. It also may affect other areas such as your wrists, knees, and ankles. Although there is no real treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, treatments are available to help you manage symptoms and increase your range of motion.  The first step in treating rheumatoid arthritis is identifying its cause so you can treat it effectively. Treatment will vary depending on whether an underlying cause can be identified or not.

Gout – Causes and Prevention

Gout is due to high levels of uric acid in your body. Gout attacks commonly result in extreme pain, swelling, and redness, particularly in your big toe. Although gout can occur at any age, it’s most common among middle-aged men and postmenopausal women who are overweight or drink large amounts of alcohol. The best ways to prevent gout involve modifying lifestyle habits, such as getting enough exercise and lowering your intake of foods that contain a lot of purines (foods high in purines include seafood, organ meats, and dried beans). Another essential solution is to cut your alcohol consumption.

Who’s Affected?

Millions of people around the world have arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative form, affecting people over the age of 60. While it's a natural part of aging, sometimes Osteoarthritis can strike younger people as well—like athletes who strain or tear a ligament in their hip joint or older adults who've never been active and develop weak bones from loss of muscle mass. Joint pain and stiffness make movement difficult, so that person might move less, and eventually lose even more muscle tone and strength—setting off a downward spiral. Inactivity can also lead to heart disease, osteoporosis (weak bones), diabetes (poor blood sugar control), chronic respiratory conditions like emphysema, and overall higher risk for falls.

Conclusion

The best way to avoid arthritis is to stay fit and healthy. You should try to lose some weight if you are overweight. Try to exercise daily and eat a healthy diet. If you suffer from osteoarthritis, consider taking glucosamine or chondroitin supplements as a possible preventative measure against further injury or pain. Always consult your doctor before taking supplements to ensure they won’t have a negative interaction with any medications you are currently taking.