The appearance of pain in the hip joint should definitely warn, because this is the largest bone connection, without which the process of walking is impossible. It maintains balance, redistributes body weight between the spine and lower limbs. When the function of the hip joint is impaired, the patient's quality of life immediately decreases and his physical activity decreases.
If you feel pain in the hip joint, you need to determine the cause. The treatment of pain depends on the pathology of which it is a symptom. Complex measures and strict adherence to the recommendations will help get rid of the disease and maintain the motor activity of the joint.
Disruption of the hip joint makes active movement impossible. Reduced functionality limits the patient in terms of independent movement and performance.
So, what are the reasons for such unpleasant discomfort in the hip joint and how can it be treated at home? Let's try to understand it.
Reasons
Pain in the hip joint can occur for various reasons: due to damage to the joint itself, both on the right and left, as well as the adjacent bones, cartilage or ligaments. Numbness and restriction of movement throughout the thigh often occur with a painful symptom.
Hip diseases can occur at any age, but most often affect the elderly. If you experience pain, it is advisable to consult a general practitioner, he will schedule a primary examination and will recommend which doctor to go to.
The most common causes of hip pain are:
- sprains;
- fractures;
- infectious inflammation or arthritis;
- degenerative changes or osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis);
- aseptic necrosis of the femoral head;
- inflammation of the periarticular sac (bursitis);
- non-infectious inflammation in autoimmune connective tissue diseases;
- period of pregnancy.
The prevalence of pain in this location increases with age. If among young people under the age of 18 hip pain is found in 8-10%, then for middle-aged people this figure is 20-30%. At the age of 50-59, 40% already suffer from this, and among the elderly - from 50 to 60%. Women are more likely to suffer from this localization pain syndrome than men.
According to age
Pathological conditions characteristic of different age groups that cause pain in the hip joint:
- Elderly and elderly people. Osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis), injuries and deformities of the joint, compression of the acetabulum.
- Children and adolescents. Perthes' disease, transient synovitis, acquired varus deformity, tuberculous lesions, injuries and deformities of the joint.
- Newborns and infants under 1 year. Congenital dislocation of the hip joint, consequences of the generic pineal gland, acute purulent osteoarthritis, congenital varus deformities.
bursitis
The main signs of bursitis:
- with the development of the disease, the appearance of back pain;
- increased discomfort when moving the legs;
- increased pain after prolonged sitting, back pain;
- acute and burning pain, especially when lying on its side at night, spreading over the entire surface of the thigh.
Penetration of the infection can cause purulent bursitis, which is characterized by acute pain in the hip joint. A characteristic symptom of this type of bursitis is the inability to fully extend the leg. When pressed, a firmness is felt, which can spread over the large surface of the thigh. Maybe the appearance of back pain.
Osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis)
Coxarthrosis is based on degenerative (destruction) and dystrophic (malnutrition) processes in the hip joint. As a result, the joint ceases to perform its functions - the movements of the legs are disrupted. It can be a disease in itself or develop with secondary joint damage (bone tumor). In old age, coxarthrosis develops again after a fracture of the thigh.
Depending on the severity of the changes in the joint, there are 3 stages of coxarthrosis.
- In stage 3, hip pain bothers patients even at rest, at night. Pronounced lameness, which forces the use of a cane.
- In stage 2 of coxarthrosis, the pain begins to radiate to the groin, inner and front of the thigh, often falling to the knee. They appear after the usual daily load, but at rest do not bother.
- Stage 1 is characterized by pain in the hip joint, which occurs under excessive load: walking up stairs with a load in hand, walking more than 2-3 kilometers, running. The sensations of pain disappear after a short rest.
The choice of methods for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip depends on the severity of the changes that have occurred in the joint. Grades 1 and 2 of the disease can be treated, as a rule, conservatively. Anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors, drugs that improve blood circulation in the joint, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises are prescribed. The last stage is treated only with the help of operations.
Thigh fracture
Very common injuries, especially in elderly people with weak bones. This condition is characterized by severe pain, inability to perform any movements in the joint.
In this case, hospitalization is necessary for proper treatment, as the fracture of the thigh is often complicated by an infectious process, such as bacterial arthritis and others. The addition of inflammation significantly impairs the healing of fractures and contributes to improper bone fusion.
Dislocation of the hip joint
It is most often the result of road accidents, and also occurs in falls and various occupational injuries.
Clinical manifestations of sprain: unbearable sharp pain, almost absolute difficulty in moving the lower extremities, with damage to nerve endings, loss of sensitivity of the foot and ankle joint. In bilateral dislocation of the joint, the symptoms are expressed in the form of intermittent claudication or the so-called "duck gait".
It is worth emphasizing such a concept as congenital dislocation of the hip joint, diagnosed in newborns. This disease is a consequence of the underdevelopment of the acetabulum, due to which the head of the femur falls out of bounds, thus forming a dislocation.
Subluxation
This is an incomplete loss of contact between the femoral head and the acetabulum. The person does not experience sharp pain, motor activity is slightly limited, but the unpleasant sensations are constant.
Rheumatism
Systemic connective tissue disease accompanied by damage to the joints and valvular apparatus of the heart. It is more common in girls and young women after streptococcal angina.
Approximately two weeks after the disease, severe pain appears in the large joints, which gradually decreases and disappears. Rheumatism does not cause permanent damage to the joints, its main danger is the development of acquired heart defects.
Arthritis
Arthritis is especially common in the elderly. The older a person is, the more processes can occur in his joints. There is discomfort in the legs and groin, cramps are felt in the front of the thigh and even reach the knee. Symptoms worsen when walking and resting on foot. It becomes difficult to get up from a sitting position, this causes severe pain in the hip joint.
Most often, the malaise increases in the morning, but decreases with physical activity. But with excessive loads, the unpleasant sensations increase and stiffness in the movements appears. Treatment depends on the diagnosis, anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and hormonal drugs are usually prescribed.
Infections
Infectious arthritis can be caused by viruses such as influenza, staphylococci, streptococci and others. . . In such cases, the disease develops rapidly. Fever begins, swelling is observed in the area of the affected joint. Acute pain in the hip joint is observed when moving and even touching the affected area.
Slightly different symptoms are observed in tuberculous arthritis, which most often affects the hip joint. In this case, the disease is felt gradually. At first, a person begins to worry about a slight pain when walking, radiating to the legs - the middle of the thigh or knee. As the disease progresses, the thigh is restricted in movement in all directions, the affected area swells.
Tendinitis
Tendonitis or tendinitis usually affects people who are exposed to high levels of regular physical activity. Most often these are athletes. It should be noted that this disease sometimes goes unnoticed, especially if the patient reduces the load on the hip joint. Conversely, with too active movements and heavy loads, the pain becomes very strong.
Tendinitis is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.
Which doctor treats?
You may need the help of these doctors if you have hip pain:
- Rheumatologist;
- traumatologist or orthopedist;
- Physiotherapist;
- neurologist.
The specialist will conduct an examination and examination of the patient, will prescribe a comprehensive examination.
Diagnosis
Laboratory and instrumental research methods:
- X-ray examination and ultrasound. They are the gold standard for almost all diseases of the hip joint.
- General blood test. This will make it possible to assess the general condition of the body.
- Biochemical blood test and specific markers of rheumatic diseases.
- Urine examination. The color, quantity, clarity and density of urine are determined. In addition, protein, glucose and bilirubin are important indicators.
- Morphological examination of biopsy specimens. It is used to study the structure of the material taken, especially in cases of suspected skeletal cancer.
- CT scan. Allows you to visualize the joint, bone tissue in several projections to determine its density.
- Magnetic resonance. Forms in thin layers body tissue in each plane.
- Osteoscintigraphy. With the introduction of osteotropic radiopharmaceuticals, the state of blood flow in bone tissue and the intensity of metabolic processes are visualized.
Pay attention to the reduction of joint mobility. Remember whether the disease was accompanied by fever, headache, local hyperemia, edema and other local manifestations. Do not be afraid to draw the attention of a specialist to the possible causes of the disease. Describe in detail everything that worries you.
How is hip pain treated?
What to do if you find painful symptoms in the hip area? After all, the pelvis is an important link in the musculoskeletal system. And if there is severe pain, you should immediately contact a specialist. It will help diagnose and identify the cause of the problem. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the more effective the treatment will be.
If you suspect that mild pain is associated with a minor injury or overload of the joints, the following measures can be taken:
- avoid stress on the inflamed joint, keep it calm;
- take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug;
- during sleep it is advisable to lie on your healthy side.
Drug treatment consists of complex medication in different directions:
- Chondoprotectors, mineral and vitamin complexes.
- Muscle relaxants that reduce the spasms that occur with pain.
- NSAIDs and steroids. Steroid drugs are prescribed only for severe symptoms.
- Means to improve microcirculation. They relieve swelling and hypoxic manifestations in the affected area.
- Diuretics to reduce swelling in the inflamed area.
Physiotherapy measures are also of great importance in the treatment of diseases of the hip joints. They are performed after the removal of acute inflammation and severe pain. Electrophoresis has been well established, which can create a high concentration of drugs directly in the affected area.
A progressive method is considered to be laser therapy, which produces analgesic, resorption and anti-inflammatory effects. Magnetotherapy, diode dynamotherapy and drug phonophoresis have also been used successfully.