Hip Arthritis?

Question

I have this in my right hip, but there is only a LOUD clicking/popping of my hip if I bent down or stand up too long. Could it be the alignment of the bone or something else? I've had hip injections which only work for about 4-5 weeks. I am starting to limp and need to sit often on a high cushioned area or else it is tough to get up. Any sugestions bsides a hip replacement, I'm 42.

Answer 1

I assume that your Dr has ordered xrays of your joint and you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The injections that you refer to - were they a steroid injection? If so, you should have been told by your Dr. that these may or may not work and if you get some relief from them, know that you can't get these shots forever. They may ultimately destroy the joint. Their value is in giving temporary pain relief until such time as the joint can be replaced.
I have had both hips replaced in separate surgeries. I waited a bit too long to have them done (can you believe that I was told I was "too young" for HR when I was 56 yrs. old?). I eventually had the surgeries 3 yrs later but I got so bad that I lived on Aleve, couldn't walk without a cane, and had pretty much stopped living. In short, I waited too long and lost a lot of living because of the arthritis.
It isn't unheard of for people your age to have hip replacements. Also, there is a new device recently approved by FDA for an alternative surgery to replacing the hip joint. It is called hip resurfacing and for those who qualify, involves reshaping and covering the femoral head (that's the top or ball of your hip joint) instead of cutting it off as is done in a total hip replacement. In resurfacing, the acetabulum (that's your pelvis) is treated in much the same way as with a hip replacement - reamed out to accept a metal cup. Resurfacing has been done abroad for many years but it remains a new and controversial procedure in the US. Some ortho surgeons don't perform it; others may be quite new to it. Every patient doesn't necessarily qualify and some insurances may balk at covering it. The premise with resurfacing is that the femoral bone is preserved and the full replacement, should it be necessary, may be postponed. Resurfacing is major surgery, same as total replacement.
Here's more on the procedure:
http://totaljoints.info/surface_hip_replace.htm
You may also be interested in seeing the news story on hip arthritis and resurfacing that is scheduled for tomorrow (Tues, Oct. 9) on the CBS Evening News program.

Conservative, non-surgical treatment of hip osteoarthritis includes learning coping & joint preservation skills (such as taking one of the classes that are held by hospitals, clinics, etc.); NSAIDS or other pain meds; physical therapy (esp. exercise done in water); use of walking aids - canes, walkers; steroid injections; and eventually a wheelchair I suppose.

I tried the conservative treatments for 3 yrs. The therapy exercises made me feel better - for about 10 mins! The NSAIDS that I took daily worked pretty well for awhile and enabled me to keep working but they eventually stopped being very effective. I was on a cane for about 9 months before the surgery. I limped badly and began to have trouble sleeping.

Now I have no pain or stiffness, can walk miles, use no canes, and have my life back. It took a lot of work and was no walk in the park but it was definitely worth it. One thing that amazed me about the surgery was the fact that the old arthritis pain was gone instantly as I discovered when they got me out of bed to walk several hours after surgery.

Good luck to you. Arthritis is no fun and I hope you can get relief, if even temporarily. Also keep in mind that people as young (and even younger) than you do have hip replacements. The younger you are, the more likely that you will outlive your fake joint and need revision surgery which may have more complications.

Answer 2

I would suggest that your family member see a physical therapist for this. They would be able to help him without the use of medications and what is really needed in these cases is a good look at posture. Small changes in posture cause extra stress upon certain areas of the body and this could be one reason for the problem. An example of this might be a leg length discrepancy for which a simple insert in the shoe would rectify the problem. The stronger the muscles of the hip become the less stress the joint has to endure. Strengthening movements in the form of specific exercises or programs such as Pilate's are of great help. There is also the use of water. Walking in chest high water is helpful for the water will take about 40% of the body's weight off and that will ease the stress on the hip. Water aerobics would also help. So there are a number of ways that he could get ready for this but so action is going to have to be done. Taking medication may mask the pain temporarily but it will not stop the advancement of damage that goes on. Gaining strength will hep control the joint and ease the pain.

Answer 3

Imagine for a moment your arthritis completely vanishing right now.

If, in a moment, your pain and stiffness melted away. And your joints all of a sudden functioned like a well-oiled machine.

Like a magic wand was waived, you'd be able to jump up from your chair and run around the room like a kid.

And imagine that you'd never have to suffer as much as a pinch of arthritis stiffness or pain ever again.

I know this sounds impossible right now, but bear with me, because sometimes miracles happen.

It was a gift from a woman on the other side of the world. From the kindness of her heart, she took pity on my suffering and taught me how to completely reverse my arthritis.

Today, I want to do the same for you!

Answer 4

hip arthritis

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

Sounds to me as if you have calcification also. My only suggestion, water exercise. Unfortunately I think you are too young to be considered for a hip replacement.