Hip Arthritis - Pain Relief

Hip arthritis is without doubt one of the most common forms of arthritis- which can have many different causes. There is one factor in common however- this is loss of cartilage from the hip joint. The loss of cartilage results in the hip bones grinding unnaturally together, resulting in pain. Hip arthritis advances quite quickly once it sets in, and pain and treatment options vary greatly depending on the patient's age, health and lifestyle.

Once hip arthritis has been diagnosed, the doctor will consider both surgical and non-surgical options for treatment. The doctor may recommend combining several treatment methods. Simple non-invasive treatments for hip arthritis include weight loss, anti-inflammatory medication such as Naprosyn and Ibuprofen, and lifestyle changes- such as taking up regular walking. These non-surgical methods assist in reducing the pain, and preventing symptoms re-occurring. Sufferers of hip arthritis should be aware of some claims of the benefits of "Nutraceuticals" such as Glucosamine supplements in treating hip arthritis. There is no strong evidence that links their effectiveness with hip arthritis and they are not FDA regulated in the US.

In terms of surgical treatment options for hip arthritis there are 2: Osteotomy, wherein the surgeon cuts the bone to re-align the hip joint and Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA), which means total hip joint replacement. The latter is obviously more serious.

THA is the most common form of surgery used to treat hip arthritis. The doctor will need to analyze various factors before deciding that THA is the best treatment for hip arthritis. The beauty of THA is that in time it will allow most patient to regain normal use of their hips, so they can resume the activities which may be so dear to them. Another strong reason for pursuing THA as a viable treatment option for hip arthritis, is the fact that the pain will be eased immeasurably- specifically the pain experienced at night, which is the worst. THA is not necessarily the best treatment option for everyone. Many patients will be able to comfortably modify their lifestyles to reduce the need to pursue the THA procedure.

Many sufferers of hip arthritis are pursuing THA, due to recent medical advancements, and the brilliance of surgeons specifically in the US. Further to this the materials used nowadays in THA are totally durable, meaning they will not break down over time. These recent developments have seen a spike in the number of patients been encouraged to pursue THA as a viable and effective treatment option for hip arthritis.

THA is an extremely effective and safe procedure performed under anesthetic, which greatly lowers the risks of surgery-related complications and allows for a faster recovery- and hence less time off from work. Currently in the US, patients undergoing THA do not remain in hospital for longer than 5 days. Hip joint replacement usually has an extremely high success rate with 85 to 95 percent success rate over a period of 20 years. This is re-assuring for sufferers of hip arthritis, as it provides a swift method of dealing with the pain for the long term.