The Harmonious Hip: POP!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

POP!

Today I feel a tremendous victory in the right direction.... I finally have an appointment with THE hip surgeon who is going to (Lord-willing!) make me whole again. Unfortunately, this incredibly talented surgeon is in Atlanta.....yeah, that's right....Atlanta, GEORGIA! So, I'll have to fly from Houston to Atlanta for my initial appointment with him and then back again for the surgery. But, I'll tell ya...I don't mind a single bit! In fact, I am absolutely ecstatic! It feels real now. That little flicker of pain-free hope is in my sights and I can almost reach out and grab it! So. So. Very. Excited!!! And it couldn't have possibly come too soon.... my work days are absolutely miserable. I'm now starting my day taking TWO Tramadol (along with a Prilosec, of course!) and it seems like it's not even touching the pain. I think I've finally reached that terrible, awful, lousy, no-good point in pain control where NSAIDs are simply no longer effective. The joint is just too damaged. So, I limp....and I hate "the limp", ugh! But, it's all about survival, right? And, in other news...an odd new development. So, my hips have always had a strange, loud, painful-yet-relieving POP! But, this week the POP has taken a life of it's own....much more frequent, and much more random. And very, very loud! Prompting strange looks from family and friends with wrinkled noses and wide-eyed stares "ewww, was that...your...hip???" Yes, folks. Yes it was. And now, for my next trick....

POP!!!

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What is Hip Dysplasia?

You may hear about babies or pets with hip dysplasia, but it can affect adults, especially young women. Hip dysplasia is an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, oracetabulum, and the thighbone, or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Doctors check for hip dysplasia in babies before sending them home from the hospital -- it's an easily treatable condition in newborns. But if hip dysplasia isn't detected and corrected at an early age, the health of the hip will deteriorate over time because of its misalignment. Depending on the severity of the situation, this could result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or an inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life. It's not just dogs and babies, y'all!

Periacetabular Osteotomy (or PAO)

PAO: The Mother of All Hip Surgeries... A procedure that cuts the hip socket out of the pelvis to allow the socket to be repositioned and then screwed back into place. This allows the ball & socket to move fluidly, preventing further cartilage damage and preserving the joint in patients with faulty hips. The PAO preserves and enhances the patient's own hip, NOT replacing it with artificial parts like a hip replacement. The hip may still develop arthritis over time, even when the operation is successful. However, PAO is still the preferred treatment in young adults to postpone the need for hip replacement as long as possible.