What causes hip pain?
Hip pain could be due to acute trauma, such as an auto accident, slip or trip, or sports injury. The most likely causes of hip pain in these instances are fractures, dislocation of the joint, or damaged tendons, ligaments, and muscles surrounding your hip.
Chronic hip pain could be due to a condition like bursitis. Bursae are protective sacs of fluid in your joints that may become inflamed through joint overuse and irritation. This can cause long-term hip pain — most often in the trochanteric bursae — which affects the sides of your hips and makes lying down most uncomfortable.
One of the leading causes of hip pain is arthritis, of which there are numerous forms. Some are due to problems like autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis) or infections (septic arthritis). But by far the most common type in the hips is osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis develops slowly as your joints wear over the decades. The cartilage on the bones gradually wears away, leaving them exposed and able to rub together. This creates friction and inflammation that causes chronic pain, stiffness, and weakness in your joints.
How is hip pain treated?
Treating hip pain typically starts with non-surgical methods. These could include:
- Pain relief medication
- Anti-inflammatories
- Physical therapy
- Corticosteroid injections
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy
- Stem cell injections
- Nerve blocks
It’s also important to consider issues like weight loss and regular exercise. Carrying excess body weight puts a lot of strain on your joints, especially hips and knees, so losing weight is often an essential part of relieving joint pain.
The specific treatments you require for your hip pain vary depending on the cause of your condition and how badly it’s affecting you.
Would I need surgery for hip pain?
Surgery might be necessary early on if you have a severe hip injury that won’t heal properly without intervention. However, in general, the Vital Orthopedic & Spine Institute team uses the most conservative approaches first, which are often highly effective. Only if they fail to relieve your hip pain would you move on to more invasive treatments.
The type of hip surgery you require depends on the cause of your pain. One option is arthroscopic surgery, which uses minimally invasive techniques to access the joint. Your surgeon views the joint via a tiny camera they insert in a small incision. They can also use specialized instruments to make repairs and remove bone fragments.
If the hip joint is badly damaged by arthritis, you might need to undergo hip replacement surgery, swapping the diseased parts of your joint for artificial components.
To find the cause of your hip pain and an effective solution, call Vital Orthopedic & Spine Institute today or book an appointment online.
