What conditions might cause hip pain?
Hips are big joints that have to support a lot of weight and get little rest. It's not surprising then that they're prone to wear-and-tear and injuries, especially as you get older. Some conditions seen regularly at Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic include:
- Muscle strains
- Labral tears
- Ligament sprains
- Tendinitis
- Fractures
- Arthritis
- Bone spurs
- Dislocations
- Bursitis
- Snapping hip syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
Hip pain can be hard to manage because trying to get in a position where you're not putting at least some degree of pressure on your hip is difficult. Because the joint is so large, the pain tends to cover a wide area and can radiate into your buttocks, legs, and lower back.
Hip pain can also have a significant impact on sleep quality as you might find it's too painful to lie on your side, and standing or walking for very long or tackling stairs can all be a considerable challenge.
How is hip pain diagnosed?
Your provider begins the diagnostic process by examining your hips and seeing how they function. After analyzing your symptoms and reviewing your medical history, they may order additional tests, such as:
- X-rays
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan
- Radionuclide bone scan
If the cause of your hip pain still isn't clear or your condition fails to improve, you might need to undergo hip arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure where you have a tiny camera inside your hip joint.
How is hip pain treated?
Conservative hip pain treatments produce good results for many patients. Initial therapies might include:
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Activity modification
- Steroid injections
Hip arthroscopy might be necessary not just to diagnose challenging causes of hip pain but to treat issues like removing fragments of loose bone or cartilage and making repairs to soft tissues.
If the damage to your joint is too severe to treat with any other means, your provider might need to perform hip replacement surgery.
What does hip replacement surgery involve?
Hip replacement is a major operation that involves removing the damaged parts of the joint. The top of your femur (thigh bone) forms the ball, and the socket is part of your pelvis.
After removing the damaged tissues and preparing the remaining healthy bone, your provider fits a new ball and socket and secures them in place.
Hip replacement is a procedure that relieves pain and improves mobility for many years. If you've had a hip replacement previously and are now having problems with it, Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic offers hip revision surgery.
To benefit from cutting-edge diagnostics and timely treatment of your hip pain, call Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic today or book an appointment online.
