What to Do About Lasting Hip Pain

Hip pain is often thought of as an “older person’s problem,” but you can have hip pain at any age or physical fitness level. Constant or chronic hip pain can lead to limited mobility and decreased quality of life. 

At The Spine and Sports Center at The Galleria in Houston, Sugar Land, and the Willowbrook/Cy-Fair area of Texas, Dr. Benoy Benny can diagnose the true cause of your hip pain and create a medical management or surgical plan to help you live your best life. 

Determine the cause of your hip pain

The two most common causes of hip pain are injuries and arthritis. 

Hip injury

Maybe you were in a vehicular accident or perhaps you suffered a sport-related injury. In either case, you can have both immediate hip pain and problems later in life due to reinjury of the same hip.

Arthritis

You may also suffer from arthritis at any age. Arthritis can be the result of repetitive motion injury that’s common in house painters, golfers, and other people who constantly swivel their hips. Osteoarthritis is caused by normal wear-and-tear and is the most frequent cause of hip pain in older adults. 

Other causes of lasting hip pain

If your pain isn’t due to an injury or arthritis, Dr. Benny may diagnose you with chronic or acute hip pain stemming from another cause, such as:

• Bursitis
• Hip impingement
• Hip dysplasia
• Labral tears
• Synovitis
• Tendonitis

In some cases, the problem isn’t really in the hip at all. You could have referred pain that originates from a pinched nerve in your spine but manifests as pain in your hip.  

Get treatment for hip pain

Dr. Benny will review your medical history, perform a physical exam, and talk to you about your symptoms. If necessary, he’ll order further diagnostic tests, such as an X-ray of your hip or an MRI. 

Once he identifies the root cause of your hip pain, Dr. Benny creates your treatment plan. Depending on your condition, your plan might include:

• Lifestyle changes, such as exercise or weight loss
• Physical therapy, stretches, and strengthening routines
• Massage therapy
• Hot and cold therapy
• Pain relief through oral medications
• Antiinflammatory injections of corticosteroids

Surgery is typically a last resort for hip pain. 

Do you need hip surgery?

Dr. Benny will go over your options with you. In some cases, hip pain can be resolved with an arthroscopic surgery that uses tiny incisions and tools to access the joint and repair it. 

If your hip joint is too badly damaged, it can be repaired with a total hip replacement to restore mobility and resolve lasting hip pain.

You don’t have to suffer from constant hip pain. Call our nearest location or book a visit online today.