HIP Pain
About
The hip is responsible for many activities of the body. Although injuries on the hip don’t happen as frequently as in other joints, they are still very common. Inflammation in this area could be the consequence of either an illness or an injury. When inflammation occurs, the hip joint gets filled with fluid or blood which then stretches the hip capsule lining and causes pain. Other causes of hip pain are tendon inflammation, which occurs due to a repetitive action of the joint; different types of arthritis like osteoarthritis, septic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, bursitis and rheumatoid arthritis; and fractures, which are very common on elderly people.
People suffer from hip pain for several reasons, but most fall under 3 major categories:
• Arthritis
• Soft Tissue
• Fractures
At South Miami Walk-In Orthopedics and Sports Medicine we offer comprehensive care solutions for patients suffering from hip pain. We count on the vast experience of our doctors who work meticulously to get the proper diagnosis and treatment for our patients. In general, our procedure includes examining the affected area in close detail and designing a personalized plan of treatment that maximizes the chances of a proper and fast recovery.
Conservative therapy is for mild to less severe cases and focuses on reducing or eliminating the overdone motion that affected the hip in the first place. Resting helps the muscles and bones to heal themselves, and therapies like massage and cold/heat aid in the process as well. In addition, the compression technique of wrapping a thick bandage around the pelvis and hip is recommended as it aids in improving the condition. Although relatively difficult to achieve, elevation also helps reduce swelling.
When the cause of pain is related to a viral or bacterial infection, certain medications are prescribed. For local inflammation, injections of steroids like cortisone are applied to the affected area which ease the inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs commonly prescribed include naproxen, ibuprofen, and pain medications commonly prescribed is Tylenol. However, these should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor and subsequent follow-ups should be scheduled in order to measure the effectiveness of the medications.
Surgery is often required when the patient suffered a fracture in the hip. Pinning, plating, and screws are used to correct the broken bones. Herniated disks are removed with the help of surgery if conservative treatment doesn’t yield any results, and in case of arthritis at its severe level, the joint is replaced with the help of surgery.
