If you have a grandparent, maybe a great aunt or uncle, you know the frustration that hip problems can bring. Odds are, you probably know someone who has had a total hip replacement. Hip pain is incredibly common as we grow older, and though our Arizona pain doctorssee it quite often, there can be a variety of causes, pain levels, and pain management outcomes.

Diagnosing Hip Pain

Often times as we age, we assume that hip pain is just a part of life. We’ve seen all of our elders go through it, so we believe that it’s a common occurrence that perhaps is in our genes to just deal with. Unfortunately, waiting to speak to a pain specialist about the issue can be more detrimental than you might realize.

Hip pain can be caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and/or septic arthritis. If any of these conditions are not diagnosed within a reasonable time frame, the wearing bones and cartilage can become nearly irreparable. Bone erosion, wear-and-tear damage, as well as nerve damage can occur and grow worse if you do not seek out a specialist.

Injuries can also be the source cause of many forms of hip pain. A dislocation, fracture, labral tear, sprain or strain, and/or tendinitis can cause extreme hip pain. Though injuries such as dislocation and fracture will probably be diagnosed pretty quickly, other injuries like a sprain or tendinitis might not receive the proper diagnosis.

Pinched nerves can also be causing discomfort in the hip, as well as bone cancer, advanced cancer, and leukemia. It is imperative that you speak to a pain doctor about your hip in order to rule out these more extreme causes as soon as possible.

Treating Hip Pain

Treatment for hip pain truly depends on the condition that your body faces. For example, treatment for a pinched nerve will be greatly different then treatment for a sprain, or cancer for that matter. Understanding the root of the problem and diagnosing the condition accurately is crucial, which is why it’s best to seek out a pain specialist who has to tools to do just that.

Some good, old R&R is sometimes the best remedy, and if you have experienced a sprain or strain, rest along with ice and heat applications might be all that you need.  However, if there is a dislocation, your pain specialist must manipulate the bones back into their proper position, then monitor the progress with X-Rays and CT scans to make sure that the dislocation did not create an imbalance anywhere else. Rehab through a physical therapist might also be necessary.

Hip fractures will most likely require surgical intervention where screws or total hip replacement might be necessary. As in nearly every case of hip treatments, physical therapy and rehab will be a part of your pain management and recovery process after surgery.

Preventing Hip Pain

Preventing hip pain later in life can be as easy as maintaining muscle and strength in the muscles around the hip, legs and lower back. Keeping those muscles not only strong but flexible with stretching is a great preventative tactic. Strength training, walking, bike riding, and balance exercises such as yoga will help to decrease your overall chances for hip pain later in life.

Calcium and Vitamin D supplements can also help you avoid hip pain. Speak to a nutritionist or your physician about the possibility of adding supplements to your healthy diet to prevent certain hip conditions as you age.

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