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Treating Osteonecrosis

By: Rosamond Gaven

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We all know people who suffer with arthritis. You may even have the disease. What you may not realize is that the word "arthritis" is often used simply as an umbrella term that describes pain and stiffness in the joints. There are actually more than 100 different types of arthritis and many of these, including osteonecrosis, can have an irreversible and debilitating effect on the body.

What Makes Osteonecrosis Different?

Osteonecrosis is a severe form of arthritis in which the bone loses its blood supply. As the disease progresses, the affected bones and joints will disintegrate, ultimately causing the death of the bone. It's difficult for doctors to treat this condition in its early stages, because the patient does not usually manifest symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage.

Symptoms

Like many more common conditions, pain and stiffness after a period of physical activity is a symptom of osteonecrosis. Many patients who develop osteonecrosis in the hip will feel concentrated pain in the groin area. During the early stages, pain may only be evident when the affected area is in use. However, over time, pain will be felt even while the joint is at rest.

How is Osteonecrosis Diagnosed?

X-rays may be used to diagnose osteonecrosis, but only when the disease has progressed beyond the initial stages. Another way of detecting tissue damage is with the use of an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging machine. Doctors may need to use a CAT scan to make a firm diagnosis.

Osteonecrosis Treatment

Treatment must be aggressive in order to stop the disintegration of bones and joints. Fortunately, early diagnosis can greatly increase the effectiveness of the treatment. If the disease in allowed to progress to advance stages without treatment, it can be too late to save or even treat the damaged joints.

Surgical intervention may be required to treat osteonecrosis. There are several types of surgical treatment options:

* Core Decompression: This is a relatively simple procedure best reserved for cases where the symptoms are still fairly mild. The procedure consists of creating a hole to remove a thick layer of the affected bone. This helps increase blood flow to the bone, and reduces pressure.

* Bone Grafting is a common, yet complicated, procedure. To support the affected joints, healthy bone is removed and used to replace dead bone in the affected area. This grafting process is only used for patients experiencing the final stage of osteonecrosis. Post-surgical healing is promoted with the use of assistive devices for up to a year after surgery.

* Osteotomy: Doctors perform an osteotomy by cutting the bone below the affected area. The bone is then turned, allowing the healthy part of the bone to become the new weight-bearing area. It is a complicated procedure and reserved for patients experiencing advanced osteonecrosis.

* Arthoplasty: More commonly known as total hip replacement, this surgery is an option when the entire hip socket has become diseased. Doctors remove the damaged hip and insert an artificial joint in place.

If an osteonecrosis diagnosis is made soon enough, non-surgical treatment is possible. Doctors are able to choose to prescribed drug therapies to keep the disease from progressing. When combined with exercise and assistive devices, medications can be used successfully in less advanced cases. Today, researchers are working to produce new medications to promote the growth of new bone matter and increase blood flow to the damaged joints.

Osteonecrosis, like most diseases, is most successfully treated with early detection. The trouble is that osteonecrosis is not easily diagnosed. Learn more about osteonecrosis, and if you feel that you may be experiencing symptoms of osteonecrosis, ask your doctor to perform further investigations. When diagnosed early enough, you can work with your doctor to treat the condition and relieve the symptoms without surgery.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Author Rosamond Gaven enjoys writing articles for a variety of web magazines, on healthy choice and recently, osteonecrosis explained topics.

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