Generally speaking, your hip is a strong and stable ball and socket joint. Your pelvis creates a hollow socket for the top of your thigh bone, which is shaped like a ball, to fit into. Your hip is also made up of a network of cartilage, muscles, ligaments, fluid-filled sacs called bursae, and tendons. Your hip joint is your largest joint and offers the greatest range of motion. It also involves some of the largest bones in your body. Unfortunately, when you experience pain in your hip it can make it very difficult to function as you otherwise would. Hip pain can lead to mobility issues as well knee pain, ankle pain, or back pain as your body compensates for the painful joint. Thankfully, it’s possible to get hip pain relief in several ways, depending on the cause of hip pain in your scenario.
What are Some Common Causes of Hip Pain?
There are many different causes of hip pain. Some people experience chronic pain while others experience temporary pain. Common causes of hip and joint pain include:
- Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Inflammation
- Injury
- Hip dysplasia
- Pregnancy
- Sciatica
- Avascular Necrosis
If you’re experiencing significant pain that interferes with your ability to get through everyday tasks or daily activities or are experiencing pain or discomfort when sitting, standing, or walking, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider. They’ll be able to examine you and try to determine why your hip hurts and what they can do for you to relieve hip pain.
Hip Pain Diagnosis
Your healthcare provider will take a detailed history and conduct a physical examination. They may maneuver your hip joint to look for any hip problems or see if certain movements cause hip pain. For example, a straight leg raise may be able to detect sciatica. Your doctor may also use imaging to get a better look at your hip socket and joint. Often this includes:
- CT Scans
- MRI
- X-rays
Based on their findings and diagnosis, they’ll create a hip pain treatment plan.
Treatments and Medication for Hip Pain
There are a variety of treatments your doctor may recommend depending on your hip pain causes. Your doctor may recommend these treatments on their own, or together. They include:
- Rest
- Physical Therapy
- Chiropractic Care
- Applying heat or ice compression
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Steroid injections
- Lifestyle changes
- More exercise
- Specific exercises
- Lose weight
- Hip fracture surgery
- Hip replacement surgery
In most cases, seeing a chiropractor or skilled physical therapists can greatly decrease or even eliminate your hip pain. It’s always better when you’re able to relieve pain without going through a major surgery such as hip replacement surgeries. As your hips are your largest joints and support your body, hip replacement surgery is very involved and has an extremely long recovery time. As a result, it should be a last resort when it comes to pain management.
In rare cases, your hip pain may be caused by underlying health problems. Be sure to discuss any signs or symptoms to ensure you receive the appropriate health care.
Hip Pain Home Remedies
If your hips are causing pain but you aren’t able to get to a doctor, there are some home remedies for hip pain that can provide hip pain relief until you’re able to speak with a healthcare provider. These include:
- Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
- Resting
- Applying cold
- Applying heat
- Over-the-counter pain medications
If you need hip pain relief in pregnancy, then you’ll want to consult with your doctor before taking any medications. Often, pregnancy-related hip pain is due to the changes the expectant mother goes through. Chiropractic care and physical therapy are great hip pain remedies for pregnant women.
Consulting a Chiropractor or Physical Therapist
If you have a hip problem and want to avoid the risks associated with surgery, it’s a good idea to consult with a chiropractor or physical therapist. They may be able to provide additional information when it comes to treating hip pain. They can also help you understand if your condition is related to another problem such as a misaligned spine or problems with your hip flexors. They can also help you with exercises, stretches, and pressure point therapy on soft tissues in addition to spinal adjustments.