Hip arthritis is one of the most common diseases that affects millions of people across the globe, but can a doctor simply go in surgically and “clean out” the arthritis?

My name is Dr. David Geier – orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine specialist, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine expert. I help you feel, look and perform your best, regardless of age or injury.

Introduction

Hip osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that can make movement extremely painful. It’s estimated that more than 32.5 million people in the U.S. alone have osteoarthritis, which is even more common in older adults. Each year, about one-third of adults 65 and older report having knee or hip pain due to arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that can affect any joint in your body.

Cartilage is a smooth, rubbery substance that cushions joints. Cartilage is made of collagen and other proteins. It’s found in the ends of bones inside the joints.

Cartilage helps reduce friction and absorb shock. When you move your body, cartilage helps reduce friction between moving parts like bones, muscles and tendons so they don’t rub together as much–which would cause pain or damage to the tissue around them if it happened too much over time (such as arthritis).

In OA patients, there is damage to these cartilage surfaces, causing pain and stiffness in the hip. This may make it impossible for affected people to move properly or perform basic tasks without pain or difficulty.

Over time, the cartilage that cushions and protects bones in your joints breaks down more and more.

Hip arthroscopy

In terms of hip arthroscopy, this procedure requires a surgeon to make small incisions at the front of the hip and insert tiny cameras into each one. The surgeon can then use the camera to look around and see what is going on inside the joint. The images are sent to a monitor where they are displayed in real time so that your doctor can see what is damaged inside your hip.

With hip arthroscopy, the surgeon could smooth out damaged cartilage and bone, but there is really no way to repair or rebuild the damage. Studies on knee arthroscopy for osteoarthritis have shown that it only provides short-term relief at best, and it might speed up the arthritis.

Most surgeons will recommend hip replacement instead of trying to clean out your hip joint if they think you may need surgery later on anyway.

Hip replacement

Orthopedic surgeons often recommend hip replacement instead. Hip replacement is a surgical procedure to replace the hip joint with an artificial ball and socket. It is often a last resort, since you can’t go back once you have replaced the damaged bone and cartilage with metal and plastic. Having said that, many people have great results with hip replacement.

Conclusion

Hip arthroscopy is not a cure for osteoarthritis. It can provide some temporary relief, but there is no way to repair or rebuild the damage that has already occurred. This procedure should only be considered as an alternative to hip replacement if other treatments have not worked and you’re still in pain from your hip pain due to OA. And please note that there are a number of treatments on the horizon that might be safer and more effective than that and better than cortisone or traditional anti-inflammatory medications to help you avoid surgery, relieve pain, and help you return to the activities you love to do.

We are looking for 5 patients with hip pain who want to get significantly better in the next 30 days, without cortisone shots, physical therapy, or surgery. Click this link and enter the term ‘Interested’ in the description box to learn more.

This post is meant for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.