The five most common causes of hip pain

Since most movement involves your hips, having hip pain can affect your quality of life. Hip pain can be sudden or come on gradually. The pain may even be present one day and then gone the next. For some, hip pain is connected with certain types of movements like walking for a long distance, bending over or climbing stairs. As time goes on, the pain may become worse and continue even when you are sitting or sleeping. The duration of the pain can also increase from a few hours a day to all day.

For most people, the pain begins in the groin or on the side or back of the hip. It can extend down the front of the thigh and even into the knee. The pain can also feel like a stiffness or tightness. There are many reasons for hip pain but these are the five most common causes, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Injury
If you fall and fracture a hip, there will be definite pain but there are also other types of injuries that will cause pain. Dislocation occurs when the bone slips out of the joint making it impossible or very difficult to move. Bursitis is another type of injury that can be caused by unusual intense exercise like walking a great distance. Bursitis occurs when the fluid filled sacs that keep the muscles and tendons from rubbing against the bone become inflamed. A labral tear is another type of injury that involves damage to the ring of cartilage that cushions the outside rim of the socket of the hip joint.

Pinched nerve
Sometimes hip pain is caused by a pinched nerve in the body. For example, sciatica is a pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. It is caused when the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated.

Cancer
Cancer that has formed somewhere in the body and advanced into the bones can cause hip pain. Bone cancer that begins in the bones can also cause hip pain. Leukemia, the cancer of the body’s blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system can also cause hip discomfort.

Disease
There are several diseases that can bring on hip pain. One is osteoporosis, a disease where the bones become weak and brittle and can affect the hips. Another disease, osteomyelitis which is an infection in a bone, can also cause hip pain.

Arthritis
A common source of hip pain is one of the many forms of arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis, which occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time in one of the many body joints including the hips resulting in painful movement. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually lead to bone erosion and joint deformity.

When to seek help
If rest, over-the-counter pain relievers or the application of ice or heat do not bring relief for your hip pain, it is time to make an appointment to see a doctor who can diagnose and treat the source of the pain. If your hip looks deformed, won’t move or is too painful to bear weight, it is time to find someone to drive you to the emergency room. Any swelling or signs of infection like a fever or redness should also be treated immediately in an emergency room.

Relieving hip pain
For many, relief for hip pain involves surgery to repair a fracture or to resurface or replace the hip joint. These surgeries require a time of recovery and rehabilitation for the best outcome. Whitehall of Deerfield can provide the highest level of care at their Elective Orthopedic Pavilion, a luxury destination for post-hospital rehabilitation.

Whitehall of Deerfield’s Elective Orthopedic Pavilion features a state-of-the-art orthopedic gym specially designed for those recovering from joint replacement surgery. A team of highly skilled therapists work one-on-one with guests to regain their ability to return to an active lifestyle Guests have access to equipment like the Kinesis® One, a functional training station to improve strength, balance and flexibility as well as an APT restorator bike to help with range of motion. There is also a computerized balance gym for balance and weight bearing testing and training.

At Whitehall of Deerfield’s Elective Orthopedic Pavilion, guests enjoy all-private rooms with luxurious amenities including high-speed wireless Internet, concierge service, daily delivery of Starbucks coffee and newspaper, dozens of cable channels with a 24-hour channel of newly released movies and even valet parking for visitors.

Guests can also enjoy a wide-ranging choice of cuisine from selective menus as well as a variety of dining settings. An on-site ice cream parlor and coffee shop offer fresh baked goods in the mornings and ice cream treats in afternoon as well as gourmet coffee all day long.

The Elective Orthopedic Pavilion at Whitehall of Deerfield offers a free orientation on the third Tuesday of every month where you’ll meet their team of experts and discover what it takes to recover successfully.

To learn more or schedule a tour, visit whitehallofdeerfield.com or call 847-945-4600.