It can be challenging to lead a quality life if you have chronic hip pain. This condition causes distress and inability to move. Many patients with chronic hip pain cannot complete tasks and thus have to ask for leave from work to treat their condition. Luckily, specialists develop various treatment plans that focus on relieving Naples hip pain and strengthening the joints to promote mobility and function.
Most patients with hip pain develop the condition due to an underlying condition. It is not uncommon for hip pain to occur associated with lumbar or knee joint pain. You need to receive an accurate diagnosis of your hip pain before starting treatment. Moreover, it would help if you worked with a certified physician to develop an ideal treatment approach to improve efficacy and relief of symptoms.
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Understanding the anatomy of the hip joint
Some of the essential facts about the hip joint are its type and function. This ball-and-socket synovial joint works to balance the wright in the upper and lower body to create mobility on a multiaxial plane. The fibrocartilage covering the acetabular rim, also known as the labrum, provides depth and stability to the hip joints.
Hip motion causes a lot of friction. Consequently, the hyaline cartilage covering the articular surfaces promotes smooth gliding during movements. The anterior and posterior ligaments supporting the hip joint are iliofemoral and pubofemoral, respectively. Furthermore, the muscles around the hip joint promote motion.
How do care providers examine the hip joint?
A physical examination of the hip joint is necessary to confirm a diagnosis. Your doctor will discuss your symptoms during your initial consultation to understand your concerns. Your doctor will look at and feel the joint during a comprehensive assessment of your condition. It is also necessary to examine a range of motion to detect any limitations resulting from the pain.
A blood test may be necessary to differentiate between infective and inflammatory causes of your pain. Your doctor might leverage imaging tests like x-ray if they suspect fractures or dislocation causes. The imaging test to confirm soft tissue abnormalities is MRI.
How to manage hip pain
There are different types of pain involved in hip pain. Pain emanating from the bone and synovium is nociceptive. Doctors relieve this pain by recommending peripheral inflammatory mediators and topical drugs. Neuropathic pain develops when there is an injury to the nerves. Your doctors should accurately categorize your pain to create an ideal solution to relieve your symptoms. Some of the most common types of hip pain and their treatments include:
- OA hip: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs effectively relieve this type of hip pain. Alternatively, your doctor may recommend glucosamine sulfate to reduce stiffness in the joint.
- Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: Physical therapy and NSAIDs are conservative treatment options for hip joint pain. To relieve the pain, a doctor may also administer ultrasound guided injection to the greater trochanteric bursa.
- Piriformis syndrome: Although NSAIDs can offer short-term relief, there is ongoing research on botulinum toxin injection’s effectiveness for the management of piriformis syndrome.
Contact Naples Regenerative Institute to learn the available hip pain treatments that you can consider to improve your symptoms.