Hip pain can be a common occurrence, but it can make it harder to go about your daily activities. A critical joint for almost every movement, your hips are used for simple activities like getting out of bed as well as strenuous activities such as running.
From minor twinges that cause slight discomfort to severe pain that impacts your quality of life, hip pain can vary greatly. If you are wondering when it’s time to see a doctor about your pain, you are not alone. Here’s everything you need to know about managing hip pain.
Common Causes of Hip Pain: From Minor Aches to Serious Conditions
Depending on your activity level, you may be more subject to hip pain. If you have an active lifestyle that involves repetitive movements or regularly move your hips in all directions in activities like dancing or gymnastics, you are more likely to develop an injury or pain from overuse.
Common causes of hip pain include:
- Arthritis: This is one of the more common reasons for hip pain in adults. Over time, with use, the cartilage in your hip joint can wear away, causing your bones to run against each other. This results in pain, stiffness and swelling.
- Bursitis and Tendonitis: These occur when the bursae or tendons are inflamed within your hip joint. The bursae are needed to reduce friction in the joint during movement, and the tendons are responsible for connecting your muscles to the bone. When either are inflamed, you could experience pain and swelling.
- Fractures and Tears: If your pain is more severe, you could be struggling with a hip fracture or labral tear. Fractures are common in the older population, especially after a fall. Labral tears could be caused by injury, sports or repetitive movements.
Home Remedies and Self-Care: Initial Steps for Hip Pain Relief
If your hip pain is mild, eases with rest and is not severely impacting your quality of life, there are some initial steps you can take for relief. In most cases, following some basic home remedies and self-care measures, your pain can reduce or even resolve. Conservative treatment to try includes:
- Resting the affected area as much as possible.
- Avoiding any activities that make your pain or discomfort worse.
- Using ice packs on the affected area to reduce swelling and discomfort.
- Taking over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.
If you are able, some light stretching and gentle movement such as walking or swimming can help to prevent your joint from stiffening. Stiffness will also be reduced by moving regularly and avoiding sitting still for long periods of time.
Symptoms that Signal a Deeper Problem
It’s important to note that in some cases, you should skip conservative treatment and self-care measures and seek immediate attention from a medical professional. Do so if:
- Your pain is severe.
- Your pain was triggered from a fall or other accident.
- You are experiencing a deep aching in the joint, especially at night.
- You have significant swelling in the area.
- You have a visible deformity in or around the joint.
- You have feverous symptoms and redness in the joint.
If you are not experiencing the above symptoms and have begun self-care measures for your pain, it’s time to see a healthcare professional if:
- Your pain has persisted for two weeks or more.
- Your pain had improved but has since returned.
- Your symptoms are not improving or worsening.
- Your daily activities are impacted.
Diagnosis: What to Expect at Your Doctor’s Visit
When you visit your doctor for hip pain, they will likely start with examinations to help diagnose the root cause. This could include:
- Verbal Discussion: Your visit will begin with a consultation with your doctor. They will ask questions about when the pain first occurred, what triggers it, how long it has been causing you trouble and what self-care measures you have tried.
- Physical Examinations: Your appointment will usually progress into physical examinations that assess your level of pain, your range of movement, your strength levels and the tenderness of the area.
- Scans: Depending on the outcome of the physical examination, your doctor may order imaging tests such as x-rays, MRI or CT scans. These will give a detailed image of your hip joint for further examination.
- Further Tests: In some cases, further examinations such as a biopsy may be required to effectively diagnose your condition.
Treatment Options for Persistent Hip Pain
Treatment for your hip pain is entirely dependent on your diagnosis. In minor cases, you could effectively treat symptoms with the conservative treatment options such as the home remedies and self-care measures outlined above. If your pain is persistent, options include:
- Physical Therapy: If your doctor recommends physical therapy, your physiotherapist will create a personalised plan that is tailored to your needs. The plan will contain a range of exercises that are designed to improve hip strength, mobility, flexibility and motion to ease your symptoms. This will reduce stiffness and swelling and support your return to normal activities.
- Medication: Doctors could prescribe stronger pain medications that will help to reduce any swelling and inflammation and improve your pain levels. In most cases, this treatment option will be utilised alongside others.
The Path to a Pain-Free Life: When Surgery Becomes an Option
Rest assured that most people with hip pain will not need to undergo surgery. But depending on the underlying cause, it is a possible treatment option. This could be in the form of a hip arthroscopy which is a type of keyhole surgery, or a hip arthroplasty in which your joint will be replaced with a prosthesis.
Surgery will become an option if:
- You have a hip fracture or structural issue.
- You have been diagnosed with a degenerative condition such as arthritis.
- Your pain is severe and not resolving with other treatment options.
Speak to An Expert Today
If you are experiencing hip pain and would like to speak to an expert, get in touch with Dr David Slattery by calling 03 5752 5020 or completing an online enquiry form.
