Pain threshold analysis in patients with osteoarthrosis of hip.

The pain threshold was measured in patients with osteoarthrosis of the hip. The pain threshold was significantly lower in patients who required surgery than in controls. After successful surgery the threshold rose to normal levels. In patients with few or no symptoms from their osteoarthritic hips the pain threshold was high. Insensitivity to pain does not predispose towards osteoarthrosis of the hip. Indeed, the severity of symptoms can be directly related to an increased sensitivity to pain in osteoarthritic subjects.