Managing Hip Osteoarthritis

Arthritis in the hip is most commonly experienced as osteoarthritis, known as "wear and tear" arthritis. The hip, or acetabular joint, is a ball and socket joint which is lined with articular cartilage on the acetabular fossa (socket) and covers the head of the femur (ball). This fibrocartilage is a connective tissue that helps to hold the ball in the socket and provides cushioning so the bones do not rub against one another and can move smoothly in the joint.

Osteoarthritis occurs when this articular cartilage begins to degenerate. Over time, the head of the femur begins to rub against the acetabular fossa with little or no protection from the articular cartilage which causes pain. The space within the joint starts to decrease without the cushioning and stiffness in the hip becomes a problem. Eventually osteophytes, a protusion that develops from the joint cartilage, may form in the hip causing additional pain.

Swelling and excess fluid in the joint can occur without its natural protection of the fibrocartilage, limiting the hip's range of motion. Your joint capsule and ligaments may then begin to thicken and shrink, and your leg muscles may weaken (atrophy).

Most sufferers report fluctuating symptoms that will worsen or improve over time. Factors that may affect the degree of symptoms of hip arthritis can include weather and/or your level of activity. Osteoarthritis usually develops slowly over the years. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis or osteoarthritis but symptoms can be controlled, deterioration of cartilage can be slowed, and you can find relief from the pain.

Hip Arthritis Symptoms

If you have hip osteoarthritis you may experience the following conditions:

• Pain in the groin area and front of the hip
• A pinching sensation in the groin when you lift your knee toward your chest
• Stiffness and a persistent ache in your hip joint
• Referred pain on the inside of the knee, sometimes with no hip pain
• Limited range of motion
• Difficulty with some movements (i.e. bending, walking, when standing up from sitting, getting out of a car, and climbing)
• Possible locking in the joint if a tear has occurred in the cartilage

Risks and Causes of Hip Arthritis

You may be a greater risk of hip osteoarthritis for a number of reasons, including:

• Genetics (osteoarthritis tends to run in families)
• A past fracture or other injury to the hip joint
• Age (most hip arthritis sufferers are over 50)
• Carrying excess body weight
• Bone spurs in the hip area

Treatments for Hip Arthritis

The initial treatment for osteoarthritis is reducing the inflammation within the hip joint to relieve your pain. Anti-inflammatory medications can be helpful but be cautious of using them over a long period of time. These medications also affect the organs in your body and can lead to other problems with extended periods of use.

Using more natural methods, such as ultrasound therapy will clear the inflammation and reduce your pain in a non-addictive and safe way. Blood flow stimulation therapy will help to maintain a healthier hip tissue and minimize the chance of inflammation returning within the joint.

Reducing stress on the joint is a good idea regardless of the therapies you are using to manage your arthritis pain and inflammation. Losing excess weight and/or using a cane can take the pressure off the hip joint which will result in less irriation, inflammation and pain. Resting the hip as much as you can is also recommended to prevent further irritation in the joint.

Although, there really isn't a cure for osteoarthritis you can minimize the symptoms so it is less disruptive in your everyday life. Generally the focus of treatment is to:

• relieve and control your hip pain and inflammation
• slow down your arthritis progression
• minimize your acetabular joint damage
• maximize your hip mobility and function
• improve your hip and leg muscle strength and control
• improve or maintain your quality of life.

All of this can be accomplished with the regular use of therapeutic ultrasound and blood flow stimulation therapy.

Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound has been used by physical therapists and doctors for years to treat osteoarthritis. By applying ultrasound therapy to your sore hip joint you can reduce the inflammation and tissue damage experienced with osteoarthritic hips.

In addition, ultrasound therapy will treat any other soft tissue conditions that you may be experiencing in your hip such as iliotibial band syndrome, bursitis pain, a labrum tear and more. By treating yourself with ultrasound everyday, you are able to manage your osteoarthritis pain; this is best accomplished with a personal, therapeutic ultrasound device.

Ultrasound therapy is a great therapeutic option to decrease inflammation, pain and scar tissue build up experienced with arthritis and other soft tissue injuries. The treatment is easy, painless, and requires 10 minutes of your time. It is based on a form of deep thermal therapy which is generated through high frequency sound waves that reach into the cells of the tissue. These sound waves reach into the acetabular joint to reduce inflammation and scar tissue as well as reduce the risk of any crystal or calcific deposits forming in the area.

Using the MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Gel during your ultrasound therapy gives you 2 therapies in 1. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered into the tissue where it is most effective.

Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel contains the natural essential oils of Bulgarian lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and menthol and is exclusively available from MendMeShop^®. These ingredients reduce inflammation, relieve pain and improve blood circulation to your hip. 1 bottle of MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes FREE with every MendMeShop^® Ultrasound System so you get unbeatable ultrasound therapy for your osteoarthritis.

Inferno Wrap^® Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy

Once the inflammation of your arthritis has been reduced with ultrasound treatments it is time to improve blood flow and improve the elasticity of your surrounding soft tissue. Your body needs a fresh supply of blood to improve the health of your tissue and relieve the pain of osteoarthritis.

Unfortunately, when you are suffering from osteoarthritis in your hip joint it can be painful to even walk or lift your leg. When you limit movement in your hip the blood flow is reduced, starving your tissue of the necessary oxygen and nutrients.

The trick is to find a way to increase blood flow without causing pain and/or further inflaming the joint. This is where blood flow stimulation therapy, or BFST^®, becomes a powerful tool.

BFST^® compliments your body's natural healing process by promoting blood flow while you give your hip the rest it needs.

The Back/Hip Inferno Wrap^® uses a patented process to generate the same energy that is part of the sun's spectrum of light, the same energy that is necessary to all living things for optimum health. The energy emitted from the Energy Web® stimulates blood flow to your hip, more than your body would ever be able to generate on it's own, giving your body the boost it needs to keep your joint as healthy as possible and reduce the risk of inflammation returning to your joint. The soothing energy reaches deep into your hip joint to whisk away the toxins and dead cells, and rejuvenate your hip tissues for improved elasticity.

Freezie Wrap^® Cold Therapy

To decrease inflammation and relieve the pain of hip osteoarthritis doctor's recommend cold compression therapy.

Applying cold to your inflamed hip will help decrease the swelling and pain in the joint. Once the area has returned to normal body temperature, begin ultrasound treatments to further help control the inflammation and improve flexibility in the joint.

The Back/Hip Freezie Wrap^® uses a supercharged cooling gel pack, that chills in the fridge, not in the freezer like ice or other freezer packs, giving you deep cold therapy without the risk of 'cold burns' or cryoburn.

Treat your osteoarthritis pain with cold compression therapy as needed throughout the day. The Back/Hip Freezie Wrap^® can be used to apply cold in a safe, convenient and effective way - and the gel pack is reusable. The gel pack sits gently over your hip to reduce swelling and pain.

The wrap is soft and adjustable so it fits your body properly and allows you to adjust the compression. This is important when treating arthritis because too much pressure can cause you further pain.

With these 3 easy-to-use, pain-free, home therapies from MendMyHip, pain is significantly reduced, tissue heals faster, and there's an incredible improvement in the range of motion of your hip. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!

We've helped thousands of people treat their painful injuries and conditions to get them back on the road to a pain-free life!

Our customers have tried other common hip treatments, such as cortisone injections, pain killers, physical therapy, NSAIDs, and simply staying off their feet to give their hip the rest it needs, all without lasting results - until they found our incredible therapies! In addition, our customers include physicians, professional athletes, sports trainers and coaches, physical therapists, and nurses. These professionals rely on products from MendMyHip to treat their patients, players, and themselves. Click here to read more about their experience with MendMyHip!

Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before using any of our outstanding products to make sure they're right for you and your condition or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition. It is recommended that you see your doctor for a proper diagnosis as there are many injuries and conditions that could be the cause of your pain.

Or email us at service@MendMyHip.com