What Is Hip Pain?
Hip pain can seriously disrupt how you live your life. Your hip is the largest joint in your body, consisting of a ball (the femoral head at the top of your thigh bone) and a socket (the acetabulum, a hollow in your pelvis).
Tendons, ligaments, and muscles secure the bones, with a ring of cartilage (the labrum) holding the ball in the socket. This joint construction allows for movement and a wide range of motion while keeping your hip stable.
If your hip joint suffers an injury or develops a disease, the resulting pain can stop you from performing everyday activities. It can also interfere with your ability to get a good night’s sleep.
What Causes Hip Pain?
Hip pain can result from an injury or disease that causes inflammation in the joint. Some common causes of hip pain include:
Arthritis
Although arthritis takes many forms, osteoarthritis is most likely to give you hip pain. It’s a wear-and-tear condition that develops in mid to late life, causing steadily worsening pain, stiffness, and loss of function. Another common type is the autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis.
Bursitis
Bursae are small sacs of fluid that protect and cushion your joints. Bursitis is inflammation in the bursae, typically resulting from overuse. In the hips, the bursae on the outer aspect of the hip (the trochanter) are the most common source of pain.
Tendon injuries
Tendons are the elastic tissues that attach your muscles to your bones. Vigorous activity or a fall could strain the tendon, while repeated movements over a prolonged period could irritate and inflame the tissue, causing tendonitis.
How Is Hip Pain Treated?
Pain Management of North Dallas, PA, provides nonsurgical solutions to treat hip pain. Finding the best treatment for your hip pain depends on what’s causing the problem, so they perform a complete evaluation of the hip joint first.
Some of the treatment options that could be of benefit include:
- Rest and activity modification
- Ice and heat therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medicine
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Regenerative medicine
- Cortisone injections
Your pain specialist at Pain Management of North Dallas, PA, selects the most appropriate combination of treatments for you to deliver effective and long-lasting relief.
