HOW TO MANAGE YOUR HIP PAINS
What is the anatomy of the hip?
The hip joint is where the ball of the thigh bone (femur) joins the
pelvis at a socket called the acetabulum. There is cartilage covering
both the bone of the femur and the acetabulum of the pelvis in the hip
joint. A joint lining tissue, called synovium, surrounds the hip joint.
The synovium tissue produces fluid that lubricates the joint and
provides nutrients to the cartilage of the joint. The ligaments around
the hip joint attach the femur bone to the bony pelvis. There are a
number of muscles and tendons that glide around the hip joint. Tiny
fluid-filled sacs, called bursae, provide gliding surfaces for muscles
and tendons around the hip joint. Major arteries and veins pass the
front of the hip joint. The largest nerve of the body, the
sciatic nerve, passes behind the hip joint.
The
hip joint is one the large joints of the body and serves in locomotion
as the thigh moves forward and backward. The hip joint also rotates when
sitting and with changes of direction when
walking.
What are causes and risk factors for hip pain?
There are many causes of hip joint pain. Some hip pain is temporary, while other hip pain can be long-standing or chronic. Causes of hip pain include bursitis, inflammatory and noninflammatory arthritis, fracture, sprain, infectious arthritis (septic arthritis), avascular necrosis, Gaucher's disease, sciatica, muscle strain, iliotibial band syndrome (IT band syndrome), and hematoma.
What symptoms and signs may be associated with hip pain?
Symptoms associated with hip pain depend on the cause. Symptoms include
- limping,
- joint pain,
- groin pain,
- loss of motion of the hip,
- warmth,
- swelling over the hip,
- tenderness of the hip,
- difficulty sleeping on the hip.
Symptoms vary in intensity from mild to severe. Hip pain can be a cause of disability.
How do health-care professionals diagnose hip pain?
Health-care professionals diagnose hip pain with a history and
physical examination. Physical examination maneuvers, such as internally
and externally rotating the hip, can be used to detect pain-aggravating
positions. Tenderness can be elicited by palpating over inflamed areas.
Straight leg raising can detect signs of
sciatica. A health-care professional may use imaging studies, including X-rays,
CT scans, and
MRI
scans, to further define the causes of hip pain. Sometimes, nuclear
medicine bone scans are used to image inflamed or fractured bone.
What are treatments and medications for hip pain?
The treatment of hip pain depends on the precise cause of the pain.
Treatments can include rest, non-weight-bearing, cold application, and
anti-inflammatory medications. For local inflammation, sometimes injection of cortisone
medication (steroids) is used to quiet the inflammation. If infection
is present, antibiotics are used. Fractures can require treatment with
surgical repairs, including pinning, plates and screws, and total joint
replacement. For severe arthritis, total joint replacement is performed
when possible.
What types of specialists treat hip pain?
General medicine physicians, including general practitioners, family
medicine doctors, and internists, as well as orthopedic surgeons,
rheumatologists, and sports medicine specialists treat hip pain. Often
physical therapists and rehabilitation physicians are involved in the
care of hip pain.
Are there any home remedies for hip pain?
Home remedies for hip pain include rest, non-weight-bearing, cold application, and anti-inflammatory medications such as
ibuprofen (
Motrin and
Advil),
naproxen (
Aleve), and pain medications such as
acetaminophen (
Tylenol).
What is the prognosis of hip pain?
The prognosis of hip pain depends on the cause and the response to
treatment. Most mild strain injuries have a good outlook and resolve
rapidly in response to home remedies.
Is it possible to prevent hip pain?
Hip pain can be prevented by avoiding injury to the hip joint. This
includes sports injury. Sometimes proper conditioning prior to a sports
event can prevent injury.
Sources: Firestein, G.S. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology, Ninth Edition. China: Elsevier Saunders, 2012.
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