For patients with advanced osteoarthritis, hip replacement surgery is an effective solution, which can relieve pain and restore function to a great extent. However, not all patients are suitable for this surgery. Doctors will check the patient’s condition before surgery. The situation can be assessed, and the image report is an important basis for assessment. What is
bone to bone?
The hip joint is composed of two bones, one acts as a ball and the other acts as a socket. The ball is embedded in the socket to form the hip joint. There is a layer of cartilage between them for shock absorption and lubrication. The contact surfaces of the two bones can slide against each other. , in order to achieve the range of motion of the hip joint and make various movements. As people age and hip joints wear out and degenerate, the cartilage may become thinner.
The gap between the two bones is getting smaller and smaller, and the sliding between the joints is restricted. At the same time, the wear and tear of the cartilage is accelerated. X-ray shows that the two bones are almost touching each other, and one bone seems to hit the other. Bones, this is bone on bone. However, bone-on-bone alone cannot be used as the only surgical indication for hip replacement . It must also be combined with the patient's symptoms, and most importantly, the degree of pain and functional limitation. In other words, many older people show joint degeneration and smaller joint spaces, but this does not necessarily indicate pain and severe limitations.
Hip joint pain location
In clinical practice, it has been found that some patients cannot accurately point out the location of hip joint pain. Some people think that the hip joint is located at the top of the pelvis, and regard iliac crest pain as hip joint pain. The iliac crest is located at the top of the pelvis, which is where the hands are on the hips. When pain occurs, it can also involve the buttocks, waist, groin and thighs.
Although hip joint problems can also cause groin pain, the source of the pain is in the groin, which is the position of the hip joint. Because the position is relatively deep, patients cannot touch it with their fingers, and it feels a bit like a strained groin muscle. While iliac crest pain can also cause groin pain, hip pain usually affects only down to the knee joint.
When to consider hip replacement
First, determine the origin, location, and degree of functional limitation of the pain. If the pain is severe and consistent with the imaging report, hip replacement can be considered, but at the same time it is an elective surgery. It depends on the patient's feelings and requirements for quality of life. Therefore, even patients with the same condition do not necessarily need surgery. The following are some suggestions:
Painkillers do not work, The effect of painkillers varies from person to person. , if it does not work, or it has some effect, but the side effects are greater and seriously affect insomnia and appetite, you can consider joint replacement .
Hip joint pain affects daily activities and mood. For example, walking, bending, shopping, and going up stairs will cause pain, which seriously affects mood and daily life.
Buttock pain when resting, If it is not serious, the pain in the buttocks will generally be relieved when resting. If the pain is not relieved during rest, replacement may be considered.
It is confirmed that it is hip joint pain, As mentioned above, sometimes the pain around the hip is actually caused by other problems. If it cannot be accurately positioned, it will be difficult to relieve the pain even with surgery.
It is difficult to lift the legs, If the joints are stiff and it is difficult to lift the legs or walk, it means that the osteoarthritis has been very serious, and the doctor may tell you that the joints have been deformed.
self-assessment, patients can follow the advice of relatives and friends, but they still have to make an assessment based on their own feelings. If osteoarthritis has seriously affected their lives, the effects of non-surgical treatment are basically temporary, and injections can generally last for a few It may only take a few hours for painkillers to take effect. Although the artificial hip joint also has a service life, most patients can use it for 20 years or even longer.
Medical science, for reference only.
