Can you have osteoarthritis pain recur AFTER a hip replacement?
I have had both hips replaced (THR); the first 16 years ago and the second 7 years ago. The first hip is still doing fine -- hardly know it ever happened. However during the past year the second hip has become quite painful: pain felt in the groin (as hip pain often is) with bending & rotating the hip joint, much like before surgery. Seems weird, but is it possible to have arthritis pain recur when the hip isn't there any more?
I see the surgeon every couple of years for a check, & would expect to see him in the fall. But I am curious as to what could be causing this, and if anyone else has had this experience.
Ask for an x-ray that shows both your hips. If the socket liner is wearing thin, you'll feel it in your groin and see it on the x-ray. Fortunately, the surgery to have the socket replaced isn't as bad as the original surgery. They let you walk on it right away, whereas - at least with my original surgery - i was non-weightbearing for six weeks, partial for six weeks, then allowed to bear full weight.
My surgeon replaced the head of the femoral implant as well, though there was nothing really wrong with it. She figured two new parts were better than one old and one new.