HIP PAIN CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS
Let's talk Hip
It’s all in the hips, right? This is true for a good golf swing or dance competition. When it comes to hip pain slowing you down, you may have turned to “rice” before. Not the food, but RICE – Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. While this homespun remedy of relaxing, icing the injury to reduce swelling, wrapping it to prevent excessive movement, and elevating it to lessen the blood flow is great for starters, if your pain is constant and your condition isn’t improving, perhaps it’s time to call on Dr. Tessier for expert medical care.
There are a number of reasons hip pain can be present. The injury could have stemmed from a sport injury, work mishap, car accident, or a side effect of an existing medical condition. What’s important is that when the ice melts and the pain is still lingering, more advanced relief solutions are sought after.
ABOUT HIP PAIN
The hip (actually called the “hip joint”) is a ball-and-socket joint located where the thigh bone (called the “femur”) intersects with the ilium, ischium and pubis – otherwise known as the pelvis. While not an overly complicated list of parts, the hip endures quite a bit on a day-to-day basis since it absorbs the shock of every step taken. Injury or overuse is rather common and the list of potential conditions rises the older we get.
HIP PAIN CONDITIONS
- Arthritis. The breakdown of the cushiony cartilage and subsequent inflammation of the hip joint can cause frequent pain and reduce the hip joint’s range of motion.
- Hip fractures. As the body ages, the bones and joints gradually become weak and brittle. These weaker parts stand a greater chance of fractures.
- Bursitis. The repetition of daily activities that overwork the hip joint can inflame the tissues called “bursae” that are liquid sacs located between the bones, muscles, and tendons.
- Tendinitis. Inflammation of the thick bands of tissue that attach bones to muscles called “tendons.”
- Muscle or tendon strain. Repeatedly overworking the hip joint or surrounding tissues can strain the area, causing it to become inflamed and reduce range of motion.
- Hip labral tear. Repetitive twisting movements in the hip can cause a section of cartilage called the “labram” to rip or tear. This cartilage is important because it’s what helps secure the thigh bone to the hip socket.
HIP PAIN TREATMENTS
Treating hip conditions depends on the severity of the pain, where the pain is originating from and other factors determined by Dr. Tessier. Since the hips are a vital part of normal day-to-day activities, the range of procedures varies.
- Physical Therapy. Certain muscle strengthening and loosening exercises may be necessary to alleviate hip pain.
- Steroid Injections. Corticosteroids and a local anesthetic are injected into to reduce inflammation and reduce pain.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP Therapy). An advanced procedure where the blood is drawn from the patient to acquire healthy platelets from one area that are then injected into the injured area to achieve lasting pain relief due to certain important healing growth factors the platelets contain.
- Hip Arthroscopy Surgery. A minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows Dr. Tessier to observe the hip joint without large incisions made in the skin and tissues.
- Hip Replacement Surgery. A complete replacement where the thighbone is removed and a stem is inserted into the bone to connect with the pelvic socket.
- Hip Resurfacing Surgery. Procedure where damaged hip joint bone and cartilage is replaced with a metal shell, just as in a traditional total hip replacement, however the femoral head of the femur stays intact.
Surgery is always the last resort for Dr. Tessier, and is only considered when less invasive treatments and therapies are not successful in healing the injury and managing the pain.