Hip Pain Treatment in NJ

Hip Pain

Hip pain isn’t a problem that only affects seniors after years of wear and tear. While older folks may experience persistent pain in the hips more often than young adults, strenuous activities, accidents and improper body movements can cause you hip pain, too. Early intervention increases the odds that you won’t suffer long-term chronic pain. The pain management specialists at Redefine Healthcare in New Jersey are hip pain experts for diagnosing and treating your discomfort with a wide range of techniques. Call for an appointment today.

Hip pain makes your life miserable. Your Redefine Healthcare pain management doctors in NJ specializes in finding a solution whether your pain occurs while you’re standing, sitting or trying to sleep. Knowing the exact location of your hip pain helps your doctor determine the underlying cause and tailor an effective treatment.

Since so many things can cause hip pain, including both traumatic injuries and painful diseases, you should seek treatment right away.

Consequences of untreated hip pain may leave you unable to walk, run, and twist your upper body. Talk to a hip pain specialist in our NJ pain clinic to protect these strong, load-bearing joints so you remain mobile.

Types of Hip Pain

Causes for your hip pain can include several forms of arthritis, fractures, dislocations, sprains, hernias and sciatica. In general, hip pain falls into one of three categories:

1. Hip flexor pain. This pain usually occurs on the outside of your hip, down your upper thigh, or along your buttocks. These symptoms point to an injury or problem with soft tissue, such as your muscles, ligaments or tendons. Hip injuries, such as hip tendonitis, may result in this type of pain.
2. Hip joint pain. This pain usually feels deeper. It occurs mostly on the inside of your hip and into your groin area. The result of the deterioration of the joint through aging and arthritis, the pain comes from a band of cartilage-like tissue that rims the outer portion of your hip socket. Called the hip labrum, it supports and deepens the socket. A labral tear comes from injury or overuse.
3. Referred hip pain. The paths of your body’s nerves sometimes cause hip pain when other areas are compromised. Diseases like cancer or diabetes — or conditions such as low back pain, a pinched nerve or a herniated disc in your spine — may cause hip pain, which your doctor diagnoses as referred pain.

Symptoms of Hip Pain

Hip pain may appear in a number of less severe ways, including:

• As a dull ache that strengthens or burns with movement or pressure
• The discomfort that eases with certain positions, such as standing, but becomes worse in others such as lying on your side
• Feeling relief through gentle exercise like walking that loosens tight muscles, but is aggravated by excessive exercise or repetitive motions

If your hip pain isn’t relieved in a few days with rest, over-the-counter pain medicines, and ice or heat, visit Redefine Healthcare for treatment. A long list of potential problems may contribute to your hip pain, so be as open and honest as possible with your doctor regarding your symptoms. If the pain becomes intense and is accompanied by swelling, fever, chills, deformity of the joint or an inability to stand or move your leg, seek immediate medical attention.

Hip Pain Treatment

The good news is that most hip pain treatment involves a combination of self-care, physical therapy and medication. Surgery is rarely needed. Your New Jersey joint specialist begins with conservative treatments. Treatment for hip pain includes:

• Activity modification. Cease certain activities to allow your body time to heal. Limit golfing, tennis, contact sports and possibly even climbing stairs until your hip pain recedes. This is especially helpful hip flexor pain treatment.
• Assistive devices. Even young people with repetitive motion injuries to their hips may require assistive walking devices, such as canes, crutches or walkers for the short-term.
• R.I.C.E. Most athletes are aware of the healing method that includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. Use this treatment until you can check with your doctor about a diagnosis.
• Physical therapy. PT provides you with knowledge about proper movement and lifting techniques, administers therapeutic massage and manipulation, and teaches strengthening and stretching exercises to provide the best support possible for compromised muscles or joints.
• Medication. Your doctor suggests medication to be taken topically, orally or by injection. For milder and temporary pain, over-the-counter pain relievers help ease pain. More severe conditions, such as fractures or infections, may require prescription opioids for a short time. Intravenous medications for rheumatoid arthritis or infections also prove effective.
• Surgical intervention. Surgery represents a last resort in all but the most serious cases. Fractures and osteoarthritic deterioration of the joint requires open hip surgery to implant screws or replace the entire hip joint. Your doctor repairs hip labral tears using a surgical technique called arthroscopy, inserting surgical cameras and tools through small incisions.

FAQ

If you’ve experienced hip pain in the past, your Redefine Healthcare pain specialist may suggest changing your sports activities to more low-impact options, such as swimming or biking, to keep from re-injuring your hip. You learn stretching and diet options through physical therapy and nutritionists. Proper footwear also cushions your hips and other joints. Contact your best NJ pain management doctors today about your hip pain symptoms, treatment options, and prevention suggestions.