Individuals that suffer with joint pain know all too well that a loss in their range of motion often accompanies it. Especially with those advanced in age, a common underlying cause of the pain and movement limitations are none other than bone spurs. Bone spurs can occur in any of the joints. When these joints start to loose cartilage, such as from wear and tear, the body compensates with the growth of new soft tissues. This new growth unfortunately causes considerable pain & discomfort. Quite often, bone spurs can be managed through weight loss & physical therapy. But in more severe cases, these methods may be inadequate & surgery could be necessary. In this article, we’ll further discuss some hip bone spur treatment options.
Hip bone spur symptoms
The problem with bone spurs is that they do not show any symptoms until the condition has worsened. In cases with a hip bone spur, pain is often felt around the waist area after the bone spurs have formed. In addition to the pain, stiffness & restricted range of motion are usually seen with this condition. When the cartilage cushioning the bones is damaged, these bone spurs form, and hip bone spur treatment will likely be required.
What is hip arthroscopy?
Arthroscopy is considered to be an effective treatment for removing hip bone spurs. The hip joint is located under a thick layer of muscles. So this makes hip arthroscopy a more challenging procedure compared to knee or shoulder spurs. However, this surgery involves smaller incisions, which contributes to shorter recovery periods, so this can be handled as an outpatient procedure. It can take a couple of hours & then the patient is sent back home after being monitored for a relatively short period of time. This surgery is also done for people who suffer from cartilage damage, synovitis, & other similar issues. There are some minor side effects involved with hip arthroscopy. A small amount of pain is to be expected after the surgery, which is quite manageable. Pain relief medications are prescribed afterwards. Crutches are also necessary, since any weight on the hip bone should be kept to a minimum. Hip joint osteoplasty, or femoral osteoplasty, is another more invasive surgical option for hip bone spur treatment relief.
When is osteoplasty required?
An open osteoplasty is a procedure where larger incisions are made, & the bone spur is seen through direct visualization. Unlike hip arthroscopy, there is no camera required to get a clear view on a monitor. Most often, this is an option when the condition has to be treated more aggressively. Since this is performed as an inpatient operation, an overnight hospital stay and a longer recovery period are involved.
Bottom line
Surgery is often recommended as a last resort by most doctors, and only when the other treatments fail to produce the desired results. To begin with, pain medication, weight loss, and physical therapy are all primary options. However, stem cell replacement therapy is gaining popularity as it treats this condition naturally, without the adverse side effects.
