What Does Hip Pain Signify?

Most people know that sometimes when one's leg hurts, it can be due to some problem in the hip region. Also, most people ignore hip pain and brand it as muscle pain or muscle pulls. Pain in the hip is also, often, wrongly associated with old age. However, people of all ages can suffer from this kind of pain. The pain in the hips is caused due to various reasons that range from factors relating to age to game injuries. If you are suffering from hip pain and are not aware of the cause, read on to do away with all the misconceptions surrounding hip pain, by getting to know about the causes, symptoms and treatments.

Causes

Let's have a look at some of the causes so that you can have a better understanding of hip pain.

• In elderly people, hip pain shows up as a symptom of arthritis. If this is the case then, arthritis medication can help reduce the pain.
• Osteoporosis is also another prime reason for hip pain, especially in aging women. Another cause is hip fractures, these can occur due to an injury, or as a result of osteoporosis.
• Another condition, known as osteonecrosis, is also responsible for hip pain. In this case, the bone is starved of oxygen due to restriction in the blood flow to the bone.
• Bursa are fluid filled sacs situated near the joints in the body. When inflammation of these fluid filled sacs occurs, it is known as bursitis, which can also result in hip pain with every movement of the bone. Another condition known as tendonitis, leads to hip pain due to inflamed tendons. In most cases, this is caused due to excessive exertion of muscle and is most common in athletes and regular gym goers.
• Certain back and spine problems may show hip pain as a symptom and in such cases, the treatment of the root cause can offer relief. An overexerted muscle in lower back can also lead to hip pain.

Hence, we can surmise that there are three main causes; first, being an injury due to overexertion, second being pain caused due to certain diseases and disorders and lastly, pain caused to an injury to the area near the hip.

Types

The pain in the hip is caused due to different problems; while one may purely be a sports injury, the other maybe an infection.

Right Hip Pain: This is pain that occurs around the groin region. The main reason for this pain is a sports related injury. The pain is mainly due to muscle pull or hernia. Right hip pain includes sharp-shooting pain in the groin while lifting heavy things and intense pain that inhibits one to run or jump. Other symptoms include swelling, bruising, muscle pain and muscle spasms.

Outer Hip Pain: The main symptom of this kind of pain is stiffness in the joints and joint pain. People suffering from this kind of pain find it difficult to lie down on the side that is hurting, the movement of rolling over is also difficult. Any form of exertion, like climbing stairs or walking can make the pain intense. The pain is usually dull, but can shift to an intense pain with any signs of exertion. A common giveaway of outer hip pain symptom is the pain caused while sitting on hard surfaces for too long.

Lower Back and Hip Pain: This kind of pain is most common in elderly people. The causes of lower back and hip pain can be an irritation or injury to the nerves in the lower back area. One of the primary reasons for pain is a problem with the fluid-filled sacs that help the joint move smoothly. A fracture is also another cause of lower back and hip pain. If the pain is due to a problem with the nerves in the area, the condition is known as sciatica. In this case, the symptoms of lower back and hip pain are unbearable leg pain or pain in the foot. The pain starts at the hip and descends beyond the knees into the lower leg. In rare cases, bladder or bowel problems also accompany pain in the lower back.

Treatment

When it comes to treatment there are many options that are available. One can start with home remedies, opt for surgery, or if the cause of the pain is a disease, then one can get relief by directly treating the disease.

Home Remedies: If you are suffering from hip pain and are overweight, the first thing you need to do is lose weight. When one is suffering from hip pain, it is imperative to wear the right kind of shoes, as uncomfortable shoes can aggravate injury. To get relief from, it is advised to apply heat to the affected area with a heating pad or a hot towel. Simple over the counter pain killers can minimize pain too. If the pain can be felt in a muscle on the hip, a general ointment for sprains and muscle pulls can also help.

Surgical Remedy: In case of a hip fracture, a surgery is carried out where either the affected part is replaced with a prosthetic, or the affected part is retained and another prosthetic is placed to assist the muscle or bone function better. In medical terms, the former is called a hip replacement surgery while the latter is called hip resurfacing surgery.

Antibiotics and Physiotherapy: If the pain is caused due to some infection in the hip region, then a course of antibiotics can help reduce the pain. On the other hand, physiotherapy can greatly help in reducing pain and making the bone stronger, especially post surgery.

These days, a lot of progress has been made in the field of medicine. As time goes by, the treatment and the medication for hip pain is steadily improving. Soon a time will come when the elderly won't have to worry about climbing up a flight of stairs, but till then take care!