Chronic hip pain is when a patient experiences pain in their hip lasting longer than three months. This pain can happen for a number of reasons and tends to be a common complaint in patients. In this article we will go over what may cause chronic hip pain and how you can help treat the pain and hopefully prevent it.
As we age the cartilage in our hip can get worn down and damaged. Muscles can become tight and overused, or a person can have an injury that causes the hip to fracture. There are a few different scenarios that can cause the hip to become inflamed and ultimately cause chronic hip pain.
Causes of Chronic Hip Pain
Here are some common conditions that cause chronic hip pain.
Muscle or Tendon Strain– certain muscles and tendons that support the hip can become inflamed with overuse. When this happens it causes pain in the hip and can prevent it from working properly. It’s important to remember to stretch and rest when necessary to help prevent this from happening.
Arthritis- Arthritis leads to inflammation in the hip, which then leads to the breakdown of cartilage in the hip as we age. This can cause stiffness in the joint and limited range of motion.
Hip Fracture- As we age, our bones become more brittle, making us susceptible for a hip fracture if we fall.
Bursitis- Bursae are sacs of liquid found between tissues such as bone, muscles, and tendons. They ease the friction from these tissues rubbing together. When we overwork the hip joint it can cause the bursae to become inflamed, causing pain to the area.
Common symptoms to look out for:
You might feel the discomfort in your:
- Thigh
- Inside of the hip joint
- Groin
- Outside of the hip joint
- Buttocks
If your pain gets worse with activity, or you develop a limp this may be a sign that the hip is inflamed.
Treatments
Depending on the severity of your pain and what is causing your hip pain, will determine the course of treatment. If you have mild pain, your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce the discomfort and allow your hip to heal.
If the hip pain is due to muscle or ligament strain, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy to help teach you how to properly move your body and stretch.
For anyone suffering from arthritis, your doctor may suggest starting with an anti-inflammatory diet and they may also prescribe stronger anti-inflammatory medications to reduce your symptoms.
At ISPW we offer a variety of treatments to help patients suffering from chronic hip pain:
Regenerative Medicine- uses your own body to help heal the injured or damaged ligament and get you back to an active lifestyle.
We do several different injections to help ease a patient’s hip pain.
These injections include:
- Bursa Injection
- Joint Injection
- Muscle Injection
Physical Therapy is also part of treating hip pain. A physical therapist can help rehabilitate the hip injury to get you back to your daily activity.
Finally
If you’re experiencing discomfort or pain in your hip that has been lasting for longer than three months, you may want to reach out to our front office and schedule an appointment. The pain could be very minor, due to some recent overuse or activity, or it could be sign of something more.
When you come in for a visit I will do a thorough evaluation to determine what could be causing the pain. Together, we will go over treatment options to help heal and relieve your pain and get you back to your daily life.
For questions about chronic hip pain please contact us. We are always here to answer any questions and help you in any way possible.
Here’s to good health and less pain,
Dr. Goyle
