Hip Pain: Common Causes and Treatment Options
Hip pain is considered one of the most uncomfortable bodily pains to experience and can be caused in a manner of ways. Whether that comes with age or an impact that causes injury, hip pain is not something you want to deal with for any longer than necessary.
Unfortunately, hip pain doesn’t always disappear, meaning you may need to see a specialist (especially if the pain continues to gets worse). In this article, you’ll learn more about the common causes of hip pain, as well as what treatment options are available for those who need help.
What Causes Hip Pain?
Hip pain can be caused by a number of problems and these common causes are useful to know in order to determine where your hip pain might be coming from.
Acute injury
Acute injuries are injuries that happen suddenly. They’re usually caused by a blow, a twist of a joint, or falling over. Hip pain is common and is something that can quickly be linked to an acute injury if one has recently been experienced.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a common problem that not only exists in those who are older but can also cause problems for anyone of any age. With hip arthritis, the pain is often felt mainly in the groin area, as well as the upper buttock area and outer thigh. The pain itself often gets worse, especially when walking or standing for long periods of time.
Bursitis
Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa. It happens when these areas covering the bony parts of the hip become irritated and inflamed. Bursitis is known to cause discomfort and pain to the person experiencing it and should be treated by a medical professional.
Infection
A hip infection is something that occurs when bateria or other organisms penetrate the bone or joint. These organisms then reproduce, which can cause infection to the surrounding tissues.
Hip pain caused by infection is something you want to treat as soon as possible before it spreads to other parts of the body. Treatment for a hip infection is administered with medical procedures that help prevent bacterial, viral, or fungal spread and reduce pain.
Ways to Manage Hip Pain
In order to tackle hip pain, it’s important to know how to manage it correctly. Some hip pain can be managed without needing too much in the form of invasive treatments but other sources of discomfort might warrant more action. Here are a few ways to get help with your hip pain.
Therapy
Physical therapy is considered one of the key ways to manage hip pain, particularly if the pain itself is fairly mild. With physical therapy, the patient will do a lot of exercises and stretches directly towards the hip in order to improve mobility and strength and relieve any pain felt.
With the right exercises and stretches, therapy can make a big difference in terms of both mobility and comfort.
OTC medication
There are lots of over-the-counter medications that might be helpful in relieving your hip pain. Of course, when it comes to OTC medication, you don’t want to be taking this for a prolonged period of time, especially if the pain isn’t going away or is consistent.
However, in the short term, OTC medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen may be effective in helping to ease your hip pain.
Elevating the affected leg
If you’re looking to help with hip pain, then elevating your hip at home might help. Sometimes, there might be one leg in particular that’s causing trouble, so elevating that leg might be helpful. This allows the blood to flow more easily between the hip and heart, which reduces swelling.
If you’re unable to elevate the hip or injury, then it’s worth lying on the opposite side of the body where possible to elevate pressure.
Applying heat and ice packs
You’ll likely have heard that when it comes to injuries to the body, applying heat and ice packs can be helpful to alleviate some of the pain. The heat helps to boost the flow of blood and nutrients, which is helpful for stiffness in the joints. Cold slows blood flow, which reduces swelling and pain.
Professional assistance (surgery, if the doctor recommends)
There are two types of surgery that are often provided for those with hip pain that can’t be managed with over-the-counter or at-home methods.
Hip arthroscopy is a form of hip surgery. The surgeon will make a few small incisions to the skin of your hip. A camera is then put on a special tool called an arthroscope which allows the surgeon to identify and repair any visible damage inside the hip.
For more serious damage, you might require a hip replacement. With this type of surgery, the surgeon replaces the hip with an artificial implant. This is often recommended by your doctor if pain is severe and other symptoms are making it difficult to stand, walk, and move about.
When Is It Time to See a Hip Professional?
When the pain has become more significant, to the point where you’re struggling to remain mobile or if it’s an immediate injury, then you’ll want to see a hip professional sooner rather than later.
If no other solutions are working for the chronic pain or if the discomfort is becoming unbearable, then contact us at Orthopedic Specialists of Idaho. Schedule a consultation for your hip pain today and one of our professionals will evaluate your hip, work to identify treatment options, and help get you on the road to recovery.