Hip pain is one of the most common complaints that you’ll hear, especially in the older population. Identifying where exactly it is occurring is the best sign of the potential cause, and from there, you can go about working on an appropriate treatment plan. Try to get pain management in Oregon, Ohio.
In this article, we’re going to explore some of the common conditions that are associated with hip pain, what causes them, and how to treat them effectively.
Let’s dive in.
Conditions That Cause Hip Pain
If your hips are giving you pain, here are some of the more common conditions that might be causing it:
- Arthritis.
Potentially the most common condition among older adults is arthritis which is when there is inflammation of the hip joint and/or the cartilage in your hips is broken down. Typically, this presents stiffness in the joint and a radically reduced range of motion. - Fractures.
Bones can get weak and somewhat brittle with age, so if you suffer a fall, there is a chance that you fracture your hip. This can cause ongoing pain and discomfort depending on the severity. - Hip Impingement.
For athletes who engage in high-intensity activities, the hip bones can sometimes fuse in unnatural positions, and this can cause a lot of pain. In addition, this often leads to premature arthritis if it goes untreated. - Bursitis.
This refers to when your bursae (sacs of liquid found between tissues) get inflamed. This is normally due to repetitive activities that put significant strain on the hip joint itself. - Tendinitis.
When your tendons are inflamed, this can also cause hip pain. Like the above, this is typically caused by overuse or repetitive strain. - Muscle Strains.
There are various muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support and augment the hip joint. If any of these are strained, it will cause hip pain and prevent regular functioning as one might expect. - Hip Labral Tear.
The labrum is a ring of cartilage that sits along the outside rim of your hip socket. Repetitive twisting movements can sometimes tear this cartilage and that can lead to severe pain in the hip. - Cancer.
There are certain tumors that start or spread to the bone that will cause pain in the hip area. These can be serious and should be carefully monitored by medical professionals. - Avascular Necrosis.
When the blood flow to your hip bone slows, the bone tissue can die. When this happens, we call it avascular necrosis. It’s typically caused by fractures or dislocations that go untreated or from the long-term use of high-dose steroids.
As you can see, the conditions that cause hip pain are varied and numerous. It’s important to work with a medical professional to identify the exact source and type of pain that you’re experiencing, so that you can diagnose what the problem is. Only from there can you embark on an effective treatment plan. If you have been experiencing prolonged hip pain, scheduling a consultation with a pain management physician can be the first step towards relief.
How to Treat Hip Pain
Your treatment will depend on the type of pain that you’re experiencing and the specific cause. However, there are some general principles that tend to help patients find relief and work towards full recovery.
- Ice.
Just by holding ice to your hip area for around 15-20 minutes every day, you can find some relief. Combine this with rest and alternate with heating the area to get maximum results. - Stretching.
Working on your hip mobility through stretching is also a great way to relieve hip pain. This not only helps in the short term but also helps to secure better long-term results. - Resistance Training.
Contrary to what you might expect, doing some resistance training to help strengthen the hip will also relieve pain. Try to keep it low impact, but assuming that you don’t overdo it, you can find improved mobility and strength, which makes a big difference.
- Over-the-Counter Pain Medication.
For many conditions, pain medication can be very helpful to take the edge off and provide much-needed relief to those who are suffering. The dosage should be carefully managed, but in most cases, this can be a valuable tool in the toolkit.
- Anti-inflammatory Medication.
These medicines are typically prescribed for patients who are suffering from arthritis because they help target the immune system and help reduce inflammation that is straining the hip joint.
- Physical Therapy.
Regular physical therapy can be useful when it comes mobilizing the joint and protecting its range of movement. It’s very common to go through right after an injury, but having someone work on it regularly is also a good way to manage the pain.
- Hip Joint Steroid Injection.
Using the guidance of fluoroscopy, the physician will inject a mixture of anesthetic and steroid medication into the hip joint. This reduces inflammation and pain, allowing for rapid relief.
- Hip Replacement.
When a condition like arthritis progresses to the stage where the hip joint is deformed or warped, a doctor might perform a hip replacement. These are quite common among older adults and act as a more permanent solution to chronic hip pain.
Those are just some of the treatment methodologies that are useful when treating hip pain. It’s best to work with your doctor to identify what would be best for you and how to maximize your chances of recovery. Hip pain is not something to take lightly, and if you’re experiencing it constantly or intensely, it’s a good time to get it checked out. Feel free to visit a pain doctor in Toledo, Ohio.
Tips to Keep Your Hips Healthy
There are a number of steps that you can take to be proactive about your hips and avoid a lot of the problems we’ve discussed above. Many of them circle around your general health – for example, just keeping your weight under control makes a big difference to the amount of strain placed on your hips. In addition, regular exercise that helps to strengthen your core and improve your mobility makes the world of difference.
Lastly, it’s always a good idea to go for annual check-ups to identify problems early so that you have a better chance of treating them. These are even more important as people get older; but unfortunately, many don’t stick to them diligently. This sort of preventative action is worth its weight in gold, and it can have tremendous benefits for your overall health.
Comprehensive Centers For Pain Management hopes that you keep those hips in good shape and that you can live a long and healthy life with all functionality in place!