Rheumatoid arthritis of the hip is treated through a variety of different techniques. In the early stages of the condition, anti-inflammatory medicine is commonly used because pain is caused by inflammation in the hip joint. Other medication, such as anti-rheumatic drugs, can be effective at slowing the progression of the disease. In some cases, surgery may be required. This can involve a total hip replacement or other procedures such as joint fusion and tendon repair, depending on the health and condition of the patient.
Rheumatoid arthritis of the hip cannot be cured, but there are a number of drugs which can help control the pain. Anti-inflammatory medication helps to reduce inflammation in the hip joint, which can minimize pain, although drugs are not usually a long-term solution. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, are the most common. Steroids may also be used, but these drugs usually cause more adverse side effects and cannot be used for long periods of time.
It’s important to slow the progression of the condition as much as possible. Anti-rheumatic drugs can prevent further damage to the hip joint and are effective at controlling rheumatoid arthritis of the hip. There are a number of other types of drugs which can also be prescribed including TNF Alpha inhibitors and immunosuppressants.
Sometimes the progression of rheumatoid arthritis of the hip cannot be controlled by anti-inflammatory drugs alone. In this situation, surgery may be required. There are several different types of hip arthritis surgery, all of which have the goal of reducing pain and slowing the condition’s progression.
One of the surgical options is a hip replacement. This is a major operation, and involves removing the injured part of the joint and replacing it with a prosthetic device. Hip replacement can either be total, where the whole joint is replaced, or hemi, where only half the joint is replaced. In most cases, hip replacement is only considered when conservative treatment has failed; if there is extensive damage to the joint, however, surgery may be recommended at the time of diagnosis.
There are several other surgical procedures which may be effective at reducing pain from rheumatoid arthritis of the hip. Tendon repair, for example, can be helpful if the condition has damaged tendons around the hip. If the damage to the joint is extensive, but the patient isn’t a good candidate for a hip replacement, fusion of the joint may be recommended.