Your hip surgery is recommended only after careful diagnosis of a hip problem, including your degree of pain and lack of mobility. The traditional treatment of total hip replacement works very well for the older less active patient.

Diagnosis

To diagnose degeneration in the hip joint a complete history followed by physical examination is required. Your history includes questions about your hip pain, medications you may be taking, and prior injury and other bone and joint problems you may have. Your physical examination includes assessing the range of motion in your hip and observing how you walk, sit, bend and move. Historically, arthritic pain is dull and annoying and primarily in the joint. It hurts when you are standing, and goes when you are sitting.

Further testing will be required:

• X-ray, this needs to be weight bearing. The use of x-ray can determine the extent of the degeneration in the joint.
• Blood test. To determine systemic arthritis or infection in the hip.
• Scanning. MRI can determine if you have avascular necrosis. While bone scans can determine the condition of the bone osteoporosis.

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