The hip is one of the body’s most important joints. It supports the weight of your body and contains several structures, like bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and fluid-filled sacs called bursae.
If hip pain is not a result of a fracture or dislocation, doctors start conservatively with simple painkillers and at-home care. They may also recommend exercise and temporarily modifying activities that cause pain.
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of hip pain. It occurs when the protective cartilage that covers bones where they meet in a joint wears away, allowing bone to rub directly against bone.
The resulting inflammation causes pain and stiffness in the affected hip. It can affect people of all ages, and tends to come on gradually over time. However, it can be accelerated by injury or overuse.
In severe cases, osteoarthritis can lead to a limp and impair movement. Other symptoms include a grating sensation, and crackling or popping sounds when the joint moves. Pain may also radiate down the thigh or buttocks. It’s important to note that hip pain can sometimes occur elsewhere in the pelvis, and can be confused with menstrual or gynecological problems like endometriosis or fibroids.
A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion between bone and soft tissue (muscles, tendons and skin). It reduces friction when you move a joint. People get bursitis when they overuse or injure a joint, especially one that has lots of movement like the hip, knee or elbow.
Symptoms include pain, tenderness and swelling around a joint. A doctor can diagnose it by examining the area and asking questions. They may also use X-rays or an ultrasound to see the joint and check for damage.
Treatment for bursitis includes resting the joint, applying heat and ice, doing gentle mobilization exercises and avoiding the activity that caused it. Your doctor might drain the extra fluid from the bursa and give you antibiotics if it is infected.
Osteonecrosis, also known as avascular necrosis, is when the loss of blood flow causes bone tissue death. It usually occurs in the ends (epiphysis) of long bones in the hip, knee, shoulder and ankle joints. It may be caused by the long-term use of high doses of corticosteroids, heavy drinking, lupus, sickle cell disease or severe injury or trauma to the hip.
Early symptoms include groin pain that gets worse with weight-bearing activities like walking and running. X-rays can show changes in the bone but MRI scans are superior for detecting early osteonecrosis. Treatment includes pain medications and modifying physical activity. Core decompression surgery to remove bone and restore blood flow to the area is sometimes needed. The best treatment is total hip replacement if the bone has already collapsed.
Labral tears are a common cause of hip pain. The labrum is a fibrocartilage rim that surrounds the hip joint. It seals the hip, deepens the socket and helps distribute weight evenly across the joint. People with hip labral tears often experience pain in the front of their hip or groin that worsens during walking, pivoting and impact activities, and may even occur at night.
Symptoms are sometimes mild and do not interfere with daily activities. However, if the hip labral tear is severe or there is also structural damage such as hip dysplasia, doctors recommend surgery to repair the damage and relieve symptoms. In surgery, doctors use an arthroscope (a narrow tube with a camera) to locate the damage and surgical instruments to repair it.
Trauma is the body’s physical and emotional response to a distressing event. This can include a car accident, a near-death experience, the loss of a loved one, sexual assault or other severe abuse, and even a natural disaster. The symptoms of trauma can be both mental and physical and include fear, panic, anger, depression, a lack of interest in activities, nightmares, feelings of powerlessness, memory problems, and changes in appetite or sleep patterns.
Injuries to the hip, such as a fracture or a dislocation, can damage cartilage and lead to hip pain. Over time, this can lead to a more serious condition such as arthritis. The good news is that therapy and support can help reduce trauma effects and improve quality of life. In addition, there are a variety of medications that can relieve hip pain.
Keep your daily activities as unrestricted as possible and don’t let elbow pain degrade your quality of life. Our experienced team of Los Angeles Hip Pain treatment Doctors at LifeSpan Medicine is committed to assisting you in obtaining the treatment you deserve.