Arthritis Hip Pain! Prevention, Easing, And Treatment Options!
hip pain
Arthritis Hip Pain, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments:
Arthritis hip pain is not only irritating; it can also adversely affect your life. If you are currently suffering from it, then you know this all too well. So with that being the case, The first thing you need to know is that the word literally translates into ‘inflammation of joints’. Rather than this being a mere condition, it is a full-blown disease.
As far as what actually causes arthritis and hip arthritis pain, there are a number of different possibilities. For instance, you could be living in a damp environment that would most definitely contribute, or alternatively, you might have a traumatic accident. Then again, there are a number of other causes that you might consider when trying to pinpoint the one that brought about this painful and life-changing condition.
What Is Hip Pain?
Hip pain is a common complaint that can be caused by a wide variety of problems. The precise location of your hip pain can provide valuable clues about the underlying cause.
Problems within the hip joint itself tend to result in pain on the inside of your hip or your groin. Hip pain on the outside of your hip, upper thigh, or outer buttock is usually caused by problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues that surround your hip joint.
Hip pain can sometimes be caused by diseases and conditions in other areas of your body, such as your lower back. This type of pain is called referred pain.
The Anatomy of the Hip:
Our hips are made up of two ball and socket joints, actually the largest of all the joints in our bodies. They are designed to withstand a lot of wear and tear, with a cushion of cartilage inside the joint to give us that fluid range of motion we need every day.
Over time, the cartilage will begin to wear down or become damaged. The muscles and tendons that are attached to the hip, that join it to our torso and to our legs, can be overused and stretched or torn.
The bones that form the hip, and its ball and socket joints, are just like any other bone in our bodies. They can become broken if we fall, or be susceptible to any number of bone disorders, especially arthritis. When this happens, or any number of other medical conditions, the hips begin to hurt, and stop working as they should.
Hip Pain Causes:
Hip pain may be caused by arthritis, injuries, or other problems ” According to Mayo Clinic”:
Arthritis
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Psoriatic arthritis
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Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease). - Septic arthritis.
Injuries
- Bursitis (joint inflammation).
- Dislocation.
- Hip fracture.
- Hip labral tear.
- Inguinal hernia.
- Sprains.
- Tendinitis.
Pinched nerves
- Meralgia paresthetica.
- Sacroiliitis
- Sciatica
Cancer
- Advanced (metastatic) cancer that has spread to the bones
- Bone cancer.
- Leukemia.
Other Problems
- Avascular necrosis (death of bone tissue due to limited blood flow).
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (in children).
- Osteomyelitis (a bone infection).
- Osteoporosis.
- Synovitis.
Hip Pain Symptoms:
The symptoms included with pain in the hip can vary, depending upon what condition is causing it. Some symptoms will worsen with activity, especially if it is caused by something like arthritis. You may develop a limp, as well as finding that your range of motion has been reduced.
The main symptoms associated with this condition are pain felt in the thigh, the inside of the hip joint, the groin, the outside of the hip joint, or the buttocks. Other pains throughout the body, like those from the lower back, can also radiate towards the hips, and make it feel like the pain is coming from there.
Risk Factors:
The following factors can cause or increase the risk of developing this illness:
- Age – The older you get, the more likely you’re to develop arthritis. This is because cartilage becomes more and more brittle and it gets harder for your body to repair any damage.
- Genetics – Studies have suggested that genetics may contribute to the likelihood of arthritis development.
- Weight – Excess body weight can increase the pressure on joints and magnify any issues that occur during joint damage. Hence, it is important (if you’re overweight) to try and lose a few kilos as you will be decreasing the extra pressure on your weight-bearing joints, decreasing pain, and improving the quality of your life and body movements.
- Injury – Injuries at the joint can cause irregularities in the joint area that may have damaged the cartilage surrounding the joints.
How Are Hip Pain Problems Diagnosed?
If your hip pain continues to get worse for more than two weeks, you should see a doctor. They’ll ask you about your pain and what movements make it worse. Pain when bending the hip to get up and downstairs, and in particular when putting on socks, is often a sign of a hip problem.
Your doctor will also ask how your symptoms started, how they affect your day-to-day activities, and whether you’re getting pain at night. They’ll examine your hip to nd out how well it moves, and this will usually give them enough information to plan your treatment, although you may need other tests to diagnose some conditions.
What Tests Are There?
A. X-Rays:
X-rays are often the best way of finding out what’s wrong with the hip as they clearly show the condition of the bones. They’re very good at looking for arthritis in the hip, but they may also show problems in your pelvis which could explain your pain. They’re not as useful for looking at the soft tissues around the joint.
B. CT Scans:
A CT scan can often be very helpful to work out if the hip joint has an unusual shape. There are conditions where the socket of the hip can be very shallow, and a CT scan often helps to show this up.
C. MRI Scans:
MRI scans are useful for looking at the muscles and tendons around the hip. They’re particularly helpful for diagnosing avascular necrosis (see section ‘Specific hip conditions’).
D. Blood Tests:
If your doctor thinks your pain is caused by an infection or rheumatoid arthritis, blood tests can often help.
Treatments For Hip Pain:
If your hip pain doesn’t improve with simple medications such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, you should see your doctor for further advice. They may recommend the following treatments. Treatments for specific hip conditions can include drugs, physiotherapy, and steroid injections.
1. Drugs:
A. Non-steroidal anti-in inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):
Your doctor may prescribe you stronger NSAIDs to help ease the pain. Like all drugs, NSAIDs can sometimes have side- effects, but if you’re taking prescription NSAIDs your doctor will take precautions to reduce the risk of these – for example, by prescribing the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible period of time.
NSAIDs can cause digestive problems (stomach upsets, indigestion, or damage to the lining of the stomach) so in most cases, NSAIDs will be prescribed along with a drug called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), which will help to protect the stomach.
NSAIDs also carry an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Although the increased risk is small, your doctor will be cautious about prescribing NSAIDs if there are other factors that may increase your overall risks, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, diabetes, and heart or circulation problems.
B. Bisphosphonates:
Bisphosphonates are used to treat Paget’s disease. They work by slowing bone loss, which reduces the risk of hip fractures. Depending on the type of bisphosphonate, you may need to take them by mouth (but not with food), or they may be given by intravenous infusions, which is a slow injection into a vein.
2. Physiotherapy:
- Physiotherapy may help you to maintain your hip movements with a gentle range of movement exercises and activities.
- A physiotherapist can also suggest specific exercises to maintain or improve the strength of the muscles around the hip joint.
- They may advise you about the best way to walk with your hip pain and may help you to use a stick or crutch.
You’ll Need to,
- Use the stick in the opposite hand to your affected hip and make sure that it’s the correct height for you, so it’s important to see a physiotherapist before you start using one.
- If you think your work or certain activities you do might be the main cause of your pain, it’s worth discussing this with an occupational therapist.
- They’ll be able to advise on how to change your movements to help prevent pain from continuing or returning.
- If your place of work has an occupational health department, they may also be able to help.
3. Steroid Injections:
- Steroid injections can help with hip problems if they’re caused by inflammatory joint pain or inflamed bursae.
- The injections are often given with a local anesthetic, and they’re usually very helpful in treating trochanteric bursitis.
- Iliopsoas tendonitis can also be treated with steroid injections, but the injection will need to be done by a radiologist because the iliopsoas tendon is so deep.
- A snapping iliopsoas tendon can be treated with steroid injections which are done under videofluoroscopy (a type of x-ray) to make sure the injection is in the right place.
- Ultrasound-guided injections are also becoming more popular.
4. Surgery:
Not everybody with hip pain will need surgery, but hip fractures almost always need fixation, which stabilizes the bone and helps it to heal, or replacement of the ball of the hip. Hip fractures often occur in elderly people, and they can take a long time to fully recover from.
People can often be in the hospital for a couple of weeks or more to get over the fall and the operation, and many often need extra help at home after discharge.
A. Hip Replacement Surgery:
- If your hip pain is caused by arthritis and it’s getting worse, your doctor may talk to you about hip replacement.
- Hip replacement is an extremely good treatment for arthritis-related hip pain, and modern techniques make the operation very safe with good outcomes.
Nowadays,
many people only need to stay in the hospital for a few days after their hip replacement, but it may be helpful if somebody is available to stay with you for a couple of weeks as your mobility and confidence improve.
Physiotherapists will help you become mobile when you’re in the hospital, and they’ll help you practice getting in and out of bed, out of chairs, and up and down stairs safely.
If you’re being considered for hip replacement,
- it’s important that you’re in good health before the operation.
- You’ll probably be referred to the hospital for an assessment before the operation and they’ll check your general health.
- Your surgeon will talk to you about the operation itself, and you’ll meet the physiotherapists and occupational therapists who’ll be involved in your treatment after surgery.
-
The outcomes of hip replacements are extremely good – 90% or more of people who have had a hip replacement and their pain is greatly reduced.
Modern hip replacements should last many years – around 80% of cemented hips should last for 20 years.
B. Revision Surgery:
If your hip replacement becomes loose, infected or otherwise fails, it’s possible to have surgical treatment. Modern revision surgery techniques are developing quickly and most failed hip replacements can be dealt with, which can restore function and activity.
Revision Surgery is carried out by specialists in the eld.
You Will,
- Be in the hospital longer than for your first hip replacement, and it might take longer to recover.
- Need physiotherapy after revision surgery to help you gain confidence in your new joint, and you’ll need someone to help you out for a couple of weeks or more when you go home.
C. Acetabular Labrum Surgery:
- A torn acetabular labrum can be repaired by surgical reshaping of the hip.
- In some cases this procedure can be performed through just a small incision (arthroscopically), so your joint doesn’t have to be opened up.
- This is also known as keyhole surgery, and it can be done as a day case or one-night stay in the hospital. You’ll need between one and two months o work.
We don’t yet know what the long-term effects of acetabular labrum surgery are, but you may get better hip movement as a result of it.
Preventing And Easing Arthritis Hip Pain:
it is never too late to ease hip pain, strengthen weak bones, and reduce your susceptibility to hip fractures. Here are some of the ways that can be easily treated with these simple methods.
1. Take Away Some Pounds:
There is proving evidence that you will take two or three pounds of pressure off your hips for each pound you lose. Therefore, getting rid of excess body weight can help to relieve the strain on your hips. As you get older, it becomes more difficult for your muscles to offset your increased weight.
As a result, your joints bear more and more load, and they degenerate. So keeping your weigh down and staying fit are two of the best things you can do to preserve your hips.
2. Watch What You Eat:
Excess weight can actually hurt your back because of the changes in the normal curvature of your spine when there is too much weight for your back to carry. As a matter of fact, it is not just your back that is the victim here but also your knees as well.
One most common complaint of overweight people is knee problems because of the weight their knees carry on a daily basis. Avoid fried, greasy foods but instead choose fresh, natural, and calcium-rich foods instead.
3. Use Heat:
Occasionally you may feel pain in your hip, consider using heat. Try placing an electric heating pad over your hip for 20 minutes three or four times a day. If you do not have a heating pad, try to soak a towel in hot water and wiring it out.
4. Use Ice:
If heat is not helping, apply ice where you feel hip pain to help reduce pain and swelling. At the same time, to help to protect your skin put a towel between your skin and the ice. Ice may be used fro 15 to 20 minutes every one to two waking hours.
5. Use an Assistance Device:
A cane or walker can be your best friend if it eases your hip pain and helps you to stay independent. If you need a cane or walker for stability, be sure that it is the right size. If not, then this device will increase your hip pain, rather than relieving it. Ask your doctor to recommend a medical supply store where you can be properly measured and outfitted with an appropriate cane or walker.
6. Be More Able With a Cane:
When you use a cane, hold it in the hand opposite the injured hip. Move it forward at the same time that you step out with your injured hip, so you are distributing weight away from your bad hip and onto the cane. Then move your good hip forward as you take another stride.
7. Maintain Proper Body Mechanics:
It is very common in a work environment to have an incidence of low back pain or injury especially for those people whose work involves lifting a heavy object, constant bending or repetitive motion, carrying an object all day, or transferring a patient who is not able to move on their own such as nurse’s aide, factory workers, construction workers, or distribution centers.
Make sure you bend your knees when lifting a heavy object from a low surface, pull instead of push a cart with heavy items on it, and use a grabber to pick something off the floor if you are not able to bend your knees.
8. Sleeping Posture:
You spend about an average of 6-8 hours in bed at night so improper use of pillows or poor body positioning can hurt your back the next day. Ever wake up with a stiff neck or aching back?
Use a firm pillow and don’t sleep on your stomach. Avoid sleeping on a water bed or an ultra-soft mattress no matter how tempting it looks. Sleep in a side-lying position and use a pillow in between your knees instead.
9. Look For Reliable Relief:
Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can reduce the swelling and ease the hip pain caused by arthritis, and other muscle or joint injuries. Make sure to alert your doctor if the recommended dosage on the label does not help at all. You may have a hip fracture or another serious underlying problem that should be evaluated.
10. Relieve The Ache:
When getting out of a car, lift and swing both legs out of the door before standing. By rotating on your rear instead of twisting your pelvis, you will lessen the strain on your back and hips. If you step out of the vehicle one leg at a time, you will put yourself in a position that will aggravate your hips.
Lastly,
it is important to follow your doctor’s recommendation for arthritis treatment. Altogether with the right treatment, diet, and supplements for your body, they should support your body in the reduction of pain, increase in mobility and relief, and possibly preventing any development (or any further development) of arthritis.
If you find this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, as you might help someone in need. Thanks.
Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”
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