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United States
- Glossary
- | Contact Us
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- | Site Index
- Your hip anatomy
- Sports-related injuries
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hip
- Post-traumatic Arthritis of the Hip
- Avascular necrosis
- Dysplasia
- Inflammatory arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hip
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Causes of rheumatoid arthritis
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, RA, is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, stiffness and swelling. This leads to severe, and sometimes rapid, deterioration of multiple joints and results in acute pain and loss of function.
Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis inflames the joint’s lining, called the synovium. Of the over 100 forms of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is among the most debilitating. Rheumatoid arthritis usually develops in middle age, but may occur in the 20s and 30s.
Some experts believe that a virus or bacteria may trigger rheumatoid arthritis in people with genetic predisposition to it. However, the exact cause of the disease is unknown. Many doctors think rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the tissue of the joint, synovial tissue, has actually been attacked by the immune system. The onset of rheumatoid arthritis occurs most frequently in middle-aged women.
It may also occur after a life-changing event such as divorce, job loss or a severe injury.
Pain and swelling in the joints and difficulty moving are some the primary symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, fever, loss of energy, anemia and rheumatoid modules (lumps of tissue under the skin). People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have periods of exacerbation or “flare-ups” involving pain and stiffness in multiple joints.
Treatment for pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis may involve medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin and analgesics. Additionally, you and your physician may decide that hip surgery is the best treatment option to help regain your quality of life, if non-surgical treatment is unsuccessful.
Find out more about your treatment options:
- Lifestyle Modifications for Hip Treatment
Learn about controlling arthritis and other joint pain and lifestyle modifications for hip health. - Medication and Nutrition for Hip Pain
Explore analgesics, non-steroidal medication and nutrition. Discover help for arthritis pain and joint pain. - Hip Resurfacing
Learn about the BIRMINGHAM HIP◊ Resurfacing System implant, an alternative to total hip replacement for an active lifes - Hip Replacement
Learn about new options for hip replacement surgery and OXINIUM◊ Oxidized Zirconium implant technologies for ending hip pain. - Hip Revision Surgery
Find out about some of the situations that require hip revision surgery.