What is hip osteoarthritis (OA) and why does it hurt?
Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of arthritis and is a common cause of hip pain, especially amongst older people. It affects about 7% of men and 10% of women over the age of 45 years.
The main problem in this condition is the degeneration of the cartilage covering the ends of the bones. The loss of cartilage and its shock absorbing, cushioning effect leads to the bones coming closer to each other and their thickening in an attempt to protect the joint. Bony growth called osteophytes form around the joint edges. The joints and the surrounding ligaments, tissues may also develop swelling (inflammation).
When it comes to managing hip pain, there is a large lacuna in the treatment options as medications often offer limited relief or are limited by side effects and surgery is not always the answer as many are unwilling or unfit to have one. Some in their 40s and 50s are considered to be too young to undergo a joint replacement. Besides 5 to 15% of patients have persisting pain even after having a hip replacement.
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