Hip Pain

What is hip pain?

Hip pain is pain or discomfort in the joint that connects your leg to your core. While the team evaluates you for hip pain at Integrated Spine and Pain Services, you should be precise in describing the sensations you feel and the exact location of the pain. While there are many muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones in your hip that could be the source of your discomfort, hip pain can also originate in your spine. 

What are some common causes of hip pain?

Hip pain can plaque you for a number of different reasons. If your hip pain appears suddenly after a specific incident, it’s easy to find the injury that caused it. But sometimes hip pain develops slowly over time and a cause is harder to find. 

Common causes of hip pain include:

• Tendonitis (inflamed tendons)
• Bursitis (joint inflammation)
• Arthritis
• Bone fractures
• Dislocation
• Sciatica (pinched spinal nerve)
• Bone cancer
• Osteoporosis

To diagnose the cause of your hip pain, the team at Integrated Spine and Pain Services asks detailed questions about the pain’s characteristics. They might also use an X-ray to view the joint and detect areas of damage. 

When should I seek treatment for hip pain?

In some cases, hip pain goes away on its own without any intervention or medical attention. If your hip pain is mild, you can hold off on seeing a doctor and try home care measures for treatment first. Taking nonprescription pain medications or resting for several days might be enough to ease the pain. If you take these steps and don’t notice a difference, the team at Integrated Spine and Pain Services can help.

There are several circumstances surrounding hip pain that indicate the need for immediate medical attention. You should make an appointment right away if:

• Your hip looks deformed
• You can’t move your hip
• You can’t stand up
• You have signs of an infection (fever, redness)

If you’re uncertain, you can call Integrated Spine and Pain Services for guidance. 

How is hip pain treated?

The team at Integrated Spine and Pain Services can help ease your hip pain whether or not you know the cause. They might recommend conservative treatments first, like medications and physical therapy. 

Joint injections are an effective way to ease pain and inflammation. The team uses an X-ray to guide the needle into your joint. They numb the area with local anesthesia first, then inject a mixture of an anesthetic and cortisone, a steroid that relieves inflammation, into your joint. You’ll rest on the table for 20-30 minutes as the mixture takes effect. 

Many patients experience relief within hours of their hip joint injection. The anesthetic causes immediate pain relief while the cortisone helps with long-term management of discomfort.

For more information about hip pain and hip joint injections, call Integrated Spine and Pain Services or request an appointment online today.