Hip Pain Relief
Before taking steps for Hip Pain Relief, you need to understand the cause. Hip pain is a problem that especially affects older people. There are various reasons for occurrence of hip pain. Hip pain may occur due to arthritis, trauma and injury to the hip bones, tendonitis & many more. The form of treatment your hip pain needs depends completely on the intensity, cause & the nature of the problem you are suffering from. But before we start to tell you about various treatment methods, we must know the anatomy of the hip area to understand the problem in a better way.
Anatomy of the Hip Joint:
The hip joint is a ball & socket where the high bone meets the pelvis. Top of the high bone (femur) lies a round ball which fits perfectly in the socket of the pelvic bone. The ball is held in the socket by ligaments that form a capsule around the joint. The synovial fluid in the ligaments acts as lubricant for the hip joint.
Causes of Hip Pain:
It is very important to know the various causes of hip pain before taking any treatment measure. The causes of hip pain can be many. Hip pain can arise from structures that surround the hip joints or are within it. Arthritis is a big cause of hip joint pain. Osteoarthritis & rheumatoid arthritis are two common types of arthritis that affects the hip joints.
Tendonitis is another reason for hip pain. There are many tendons that surround the hip joints connecting the joints with the surrounding muscles. Due to overuse these tendons become inflated & cause pain around the hip joints.
Any fracture or breakage of the hip bones may also cause hip pain. Fractures of hip bones commonly occur in the elderly population. Osteoporosis in elderly people increases the risk of hip bone fracture.
Muscle strain is another reason for hip pain. Due to sudden awkward body movements or twist the muscle around the hip may strain & it causes pain around the hip. Groin & hamstring muscle pain are two injuries that result in hip pain & discomfort.
Hip Pain Relief: Treatment Options for Hip Pain
Methods of Hip Pain Relief:
Before you take any medicines for Hip Pain Relief, you must understand the cause of the pain. Only then you can properly treat the affected hip area. You can do that by figuring out which are the movements that you are having problems in doing. There are a number of things you can do for hip pain relief, if you are suffering from hip pain. They are:
● The first & foremost requirement is to rest the area which is paining. Make sure, no extra pressure or strain is put on that area.
● Hot & cold therapy is a good way to relieve hip pain. Use ice packs & heating pads alternately to reduce the pain. Ice is best when you are suffering from hip pain while heat prevents the pain from returning.
● You can do gentle stretching of the muscles around the hip. But make sure that the stretching exercises you do are only light & gentle in nature & does not put unnecessary pressure or strain on the hip muscles.
● Obesity can cause hip pain. In that case, you should shed the extra pounds that your body is carrying.
● If the pain you are having is of serious nature, then you can go for cortisone injections. But remember, cortisone injections should only be taken if the pain is of extreme nature. Otherwise, taking of cortisone injections should be avoided.
● In extreme cases surgeries may be required. For that, you would definitely have to take the advice of a doctor.
● Acupuncture has been seen to be helpful in treating hip pain. You can try out that option too.