About Hip Dysplasia:
Hip Dysplasia is a pathological condition of the hips normally seen in children but can also develop in adults characterized by abnormal positioning of the hip socket where it does not completely fit into the ball of the thigh bone.1 The hip joint is a ball and socket joint and in such cases there are high chances of the hip getting frequently dislocated.
In majority of the cases, children are born with a Hip Dysplasia. If a child frequently dislocates the hip then there are high chances that he or she might be suffering from Hip Dysplasia. This is a very treatable condition if diagnosed in the early stages without any need for any surgical intervention.
In case, if the condition advances then the child may require a surgery in the form of a periosteal osteotomy to correct Hip Dysplasia.
Is Hip Dysplasia Painful?
Whether Hip Dysplasia is painful or not depends on the age of onset of the condition.2 If a child is born with Hip Dysplasia then there may not be any pain except for frequent episodes of hip dislocation.
In case if the disease onset is in the teenage years then Hip Dysplasia can cause certain painful manifestations like development of osteoarthritis or labral tear which may be quite painful for the child.
In cases of osteoarthritis, the bones become weak and brittle due to degeneration which may cause frequent fractures. This condition is seen especially in females.
Labral tears tend cause immense pain and makes ambulation and doing activities of daily living quite a challenge for the child already dealing with Hip Dysplasia.
In conclusion, Hip Dysplasia tends to be not painful in newborns and infants. However, if the disease onset is in near adolescence then Hip Dysplasia may lead to certain painful manifestations like early onset osteoarthritis and may also put the child at risk for labral tears which can be quite painful for a child with Hip Dysplasia.
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