Second Post of the Day
Cam deformity.
Now, there's a diagnosis. And honestly, I think the word "deformity" ought not to be used. It doesn't feel right to tell someone they are deformed. Or, in my case, a body part is.
I am probably overreacting. In fact, I am sure I am. But boy howdy, that word really got to me. And I want it to all just go away. I really don't want to start down the path that may now lie before me.
ANYWAY.
A cam deformity is a bony bump that causes the ball of the hip joint to be deformed misshapen. The head of the femur can't rotate smoothly in the joint and this causes impingement, cartilage wear, and labral tears. (Photo of a cam deformity from Dr. Ronak Patel/Google Images.)
That is not my X-ray.
But this is:
And let me tell you, impingement is very painful. Tear-inducing painful. I'm pretty good with pain but WOW. This HURTS.
In 2004 I had my right hip replaced. My surgeon, Dr. Dangles (now there's a name for an orthopedic surgeon!), told me that my left hip was actually in worse shape than the right and that I would need to have it replaced eventually, too. He said that the balls of both femur heads were misshapen (a much better word than deformed), and so there was a lot of slippage going on within both joints.
But the left hip has never really hurt much - until last week. Out of the blue, I was suddenly struggling to walk, I cried getting in and out of my car, and I could not sit comfortably anywhere. There was no relief no matter what I did - my hip hurt constantly.
My wonderful PCP got me in immediately for X-rays, thinking I might have a hip fracture, but none were seen. Instead, I've got a diagnosis of a cam deformity and a referral to the orthopedic surgeon who replaced both of my knees in 2010 and 2011.
Just a few weeks ago, I was speaking to former student Kyle O. who is a second year med student and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon. He and I were laughing because I said I was going to save my left hip for him to do.
That may or may not happen now.
Wish me luck at my appointment today.
And stay 'tooned.
