The body’s joints are often the first to hurt and cause chronic pain, including the hip. It’s important not to ignore or overlook your hip pain, since evaluating the location and source of pain makes it possible to identify and treat the underlying causes. Are any of the following common hip problems to blame for your discomfort?
Bursitis
Bursitis causes pain on the outside of the hip, and discomfort usually extends beyond the hip to the thigh and buttocks. This condition develops as a result of inflammation of the pillow-like fluid sacs that are responsible for keeping tendons and muscles from rubbing directly against the hip bone.
Though hip bursitis begins with sharp and intense pain, it usually becomes a chronic ache that intensifies at night. Prevention isn’t always possible, but losing weight and encouraging strength and flexibility in the hip muscle can help minimize inflammation. Bursitis can be treated with nonsurgical treatments like activity modification, physical therapy, and PRP injections.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is also a common root cause of hip pain. It develops when an overused muscle pulls on the tendons attached to the hip bone. Athletes that must repeatedly lift their leg while turning it out at the hip, like in gymnastics and ballet, are most prone to tendonitis. The pain and inflammation of tendinitis can be treated with simple techniques like ice, heat, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of daily, ongoing hip pain. This condition causes inflammation and breakdown of cartilage in the joints. Eventually the hip bones begin to rub together, which causes severe pain and deformity over time.
Osteoarthritis is a serious condition, so the earlier it is detected and treated, the better the joints can be preserved. PRP and stem cell therapy are both promising alternative treatments to treat osteoarthritis, while surgery and hip replacement also offer relief in severe cases.
Treat Your Hip Problem and Reduce Your Pain
Ignoring your hip pain will only make it worse over time. It’s important to visit an orthopedic doctor who can properly diagnose the cause of your hip pain and recommend a treatment proven to resolve symptoms and restore hip health.
Call (941) 485-1505 to make an appointment with a hip pain specialist at Suncoast Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine in Sarasota County, Florida. The orthopedic doctors at Suncoast Orthopaedic Surgery will use their decades of experience to improve your health and comfort.