What is Hip Calcification?
The hip joint is the main joint connecting the leg to the body and carries a lot of load. Hip joint calcification is the wear and tear of the cartilage covering the bones forming this joint due to various reasons and the deformation of the underlying bones.
What are the Causes of Hip Calcification?
The main causes of hip joint calcification are: We can divide it into two. The first group, which we encounter more frequently, includes calcifications that occur as a result of the wear of the cartilages in the hip joint over time due to a congenital or acquired structural disorder (hip dislocation, arthritis, trauma, etc.), while the second group includes hip calcifications of undetermined cause, which we call idiopathic.
At What Age Does Hip Arthritis Occur?
Although hip arthritis is generally seen after the age of 60, it can also occur at very early ages, especially after congenital hip dislocation and hip joint diseases experienced in childhood.
What are the symptoms of hip arthritis?
The most important symptoms of hip arthritis are pain and limitation of hip joint movements. Usually, first pain occurs and then movement limitation occurs. The pain is not felt in the hip, as thought, but especially in the groin area, and may spread towards the knee.
How is Hip Joint Calcification Diagnosed?
It is actually good whether the patient's complaints originate from the hip joint. It can be understood by an examination. But to make a differential diagnosis between hip joint diseases, an x-ray is usually taken. In some special cases, magnetic resonance (MR) and computerized tomography examination may be required. Particularly with MRI examination, joint pathologies related to calcification can be detected before they appear on the x-ray.
How is Hip Osteoarthritis Treated?
After the diagnosis of hip calcification is made, the condition of the joint is diagnosed. Medications, exercise, physical therapy, intra-articular injections and prosthetic operations are applied according to the procedure. Conservative methods are used in mild and moderate cases, and prosthetic operations are used in severe cases where joint damage is excessive.
Stay. What Types of Injections Are Applied in Calcification of the Ankle?
Na-Hyalurinate injections, popularly known as "rooster's comb", are applied in mild cases, and cortisone injections are applied in medium and severe cases. PRP injections, which is a very new method, are also used.
What is PRP Treatment?
PRP means "Platelet Rich Plasma" in English. It is the abbreviation of the initials and means "platelet-rich plasma". In this method, it is a natural treatment method since the medicine is prepared from the patient's own blood.
How is PRP Obtained?
Approximately 20 cc of blood is taken from the patient intravenously and this is done. Blood is subjected to some special processes to obtain PRP, which contains a large number of platelet cells.
How Is PRP Effective in the Joint?
Plasma fluid enriched with platelets obtained from blood. It acts like a natural medicine. Natural hormones released from platelet cells given into the joint by injection stimulate the cells of structures such as cartilage in the area of injury and damage, accelerating the healing in that area.
How is PRP Applied in Hip Osteoarthritis?
In cases of hip joint calcification, it is usually applied 3 times at intervals ranging from one week to 1 month, depending on the condition of the joint. The important thing here is to inject into the right area. For this reason, it must be done with ultrasound imaging, not manually. Otherwise, there is a 50% chance that the medicine will remain outside the joint and will not have a healing effect. Cortisone injections and antirheumatic drugs administered at close intervals are not recommended as they reduce the healing effect of PRP treatment.
When does the healing effect of PRP treatment begin?
PRP injection is not a type of symptom suppressant application, but is a method to treat the disease itself. Therefore, its effect on hip calcification appears in 5-6 weeks at the earliest. It reduces pain and improves hip joint movements. PRP treatment must be supported with hip exercises. Additionally, the results are even more successful when applied together with physical therapy.
Are there any side effects of PRP application?
The PRP method has no side effects. There may only be a temporary feeling of pain and fullness in the area where it is performed. This effect goes away on its own within a few hours-days and does not cause any harm. If the feeling of discomfort is severe, short-term simple painkillers can be used.
Although there is not much data on this natural treatment method yet, the symptoms of hip arthritis can be treated successfully, as in the knee joint. Our experience gained from our practice in our own clinic indicates that PRP treatment will be a good alternative method for hip joint arthritis. With this method, it may be possible to delay the prosthesis operation, especially in young patients with hip arthritis.
I wish you all pain-free days, stay healthy
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