10 Hip Pain Remedies – Center for Spine and Ortho

It’s important to treat hip pain immediately to avoid issues in the future.  Below is a list of 10 hip pain remedies you can do to remedy the discomfort.  Continue reading to learn more about relieving hip pain.  

Hip pain is a problem that plagues most people at some time in their lives. There are many causes of hip pain, including joint disorders and overuse. Regardless of the reason, hip pain can be frustrating and even debilitating for some patients. Whether it is a minor annoyance or a barrier to your daily activities, it is important to treat this condition right away. Untreated hip pain can lead to physical compensation that may cause additional back or leg pain. While you should always consult your doctor to make sure a more serious underlying issue is not the problem, many remedies will decrease pain and increase your ability to live normally.

1. Exercise
It’s important to have a regular exercise routine for many reasons, and decreasing hip pain is one of them. If you are not currently in pain, exercise can help strengthen your muscles and increase your range of motion, allowing you to avoid this injury. If your hip pain is already present, you should consider modifying your exercises to ones that are less stressful on your joints. This includes walking on a flat trail or treadmill and doing yoga that does not overextend the hip joint. Another great way to exercise is to walk or perform aerobic exercises in shallow water, such as in a community or recreation center pool.

2. Over-the-Counter Pain Medicine
If you have mild to moderate hip pain, anti-inflammatory medication may help you feel better. These drugs reduce inflammation, which can decrease pain in joints and muscles. They are typically inexpensive and readily available, and many can be purchased in “PM” formulas that include a sleep aid if your hip problems keep you awake at night. However, long-term use of NSAIDs has been linked to stomach and liver problems, so be sure to consult your doctor if you plan to take them for more than a few days at a time.

3. Get Some Rest
It seems obvious, but many patients still need to be reminded to get some rest. Hip pain is a serious symptom that can be managed much more easily when you do not consistently re-aggravate the injury. Resting does not mean that you must cease all activity and stay in bed, but you should limit any activity that involves moving the injured hip in a way that will prevent the injury from healing. For example, exercise that involves the hip, such as running, should be avoided. Conversely, be sure to move frequently enough that your hip does not feel stiff or sore from inactivity.

4. Apply Ice
Most physicians recommend using an ice pack on the injured hip in 15-minute increments throughout the day. Ice can reduce inflammation and dull nerve endings, making pain less bothersome. If you do not have an ice pack, you can use any cold, malleable item to have the same effect. Many patients use frozen vegetables or similar items, although you should be careful not to defrost anything that you plan to eat in the future. Ice should be applied only when wrapped in a cloth or towel, to avoid frostbite and other skin irritations.

5. Use Compression
Compression is one of the most important steps in most overuse injuries. After icing the injury, wrap your hip and pelvic area in a compression bandage. You can also use an ace bandage or any other sports wrap. Compression can help damaged muscles recover faster by increasing circulation. In many cases, seeing and feeling the bandage can also remind you of the injury, which forces you to remember to rest and care for your hip. Compression is typically used for acute pain caused by injury, but your doctor can tell you if hip pain related to arthritis may also benefit from this technique.

6. Elevate the Injury
It isn’t easy to elevate your hip at home, but using a recliner can help. This allows blood to flow more easily between your hip and you heart and can reduce swelling. If you are unable to elevate the injury, you can take pressure off of your hip by laying on the opposite side of your body. This can prevent you from aggravating the injury while sleeping. In general, be aware of your posture and avoid positions that may stress the joint. Whenever possible, elevate your leg as much as you can.

7. Apply Heat
If you have joint pain caused by arthritis, heat will help to reduce hip pain. It will feel therapeutic to take hot baths and showers, so take advantage of this inexpensive and easy remedy. If your hip pain is too severe to stand or sit in the bathtub, and you have chronic joint issues, you should consider installing a shower bench or chair. Heating pads and similar treatments can also help with joint pain caused by arthritis or injury. Some causes, however, may be irritated by heat. Consequently, you should speak with your doctor before using this remedy.

8. Do Stretches
There are many stretches that can be used to treat hip pain. A physical therapist can help you to determine which stretches are the best for your specific type of pain. The most common use gentle motions to stretch your hip muscles without aggravating the joint, and typically involve kneeling or crouching. If you are unable to participate in these stretches due to other health issues, your doctor can recommend something easier on your knees and legs. Stretches are best for those with hip pain caused by bursitis or those who are recovering from an injury.

9. Lose Weight
One of the most common causes of hip pain is being overweight. If your hip pain is not caused by an injury or other issues, it may be helpful to lose weight. A diet and exercise plan can help you with this remedy. Eat foods that are healthy, like vegetables and lean meat, and avoid processed sugars and carbohydrates. Even if you cannot work out due to your pain, you should do light aerobic activities, water exercises, or walk several times each week. Drinking more water and less sugary drinks can also help you to shed pounds and decrease pain levels.

10. Surgery
Most patients with hip pain will never need surgery, but this is a final option for those who have tried more conservative options and found no relief. In most cases, hip pain will be present for years before repair or replacement surgery is necessary. This is more common in cases where arthritis is present, and degeneration has occurred. Surgeons can also remove bone spurs, which are often very painful and difficult to treat without surgery. Your doctor can help you to determine whether surgery is necessary, but since it is very invasive and typically requires a lengthy recovery period, other treatment options should be exhausted before you go down this path

Original article can be found on facty.com

If you have tried conservative treatment, but your hip continues to be painful, call the Center for Spine and Orthopedics at 303-287-2800 for an appointment with Dr. Oscar Noel

Home Remedies for Hip Pain

You may have been born with two left feet, but when your hip pain acts up, you can relieve the ache the same way dancers do. When members of the Washington Ballet have hip pain, they use a home remedy called the RICE method — this stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation — to relieve the pain and get back to their art form.

Amy Humphrey, DPT, a physical therapist and spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association, works with the Washington Ballet and advises dancers to use home remedies such as RICE when hip pain sidelines them.

Using RICE for Hip Pain Relief

Anyone can use the RICE method, whether your goal is to slip on a pair of pointe shoes or a pair of sneakers for a daily walk. Here’s what to do.

• Rest. The first thing Humphrey tells her patients is to rest, which means avoiding the activities that cause the pain. “It might mean runners stop running for a week and then start back up at a reduced pace and see how it goes,” Humphrey says. She recommends resting for at least 24 to 48 hours.
• Ice. Applying an ice pack to the area where you’re feeling the pain can reduce inflammation and make your hip feel better. If hip pain is very intense, Humphrey recommends using ice four or five times a day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. An ice pack can be anything from a plastic baggie filled with ice to a bag of frozen vegetables (peas are great). Wrap a towel around the ice pack to avoid irritating your skin.
• Compression. Humphrey uses compression by wrapping a thick Ace bandage around the pelvis and hip.
• Elevation. Elevating a painful joint can reduce swelling and help relieve pain. It’s easier to elevate your ankle or knee than your hip, but it’s still possible. Humphrey recommends reclining with your feet up to try to get the benefits in your hip.

When you get back to your old activity level, how do you know if you’re working too hard? Any sharp or shooting pain is not a good sign, adds Humphrey. Also, when hip pain comes during exercise or another activity and lingers for hours or days later, don’t keep going. It’s normal to have some muscle soreness a day after exercising, but the soreness should go away as you move throughout the day.

Strectches That Ease Hip Pain

Stretching and exercising can also help, as long as you’re not experiencing too much pain when you do them. The Arthritis Foundation recommends the following stretch after walking:

Once you’ve cooled down by walking at a slow pace for five minutes, stand with your right side facing a wall. Put your right hand against the wall and slightly bend your right elbow. Then pick up your left foot and cross it over your right foot. As you keep your right leg straight and your left leg slightly bent, slowly move your right hip toward the wall and hold the stretch without bouncing. You should feel the stretch in your right outer hip and thigh.

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To repeat the stretch on the opposite side, turn so that your left side is facing the wall. Cross your right foot over the left and lean in toward the wall with your left hip, being sure to keep your left leg straight and your right leg slightly bent.

Exercise for Hip Pain Relief

Exercise increases the range of motion in your joint and strengthens the muscles around your hip, but the type of exercise you choose is very important when you have hip pain. To protect your hip joint, these exercises are the preferred choices, according to the Arthritis Foundation:

• Walking in a shallow pool
• Walking on a flat surface, whether it’s outside or on a treadmill
• Swimming (being sure to kick gently)
• Taking a bike ride or riding a stationary bike
• Doing yoga
• Strengthening your upper body

What to Avoid With Hip Pain

It’s best to skip these activities when you have hip pain:

• Running
• Exercises that involve moving your leg away from your body, which may include some yoga poses and Pilates exercises
• Doing squats with heavy weights (although squatting using a wall for support or while holding a bar without weights across your shoulders is okay)

When hip pain interferes with your daily life, it’s good to know that there are things you can do to get relief at home.

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Hip pain: what can be done at home?

Many people experience joint pain during their lifetime. This problem is especially relevant for those involved in professional sports and for the elderly. There are many reasons for this symptom. It is important not to ignore such signs, consult a doctor in time, undergo the prescribed examinations and follow the recommendations indicated by the doctor.

Why does hip pain occur?

Joints systematically endure enormous loads, especially during physical exercise and sports training. With age, cartilage and articular tissue wears out and becomes thinner. The hip joints are distinguished by a complex anatomical structure, the nerve channels are branched. That is why, with the development of any pathologies in this area, pain is given to the lower extremities, lower back or groin. This creates certain difficulties in diagnosis. It is not uncommon for people to think that it is pain in the back or in other joints, but not in the hip.

One of the most common factors in the development of joint diseases is a systematic high load. Another reason includes chronic or recent injuries, bruises, dislocations or fractures. A frequent problem is a fracture of the femoral neck or the destruction of its tissues, a fracture of the sacral bones. A severe bruise, sprain of muscles or ligaments – all this acts as a provoking factor in the development of various pathological processes.

Sometimes cartilage fibers are mechanically abraded. Such a process is observed in those people who regularly perform hard physical work, go in for professional sports. Congenital anomalies in the structure of the hip joint also adversely affect its function. In the inflammatory process, nerve fibers and tissues are affected. In violation of blood circulation, the tissues of the joint, bone fibers begin to gradually collapse.

When endocrine system functions are disturbed, the following pathological processes develop:

• arthritis, arthrosis, coxarthrosis – these pathologies are accompanied by abrasion, inflammation of cartilage tissues and outer membranes of bone tissues;
• bursitis is an acute inflammatory process that develops against the background of trauma, mechanical damage or internal infectious processes. This inflammation develops in the joint bag, accompanied by intense pain, swelling;
• tendinitis – the development of this disease is characterized by inflammation of the ligaments. Usually, the inflammatory process affects not only the hip joint, but the entire limb to the very foot;
• Tumors that put pressure on nerve fibers.

Pain may occur in different parts of the hip joint. By localizing the pain syndrome, the doctor can determine the presence of a specific disease. With the appearance of pain in the groin area and inside the thigh, one can judge the development of diseases of the joint itself. If pain appears in the upper parts of the thighs, in the buttocks, it can be judged that pathologies of soft tissues and nerve fibers are developing.

In order to properly treat hip pain, it is important to identify the root cause of the symptoms. It is necessary to contact a traumatologist or orthopedist in a timely manner, strictly follow the indicated recommendations. Only in this case, the prognosis will be favorable, regardless of the established pathology.

Causes

There are many causes of pain in the hip joint. They are classified into different types.

Diseases caused by inflammatory syndrome accompanied by damage to the soft articular tissues:

• rheumatoid arthritis;
• septic arthritis;
• articular bursitis;
• Bechterew’s disease;
• tendonitis or tendovaginitis.

Pathologies in which pain radiates to the hip joint:

• calcification of the muscles of the buttocks;
• paresthetic meralgia;
• enthesopathy.

Spinal diseases of degenerative-dystrophic type:

• osteochondrosis;
• coxarthrosis.

Congenital pathologies that develop in childhood:

• osteochondropathy;
• joint dysplasia;
• subluxations;
• epiphyseliosis;

Pathologies accompanied by the development of an infectious process:

• tuberculous arthritis;
• articular syphilis;
• fungal arthritis.

Mechanical damage and pathology caused by deformation of articular tissues:

• dislocations of articular tissues;
• fractures of the femoral neck;
• postoperative complications;
• contusion of soft and articular tissues.

Other causes of an unpleasant symptom are:

• tumor-like processes in the hip joint itself or in other organs with metastatic lesions of the joint;
• tissue death of the hip joints;
• piriformis syndrome.

Depending on the provoking factor and the stage of development of the disease, the intensity of pain will be different. Additional symptoms also appear that allow more accurate diagnosis of the disease.

Depending on age

Osteoarthritis is the most common age-related disease associated with general aging of the body, wear and tear of cartilage and joint tissues. It is characterized by the development of degenerative processes in the articular apparatus. It most often develops in patients over 45 years of age.

Articular cartilage wears out and is no longer an additional protective shell for the joint. In this case, the bones are in contact with the joint. This causes an inflammatory process, which is accompanied by increasing pain.

Other types of pathologies that can develop due to wear and tear of cartilage and articular tissues are:

• bursitis;
• arthritis;
• arthrosis;
• osteochondrosis;
• osteoarthritis;
• tendovaginitis;
• fracture of the femoral neck;
• hip dislocation;
• coxarthrosis;
• femoroacetabular syndrome.

Bursitis

The development of this disease is characterized by an inflammatory process. Localization of the pathological process is the bag of the hip joint. The main symptoms that indicate the possible presence of bursitis are severe pain, inflammation.

Characterized by the appearance of intensely pronounced painful sensations that occur in the gluteal region or on the back of the thigh. The pain syndrome intensifies when a person lies on the inflamed area, sits, presses, goes up or down the stairs. The causes of the development of the inflammatory process are a bruise or a blow to the thigh, a heavy load, light or weightlifting, a long stay in an upright position, and poor posture. At night, the pain becomes more pronounced. Symptoms usually develop quickly.

Osteoarthritis

This disease is caused not only by natural age processes in the body, but also by a strong load on the joints, which appears during physical activity, sports, in the presence of obesity. Another factor in the development of the disease is arthritis, a hereditary tendency.

The very first symptom of osteoarthritis is dysfunction of the joint. A person experiences discomfort, it becomes difficult for him to move fully. Additionally, during physical activity, pain syndrome occurs, stiffness in the joint appears. Later, as the pathological process develops, a person tries to shift the load to a healthy leg in order to reduce the severity of pain, and begins to limp. The severity of pain varies, sometimes the intensity decreases, but most often the pain is present, it becomes more intense with exercise.

There is no cure for this disease. With timely therapy, it is possible to stop the further development of the pathological process, improve the performance of a person’s life.

Fracture of the femoral neck

Most often, such an injury occurs in old age. The risk group includes people with osteoporosis. In this case, the bones become more fragile. Even a slight bruise or a fall from a small height can provoke a fracture. Young people suffer from a fracture due to severe injuries.

Fracture of the femoral neck is accompanied by severe aching or acute pain in the thigh, groin, lower back. It gets worse when you try to move.

Dislocation of the hip joint

Such an injury is most common in people who play professional sports. Other provoking conditions include a fall from a height, an accident. Usually the pain syndrome is very pronounced, the patient cannot move the limb.

If this pathology is accompanied by damage to the nerve bundles, tissue numbness may occur. Depending on the localization, the dislocation can be anterior or posterior. In this case, the doctor sets the joint, prescribes anti-inflammatory therapy.

Subluxation

This pathology most often occurs in elderly people – after 55 years. The injury is caused by a fall or bruise. A complication of subluxation is necrosis or infection of the tissues. The main manifestations of subluxation are:

• pronounced pain syndrome, which becomes more intense when moving the limb;
• pain when touched;
• limb becomes shorter than the other.

Rheumatism

This disease is of autoimmune origin and is genetically transmitted. Most often diagnosed in women.

Clinical signs:

• the appearance of pain in the joints of the limb, which intensifies in the evening and at night;
• a sharp onset of pain and a sharp subsidence – this is observed in the first stages of the development of rheumatism;
• gradually the pathology spreads to all joints;
• red skin, swelling occurs;
• feeling stiff in the morning;
• pain in the pelvis radiates to the groin, buttocks.

This disease develops slowly, the symptoms appear gradually, as the pathological process worsens.

Arthritis

This disease is characterized by damage to cartilage tissues. As the disease progresses, the joints, muscles, and tendons are affected. These degenerative processes are accompanied by the appearance of pain. It is present constantly, more often it is aching in nature. Additionally, there is swelling in the thigh, synovial fluid begins to accumulate in the joint bag.

The causes of the development of the disease are trauma, infectious process, metabolic disorders in tissues.

Infections

Infectious causes of pain in the hip joint include:

• Septic arthritis – development is rapid. The causative agents are Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, and other microorganisms. Additional provoking factors are the presence of diabetes mellitus, advanced age, cirrhosis, malignant tumors, sexually transmitted diseases. Signs of the disease are hyperthermia, severe joint pain, drowsiness and weakness.
• Tuberculous arthritis. The development of the pathological process occurs gradually. At first, there is a slight pain, gradually it increases. With the defeat of the bone articular tissues, pain intensifies. The disease is manifested by fever, malaise, sweating.
• Syphilis.
• Fungal arthritis.
• Osteonecrosis.

Tendinitis

This is an inflammatory process in the muscles of the joint. Appears as a result of previous injuries, prolonged physical exertion.

Manifested by pain in the hip joint, which most often occurs when walking for a long time, while squatting.

Which doctor treats?

In the event of unpleasant symptoms, it is recommended to visit a doctor as soon as possible:

• neurologist;
• orthopaedist;
• traumatologist;
• therapist;
• rheumatologist.

First, the patient goes to the therapist, after which, based on complaints and anamnestic data, the doctor refers him to narrow specialists to find out the cause.

Diagnostics

The main methods of diagnostics are:

• radiography;
• computed tomography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• ultrasound;
• laboratory tests of blood and urine.

After determining the disease, the doctor will prescribe drugs for the treatment of the hip joint.

How to treat pain in the hip joint?

If the hip joint is painful, treatment depends on the pathology found. The doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, physiotherapy. If necessary, surgical intervention is performed.

What can be done at home?

If acute pain occurs, lie down, call an ambulance, or seek medical attention yourself. You can also drink an anesthetic drug once.

It is very important not to ignore the pain in the pelvis and consult a doctor in time to find out the cause and start timely treatment.

Treatment of joints with folk remedies. Treatment with gelatin

August 31, 2018

Joint pain, regardless of its cause (inflammation or injury), is a real test even for strong-willed people. Nevertheless, self-medication is very common in our society.

It is not rare that in the early stages of such dangerous joint diseases as arthritis and arthrosis, people simply try not to pay attention to pain. And when it intensifies, they try to alleviate it with a variety of ointments, ointments and massages. Thus, negligent patients block some of the symptoms, get the appearance of relief and postpone going to the doctors even further. The result is often the disability of a person who could be cured if he got to the doctors in a not so neglected condition.

Is it possible to cure inflamed joints with folk remedies? Can they harm? Is it worth trusting only official medicine. Let’s discuss this in more detail.

Treatment of joints with folk remedies

Of course, it would never occur to anyone to treat a joint with herbal decoctions if it hurts due to an injury. Then patients usually immediately turn to a traumatologist and strictly follow all his recommendations. However, for some reason, if the nature of the occurrence of pain in the joint is not clear (for example, there was no obvious injury), people stop rushing to the doctors and decide to “get out” on their own.

You can find the following methods of treating joints with folk remedies:

• Massage
• Rubbing with homemade ointments
• Application of plants to a sore spot (burdock, nettle)
• Steaming in herbal or turpentine bath
• Warming up a diseased joint
• Taking dietary supplements

And that’s not counting such non-standard methods as urine therapy and other “inventions” of traditional medicine.

Some of these methods may provide some benefit, but only as an adjunct to the main therapy and only with the approval of the attending physician!

For example, a good massage can relieve pain, but you can only trust it to a professional who will not make the patient worse.

But warming up the joints is fraught with the development of even more inflammation, so it is categorically contraindicated in most cases! Not to mention biologically active additives (BAA), the effectiveness of which has not been clinically proven.

Treatment of joints with gelatin

Another very popular method of self-treatment is the daily intake of gelatin according to a certain scheme. There is a certain sense in this, because gelatin is a source of collagen, which provides elasticity and strength to connective tissues.

However, many “folk doctors” are silent about the fact that gelatin can give a certain effect only in the initial stages of arthrosis, and even better – for prevention at all for those who are at risk. When the joint begins to deform due to the degenerative process, treating the joints with gelatin will no longer help. Unless it relieves the pain a little, which will encourage the patient to postpone the start of a full-fledged medical treatment. Naturally, a person will lose precious time, and the processes will become irreversible.

In addition, the treatment of joints with gelatin has many contraindications. Among them are stones in the gallbladder or kidneys, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, constipation and hemorrhoids, thrombosis, atherosclerosis.

What is the danger of treating joints with folk remedies?

Why is self-treatment dangerous? Any rheumatologist can tell many cases from his practice, when patients turned to him for help already at very advanced stages. And before that, confident in the miraculousness of traditional medicine, they alternately tried several remedies at the same time. For example, they warmed the joints when it was contraindicated, prescribed the wrong drugs to themselves, damaging the kidneys and liver. Some drugs temporarily relieved pain, and people believed that this is how a full-fledged treatment takes place.

The disease turns into a chronic form after a few months, and it is much more difficult and longer to treat a neglected disease. If at all possible.

Therefore, do not risk your health and consult a qualified doctor. He will definitely prescribe diagnostics in the form of an X-ray examination of the joints (in this case, the most informative method is MRI of the joints) and laboratory tests to determine the degree of inflammation.