There are a variety of hip-pain causes, including arthritis, injuries and troubles with your hip socket. Almost anyone can experience hip pain, but it most likely occurs in people who are older due to arthritis and bone fractures. Gymnasts, dancers and athletes use hip movement in all directions so they carry a higher risk of injuring their hips. Ice, anti-inflammatory medications, and rest may help you feel better depending on the cause. Surgery may be necessary for more serious injuries. To repair torn tendons doctors use minimally invasive procedures. If the damage is severe, a hip replacement may be recommended.
If you’ve recently been suffering from hip pain, contact us at Florida Surgery Consultants. Our doctors can evaluate your condition and determine if you are a candidate for hip replacement surgery.
Common Causes of Hip Pain
Hip pain can be caused by a variety of conditions and injuries throughout your lifetime, such as:
• Inflamed Tendons. Hip pain most commonly occurs when tendons become inflamed, which causes tendonitis. Excessive exercise can contribute to this condition, which can be very painful but usually recovers within a couple of days.
• Arthritis. The most common causes of hip pain, especially in older adults, are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. When you have arthritis, you experience inflammation of the hip joint and deterioration of cartilage that cushions your hip bones. The pain then gets worse over time. Joint stiffness and decreased hip range of motion are also side affects of arthritis.
• Trochanteric bursitis. This may also be caused by trochanteric bursitis, a condition that results from the bursa, a liquid filled sac, becoming inflamed near the hip joint. A number of factors can cause trochanteric bursitis, including hip injury or overuse of the joints. Hip pain can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions.
• Hip Fraction. Osteoporosis, the weakening of the bones, may cause hip fractures as some people age. Fractures of the hip often result in sudden, severe pain, requiring immediate medical attention. In addition to hip fractures, blood clots can result in the leg after a fracture. Hip fractures are can be restored with surgery. You will likely require physical therapy to recover from a hip fracture.
Common Causes of Hip Pain In Women
Some women may report hip pain, but what they really mean is they have pain in the sides of the upper thighs, upper buttocks, or lower back pain. Hip pain may manifest for different reasons in women due to specific biological differences. The following are the most common causes of hip pain among women:
• Hernias. Female patients may suffer from anterior (frontal) hip pain due to femoral and inguinal hernias, often referred to as sports hernias. Due to the added pressure on the wall of the abdomen, pregnant women are more likely to develop inguinal hernias.
• Gynecological and back issues. Gynecological causes can be behind hip pain in women. It’s important that you don’t merely assume it’s caused by arthritis or bursitis. Your hip pain may be coming from a different part of your body depending on your age and other health issues. Symptoms of endometriosis (disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus — the endometrium — grows outside the uterus) can include pelvic tenderness, which some women refer to as hip pain. It is also possible to feel back and spine pain around the hips and buttocks. Pinched nerves, a Sciatica, typically affect just one side of the body and can cause pain in the lower back and/or hips — they can also affect the buttocks and legs.
How To Manage Hip Pain
When you are experiencing hip pain, you should consult a doctor. Hip pain can actually be caused by places other than the hip, such as the spine, pelvis, or leg. Only an examination can help determine the source of the pain. The following methods may provide some relief while waiting to see a doctor:
• Anti-Inflammatory Medication. NSAIDs, commonly known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are primarily used to treat pain that results from inflammation. Muscle tears, bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, labral tears, or synovitis can all result in this inflammation. In conjunction with a strengthening program, anti-inflammatories are also used as an initial treatment. Also, after surgery, they are prescribed.
• Steroid Injections. Injections are commonly administered to treat pain as well as diagnose the underlying reason for the pain.The immediate relief from pain during an injection of a numbing drug in the joint helps confirm that the joint is the source of pain. In the case of complete relief of pain while the hip joint is numb, it is likely that the joint is the source of the pain. Otherwise, other possible causes need to be considered.
• Physical Therapy. Physical therapy plays an integral role in examining and treating hip pain as part of a multi-faceted approach.Physical therapy aids in understanding the underlying causes of hip pain and then contributes to the development of a comprehensive treatment plan. There are many ways rehabilitation is useful, including using it as a non-invasive method for treating a patient when surgery is not required.
Will You Need a Hip Replacement?
Hip replacements are not always necessary but they can relieve pain if it has become too excruciating to manage. Here are some tell-tale signs to determine if you need hip replacement surgery:
• You Have Significant Pain That Won’t Go Away. It is common for damaged hip joints, not just in the hip, but also between the hip and the knee, causes chronic and significant pain. If you regularly take pain killers to manage the pain, or makes it difficult for you to walk or bend over, you should talk to an orthopedic specialist as soon as possible.
• Your Hip Pain Makes Routine Tasks Difficult. When deciding whether you should undergo a hip replacement, the most important part to consider is how much the injured hip is affecting your life. Despite being able to manage the pain, the joint’s disability may make even the most simple tasks difficult, such as putting on shoes or socks, walking regular distances, or standing on one leg, even with help for balance
• Your Normal Range of Motion Is Limited. Another sign that your hip needs to be replaced is stiffness. Talk to an orthopedic specialist as soon as possible if you’re experiencing joint stiffness that makes walking and bending your hip painful, or if you’re unable to comfortably lift your leg.
• Non-Invasive Treatments Do Relieve Hip Pain. People with hip conditions, such as arthritis, may not require hip replacement surgery immediately. Your doctor will probably try non-invasive treatment options first, including Physical therapy, Steroid injections, or Anti-Inflammatory Medications we mentioned earlier. Hip conditions cannot be cured with these treatments. However, they can make hip pain more manageable and improve hip function. Unfortunately, at some point these measures will fail to provide lasting relief. Your doctor may suggest hip replacement surgery at that point.
• Testing Reveals Significant Joint Damage or Advanced Arthritis. There is a ball-and-socket joint in the hip. Cartilage and synovial fluid reduce friction caused by the femoral head ball and socket moving together. Inflammation can occur after significant joint damage caused by arthritis, leading to cartilage loss between the bones. Without cartilage, the bones rub against each other, and they wear down. If joint damage is severe, surgery may be needed.
• There Are Side Effects From Hip Pain Medication. Most people are generally safe when taking NSAIDs or pain medication, as long as they are taken for a short period of time. Long-term use, however, can cause the side effects like ulcers, stomach irritation, or increase risk of stroke or blood clots.
Seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon and What To Expect
Orthopedic surgeons are typically not the first doctors most people see. Normally, your regular doctor, or a physical therapist, refers patients for a consultation. You should provide your orthopedic surgeon as much detail about your pain and injury as possible. He or she will let you know what to expect during and after surgery, as well as what you can expect during the recovery period. That way, your expectations for the outcome will be realistic. Orthopedic surgery can produce excellent results, but you may not have the same range of motion or abilities you had before your injury. A surgeon will review your medical history and ask several questions regarding your overall health. Your medical history will include the medications you take, your health conditions, your past surgeries, and other important information that affects your health. Dr. Richard Katz is Board Certified in Orthopedic Surgery, and he sees patients in Tampa, Bradenton, and Ocala. He specializes in treating hip problems. In addition to some minimally invasive knee and shoulder procedures, Dr. Katz also specializes in the bigger procedures like total hip replacements. He performs his surgeries in Tampa. Schedule a consultation through Florida Surgery Consultants if you’ve been experiencing hip pain.