Hip pain can be a symptom not easily tied to a cause without careful examination and evaluation of the patient. Several types of hip pain exist: hip joint pain, hip bursitis pain and hip pain caused by low back issues, such as bulging lumbar discs. In many cases, treatment can be similar regardless of the cause. Several treatment options are available for symptoms of hip pain.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs/NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be obtained either over-the-counter or in prescription strengths. Many NSAIDs are now being offered in lower dose, non-prescription strengths for ease of use.
NSAIDs exert their action differently than analgesics, or pain medications. They typically function by traveling through the blood supply to the areas causing pain. These medications act upon the inflamed areas to bring about a reduction in swelling and pain. Pain medication exerts its main actions in the brain by dulling its perception of pain rather than reducing the inflammation causing the pain.
Physical Therapy
For medical conditions including arthritis and bursitis, physical therapy treatments can be quite beneficial. According to rheumatologist Dr. Nathan Wei, bursitis is the most common form of hip pain, with arthritis being second.
A multiple treatment approach to hip pain is typically the best combination, including physical therapy. Various therapy tools such as heat, cold, ultrasound and stretching can go a long way in helping to reduce, if not eliminate, the symptoms of hip pain.
These tools can include such things as hot packs, ultrasound with the potential of adding topical cortisone, stretches and range of motion exercises. These combine to help reduce the painful effects of inflammation, restore and improve the ability to get around, thus easing pain.
Other treatments can include stationary bicycle riding, gentle use of the elliptical machine and passive range of motion, or PROM, the latter of which is performed and conducted by a physical therapist without active movement by the patient.
Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy is physical therapy performed in a water environment. Variable depth of water makes this type of therapy extremely beneficial and popular. According to the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation, aquatic therapy can improve self-esteem, balance coordination, range of motion, circulation and quality of life.
Water in a therapeutic pool is typically several degrees warmer than in public pools, allowing for better relaxation of the muscles and soft tissues. The buoyancy created by water depth reduces the effects of gravity, allowing for more efficient exercise as well as a reduction of stress on joints created by gravity. Also, the hydrostatic pressure caused by the warmer water against the body can help to reduce swelling and, in some cases, muscle spasms.
Cortisone Injections
For hip pain, where the origin has been established as the joint itself, steroid injections have played an important role in treating moderate to severe symptoms. Hip joints that are damaged by the ravages of arthritis have benefited from these injections by way of pain relief and improved mobility. Though not permanent, relief can last from weeks to months depending upon the severity of the arthritis.
For hip pain caused by trochanteric bursitis--the bursa that covers the outer bump of the hip--cortisone injections have had a long history of success with treating symptoms of inflammation and pain in the bursa area.
Injecting steroids into joints should be done sparingly. Long-term use of steroid injections can cause further destruction of joint cartilage, thereby worsening the symptoms and hastening the need for joint replacement.
Hip Joint Replacement
When hip pain caused by joint arthritis has failed all other treatment options, joint replacement may be indicated. This procedure involves the resurfacing of the main elements that comprise the hip. Damaged surfaces are replaced with metallic implants that use materials such as plastic, polished metal and ceramics to provide a stable joint. With the damaged arthritic surfaces removed, pain and mobility levels are vastly improved.
