Hip pain is pain that is experienced as pain in or around the hip joint. This may include pain in the buttocks, thigh, and groin areas.
Symptoms of Hip Pain
The ball-and-socket hip joint is the largest joint in the body. It is designed to withstand wear and tear, including repetitive motions. Patients experiencing hip pain may feel muscle aches, stiffness, sharp pain, radiating pain, or other types of discomfort.
Depending upon the cause of your hip pain, you may have obvious deformity, swelling, clicking noise, or an inability to bear weight. Both the location of your pain and the type of pain you are experiencing will help your doctor diagnose the condition and recommend proper treatment.
If you are experiencing symptoms of hip pain that interfere with your daily activities, please contact us at 201.729.0001 to schedule a consultation.
Causes of Hip Pain
A number of different conditions may cause hip pain and stiffness to occur. One common cause is inflammation of the tendons that stabilize the joint, which can occur due to overuse. This is usually self-limited, and resolves within a few days.
Pain in the hip may be the result of a degenerative condition such as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is often age related, and results in the protective cartilage surrounding a joint wearing down, sometimes resulting in bone rubbing on bone.
Another arthritis condition that produces hip pain is rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by the body’s production of antibodies that attack the tissues of the joint, eventually destroying the joint.
Hip pain is also common amongst athletes. Some athletes may tear cartilage in their hip joints, resulting in fragments in the hip space. This causes a “snapping” hip, a very painful snapping sensation or snapping sound that occurs when walking or rising from a seated position.
Trochanteric bursitis is inflammation of the fluid filled sac of the hip joint. This condition results from overuse, injury to the hip, poor posture resulting in uneven weight distribution, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteonecrosis is a cause of hip pain resulting from a loss of blood to the bones. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head can be a complication of sickle cell anemia or even steroid use.
Hip fractures often occur in older adults, particularly those who have osteoporosis, a disorder that weakens the bones. These fractures are very painful and must be diagnosed and treated immediately. Often, surgery is required to treat a fracture of the hip.
Treatments for Hip Pain
Treatments for hip pain vary based on the type of pain, location of pain, and any underlying conditions that may be causing the pain. For mild strains, at home treatments including rest, ice, and over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen may provide pain relief. For more severe conditions or injuries, additional treatments may be recommended, such regenerative medicine, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, minimally invasive surgery, or even total hip replacement (arthroplasty).
If you are experiencing pain, you should consult a specialist today for assessment and diagnosis. Early treatment of hip pain is the best way to avoid further complications. You can reach our expert pain physicians at 201.729.0001 to schedule your consultation. We offer weekday and weekend appointments. You can find us at our conveniently located clinics in West Orange, Aberdeen, and Lyndhurst.