What Is the Permanent Cure for Hip Pain?

The hip is a very large socket-and-ball joint. It helps one move about and go on fulfilling every responsibility in life. However, inflammation in any part of this joint can cause considerable discomfort and undesired consequences as well.

Overview

Arthritis at the advanced stage damages cartilage and bones completely. As a result, the affected person cannot even walk a short distance comfortably. This situation affects many senior citizens or even young adults worldwide. 

Here, hip replacement surgery is the last and only treatment option. Years of damage or wear and tear are fixed during the surgery. 

As a result, the patient enjoys a life free from pain and filled with happiness once more. 

However, if the cause of hip pain is temporary, no hip replacement surgery is recommended. You will be all right, up and running, in a short while with medicines, injections, rest, physiotherapy or any other non-surgical treatment option whichever suits you best.

To learn more about the hip, causes of hip pain and treatments available, continue to read this post.

The Hip & Internal Structure

The following are the internal parts involved in the making of the hip joint. 

●      The Acetabulum (or The Socket) 

●      The Femoral head (or The Ball)

●      The Labrum

●      The Articular Cartilage

●      Ligaments

●      Tendons

●      Bursae

●      Synovial Membrane

●      Muscles 

The lower section of the pelvis on either side forms a shallow and concave cavity. This is called the acetabulum or socket. The femoral head is in the shape of the ball and attaches itself to the socket. 

The labrum is a soft tissue ring located around the rim of the socket. Similarly, there is cartilage, which is a protective layer over the femoral head. Ligaments and tendons provide connectivity and keep the joint stable. 

The synovial membrane is the joint lining that lubricates the joint parts with synovial fluid. Muscles provide support and strength to the overall structure.

Causes

Inflammation in the hip can be due to any of the following reasons. 

Osteoarthritis: Cartilage wears down. As a result, hip bones rub against each other. It causes chronic stiffness, pain, and immobility.   

Inflamed Joint Lining: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. It causes chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane. 

The lining starts to produce more synovial fluid than usual which leads to inflammation and stiffness. This speeds up hip joint wear and tear and adversely impacts agility. 

Osteonecrosis: A lack of blood supply to the femoral head leads to the death of healthy tissues there. The structure of the hip ball becomes deformed and ultimately collapses. The condition is also known as AVN.

For many, taking steroids for long leads to this condition.   

Deformities: Everyone isn’t blessed with the correct structures of the hip socket and ball. Some people have a hip deformity by birth while others suffer one during growth years. 

Either the socket is too shallow or the femoral head is too big. 

Such abnormalities lead to hip impingement and early cases of arthritis due to the loss of cartilage in young age.  

Tendonitis: It occurs when a tendon, which is a strip of soft tissue linking a muscle to a bone, becomes inflamed. An injury can give rise to the condition. 

Bursitis: The bursa is a fluid-filled bag that offers extra cushioning to the hip bones and soft tissues. Its inflammation is called bursitis. 

Fractures & Dislocations: Hurting hip joints might result in bone breaks. Sudden hits or movements can also cause dislocation, which is a condition where the hip ball gets out of the socket. 

Dislocations are painful and easily visible on the outside.  

Sciatica: It is a case of nerve impingement or compression, leading to radiating pain that goes down the affected hip joint and leg.

Symptoms

One has to face several discomforts in the hip joint based on the condition prevailing. The most common symptom is pain. 

Pain can be mild or radiating. Some people face continuous pain while others deal with intermittent one that worsens (flare-ups) with activity or even inactivity.  

Osteoarthritis is accompanied by stiffness as well. The hip joint becomes immobile and hampers walking severely. 

Other symptoms are swelling, redness, and tenderness.

Diagnosis

Doctors order the following imaging tests to diagnose hip problems before deciding on the right treatment. 

●      X-ray

●      MRI

●      CT Scan 

If needed, blood tests can also be ordered to rule out the possibility of infection.

Treatments

These are surgical and non-surgical treatment options for hip pain. 

Medicines: Painkillers help relieve pain and other discomfort caused by chronic inflammation. 

Injections: Steroids are injected if the pain is very intense and instant relief is needed to improve the quality of life.  

Physiotherapy: This therapy is provided by a specialist called physiotherapist. Its goal is to facilitate recovery and enhance the strength of the muscles surrounding the joint. Preventive education is also part of this therapy.   

Assistive Devices: A pair of crutches or a walker helps patients walk comfortably for essential activities during recovery. 

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy: Platelets are found in the blood and they have certain growth factors that stimulate damaged tissues’ capacity to recover and become healthy once again. 

Thus, platelets are extracted from the patient’s blood and injected directly into the inflamed hip for healing and recovery. This is called the PRP therapy or treatment.  

Arthroscopy: Hip joint has soft tissues like the labrum, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, etc. If there is a mild damage in any of them, i.e., labrum tear, a doctor will fix it arthroscopically. 

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive key-hole procedure. 

Hip Replacement Surgery: It is only suggested when the hip is totally damaged and thus can't be treated otherwise. Damaged or worn-out parts are removed and then resurfaced with an implant during the operation.

Hip replacement surgery is safe and successful. A new level of personalisation, precision, and perfection is now available due to technologies like the Robotic Arm and Augmented Reality.

Connect with a hip replacement surgery doctor in Delhi to learn more in person.

Conclusion

If you want to rid yourself of hip pain permanently and enjoy life to the fullest, ensure you consult a hip specialist without delay. 

Long-lasting hip pain that won’t go away with rest, medicine, and other remedies might be due to a serious internal condition that needs to be addressed in time.  

A doctor will find out what is exactly wrong inside. It will help get the right treatment. 

Many people don’t have hip pain but chronic knee inflammation. So, if you need surgery for the knee, in that case too, consult a knee replacement surgery doctor as soon as possible.