Causes of hip pain and how to treat it

The skeletal structure of a person is characterized by a complex structure and includes many different elements. The hip joint is one of the largest and most load-bearing joints in the human musculoskeletal system. It is located at the junction between the femur and the pelvis. The joint has a special structure that ensures the freedom of movement of the limb in different directions. It is this joint that is involved in a person's ability to walk straight. With the appearance of unpleasant pain in the hip joint, its function is severely impaired leading to problems when moving or sitting. In some cases, there may be numbness in the limbs.

The main causes of pain

In order to start timely treatment of pathologies of the hip joint, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination as soon as possible to diagnose diseases and the causes of their manifestations. At the same time, the diagnosis can be difficult because the pain is caused by various problems - trauma, bone disease, underlying pathology of internal organs. The intensity and nature of the pain also vary. They can be both painful and stinging.

To the greatest extent, complaints of pain in the hip joint can be heard from patients over the age of 50. Moreover, such violations are often found in women. This refers to pathologies of the joints or hips.

Pain can be caused by factors that affect the state of the joints:

1. Problems of traumatic origin - fracture affecting the femoral neck, direct bruising of the joint area, severe hip dislocation. Myositis ossificans, which arise and progress as a result of trauma to the joint, can be uncomfortable and painful. Experts also note frequent pelvic fractures, the development of femoral resorption.
2. Damage to the connective tissue in the hip joint, which is caused by the development of Reiter's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis.
3. Pathological disorders of the joints, which occur against the background of degenerative processes in the tissue area. For example, we are talking about coxarthrosis.
4. Osteoarthritis manifestations caused by progression of osteoarthritis, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.
5. Aberrations in the development of the skeleton. This applies, for example, to varus deformities of the foot, typical of juvenile patients.
6. Inflammatory changes in soft joint tissues. These diseases include bursitis, transient synovitis, and rheumatoid arthritis caused by the action of tuberculous bacilli.

Traumatic causes of pain syndrome

With the appearance of pain in the hip joint, attention should be paid to pathologies of a traumatic nature that can cause them:

• Congenital damage to the hip in the form of a dislocation, which occurs as a result of an improper birth process or is formed at a prenatal stage of development of the child. Such violations can be quickly diagnosed in infants. They will have irregular butt folds and may show signs of a short leg. In some cases, a pinched nerve occurs. Experts recommend paying attention to signs of such a deviation, since the disease itself is considered dangerous. It often leads to the retention of the consequences of the trauma for the rest of life.
• Dislocation of the hip is traumatic - sharp pain occurs, as a result of which the ability to perform movements is lost. The patient is unable to assume an upright or sitting position. Edema and hematoma form in the affected joint area. If there are signs of hip dislocation, then any physical load is contraindicated. Sports during this period lead to deterioration of the patient's condition, which causes the development of negative changes and pathological disorders in the hip joint. With such wounds, treatment should be started immediately.
• Fractures of the femoral neck, usually characteristic of women over 60 years of age. This condition is caused by a fall or a direct blow to the hip joint area. When a bone is broken, the patient feels a sharp pain syndrome. Such pain will increase during movement. Gradually, the pain spread to the inner side of the thigh. At the site of injury appears swelling and hematoma. With a fracture, the limbs are shortened, the gait of a person is characterized by a limp, a clicking sound can be heard in the joint area. Injury often causes nerve compression, leading to thigh numbness.
• Pertrochanteric femoral fracture - accompanied by severe or moderate pain. As the patient moved, the pain began to become more intense. Possible consequences are nerve compression, causing back pain and numbness in the extremities.
• Bruising in the hip joint. The pain syndrome is moderate, but active movement can provoke its increase. In this case, the pain decreases and disappears when the patient rests. This element is considered the most common. Bruising is diagnosed in patients with frequent falls, especially in the elderly. The patient complains of a limp, but this symptom disappears relatively quickly.

Traumatic hip injury is considered by specialists to be the main cause of pain. With severe fractures and dislocations, in many cases, surgical intervention is indicated. Signs that require immediate hospitalization are pinched nerves and numbness in the limbs.

The influence of systemic diseases on the occurrence of pain

A frequent cause of pain in the hip joint when walking or in another part of the body is the development of systemic lesions of the connective tissue. For such pathologies, an ongoing course of treatment is required, since they belong to the group of practically incurable diseases. It is important to ensure a comprehensive treatment with an impact on the cause of onset and progression of pain and other symptoms.

Among the systemic conditions that can cause pain in the hip joint include:

1. Ankylosing spondylitis, which causes dull pain in the joints. Patients affected by this disease note an increase in negative symptoms at night. Usually the sensations are localized to the sacrum or pelvis. The pain syndrome can spread to the knee, thigh, and hip joints. Can take pictures often. In this state, walking and other movements are difficult, the patient shows stiffness. Pain in the thigh area is severe and the joint is affected by the inflammatory process.
2. Reiter's syndrome - accompanied by damage to the joints, as well as the organs of the genitourinary system. There is a parallel inflammatory process in the conjunctiva. This is an autoimmune disease caused by an intestinal infection. The development of the pathological process can begin weeks and even months after the pathogen enters the body. The patient complains of acute hip pain. Pain syndrome also affects joints. This causes an increase in body temperature. There is swelling in the pelvic area on the left and right sides. This pathology is often associated with the symmetrical nature of joint damage.
3. Rheumatoid arthritis, in which connective tissue damage is observed. The development of the disease does not cause the formation and release of purulent masses. Often, pathology becomes a harbinger of the possibility of developing coxarthrosis of the hip joint. The disease progresses gradually, although the initial symptoms are swelling and swelling. The patient begins to complain of discomfort when moving, pain is piercing. An inflammatory process takes place in the joint, which leads to a general and local increase in temperature. Further development of changes is accompanied by stiff movements, which trigger the pain syndrome in the side position. Pathology in most cases develops symmetrically. The destruction of the hip joint leads to nerve compression and numbness of the extremities. Rapid initiation of the course of treatment is required.

Systemic diseases often cause a lot of inconvenience to the patient. There are pains that vary in intensity and nature. They can be sharp, pointed, scissor. It is very difficult to get rid of such discomfort on your own, even finding the body to rest does not help. Therefore, targeted therapy is required, especially when the pathology is detected in the neonate. Ignoring symptoms can worsen a person's condition.

Pain due to degenerative disorders

Usually, patients note the presence of sharp, burning or pulling pain in the joints, but they are not injured and they are not diagnosed with autoimmune diseases. In this case, degenerative changes caused by such diseases can become the cause:

• Head varus deformity, most common in adolescents. The pain is dull and persistent, can spread to the inner area of the knee joint. Increased sensation occurs when running or during other sporting activities. Gunshots are periodically observed, clicks are heard in the joint.
• Coxarthrosis, is considered a fairly common pathology of the hip joint. A violation can be detected in patients regardless of their gender. The disease requires a long and complex therapy. It causes the active progression of joint disorders of a degenerative and destructive nature. The main symptom is a decrease in the sensation of joint pain after exertion. At rest, these sensations disappear, with no restriction on movement. The pain then spreads to the groin and thigh area. With daily stress, this symptom increases, although at rest it disappears. With prolonged walking, a limp begins to appear, a clicking sound is heard in the joints. At the same time, the activity of muscle-tendon structures malfunctions, tone decreases. The final stage of pathological development is characterized by the appearance of pain even at rest, especially at night. Severe pain associated with severe lameness and muscle atrophy. This leads to patient immobility. In the late stages, treatment focuses on inhibiting harmful changes in the joints.

The development of degenerative pathologies causes a constant limp, which leads to disruption of labor functions and a decrease in performance. Lack of physical activity worsens the patient's condition. Over time, difficulties arise even when getting out of a regular bed.

Effect of inflammation and infection on the occurrence of pain

The appearance of discomfort is associated not only with direct damage to the bony structure of the joint, but also with inflammatory processes in the muscles, tendons and articular sacs.

Pathological processes are also caused by diseases of such an infectious nature:

1. Purulent arthritis. The disease is accompanied by a general increase in temperature and redness of the skin in the joint area. There is the appearance of widespread edema with acute or sharp pain. It is very difficult and sometimes simply impossible to do any load. Over time, the feeling takes the form of shooting. These changes need to be treated immediately to prevent the development of sepsis.
2. Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head, usually develops in young and middle-aged men. The disease is triggered by the disruption of blood circulation in the joint area. Necrosis leads to the death of tissue cells. The pathological process manifests itself in a syndrome of severe pain spreading to the groin area, as well as a burning sensation in the damaged areas. The intensity of the pain can be so severe that a person has difficulty supporting the limb. This leads to problems getting out of bed. An injection with pain medication is used to numb the joint. Symptoms go away after a while, but progression of the disease causes muscle and tendon atrophy. The person begins to limp, the gait changes.
3. Tuberculosis arthritis. Pathology is a different manifestation in young children with weakened immune systems. Progress is very slow. The child is getting more and more tired, he is not active in games. Muscle atrophy is accompanied by a clicking sound in the joint and shortening of the limb. After a while, pain appears in the joints, with a pulling or burning nature. The joint is covered with hyperextension with increasing symptoms.
4. Bursitis is an inflammatory lesion that covers the joint covering of a joint. The main symptom is pain, spreading along the limb. The sharp pain is aggravated during movement. When resting, limbs aching, burning.

Due to the development of infectious processes, various pains occur in the hip joint. It can be a burning, pulling, or dull discomfort. The intensity of sensations can be high, and so a person has difficulty resting overnight. This condition requires immediate treatment.

Diagnosis of disease

Complex diagnosis, including:

• ultrasound examination of the condition of the hip joint;
• x-ray examination in two projections;
• study of blood parameters in the laboratory based on general and biochemical analysis, which helps to identify rheumatoid factors, increase the number of white blood cells, change the erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
• Overall examination of the patient with fixation of complaints and palpation of the damaged area;
• MRI diagnosis.

Based on the results of the examination, an accurate diagnosis is established and complex treatment is prescribed for the pathologies that cause the pain syndrome.

Treatment characteristics

If pain is rare or intermittent, this symptom should not be ignored. In this condition, you should consult a doctor and start treatment. The course of treatment is determined by the cause of the pain.

Presence of congenital dislocation

With such pathology, a special orthopedic device is placed in the area of \u200b\u200bthe baby's joints. It can be a brace or a spacer. In some cases, it is recommended to use a Frejka pillow. Thanks to these designs, your baby's feet are in the correct position physiologically. The child wears these for 6 months, sometimes longer.

When conventional treatments fail, surgery may be indicated. Operationally, the femoral head is reduced and some associated defects are eliminated. After the removal of orthopedic devices, light massage procedures are prescribed to strengthen the muscular structure.

Dislocation of a traumatic nature

Such damage requires the use of drugs to remove muscle tone and reposition. The patient must then be rested to stabilize the structures. If there is a complaint of numbness, this indicates a pinched nerve. In this case, you will need to consult a neurologist.

hip fracture

Treatment of this injury is performed by the traumatologist with surgical manipulations. Conservative treatments are possible, but often they do not bring the desired effect. In the event that surgery is not possible, the patient will be covered with a plaster cast from the waist to the heel.

It is important to remember that older patients are most severely affected. The cracks in them often do not grow together and the healing time lasts several months.

In addition, damage leads to many consequences. Patients present with impaired function of the respiratory organs, disturbances in the functioning of the heart and vascular system. . . This is due to the lack of conditions for a normal active and physically active lifestyle. The patient has difficulty sitting, resulting in a burning sensation in the soft tissue area caused by the fracture.

During surgery, the head and body of the bone are fixed with pins and screws. Endoscopic technology is used.

The development of Bechterew's syndrome

The treatment of this pathology requires an integrated approach, which helps to reduce the intensity of the manifestations of symptoms caused by inflammatory disorders. During treatment, drugs are taken - anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs, immunosuppressants. In addition, physical therapy is performed.

An exercise course for muscle stretching is also prescribed. Massage is very useful in this state - the joint is moved on the left or right side, depending on the manifestation of the disease.

The course of treatment is determined by the attending physician based on the nature of the development of the pathology and the patient's condition. Swimming will help strengthen muscle structure. If the disease is already in a severe form, then a joint replacement procedure is performed.

Reiter's disease

Treatment of this disease without the use of antibiotics is not possible. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed. During treatment, the site of glucocorticosteroids, agents that suppress the activity of the immune system, and topical ointments must be determined.

Duration of treatment is not less than 4-5 months. At the same time, the likelihood of disease recurrence is high. Treatment should be accompanied by measures to maintain muscle tone through physical activity, such as stretching.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Due to the progression of arthritis, pain can occur not only when the joint is moved but also at rest. It is not possible to completely eliminate such pain. Effective treatment focuses on improving the patient's quality of life. For this purpose, prescribe the drug:

• cytostatic drugs;
• hormonal drugs;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• anti-rheumatic drugs.

Surgical intervention is prescribed only when the disease progresses to the terminal stage. In this condition, the patient has severe problems walking and sitting. Surgical manipulations are performed by means of fixation or arthroplasty. During recovery, stretching exercises, external ointments are prescribed.

Coxarthrosis

Treatment of this pathology focuses on eliminating the causes of its manifestation. In the early stages, the disease can be cured with conservative therapy with the appointment of:

• NSAIDs;
• chondroprotectors;
• fund to restore blood flow;
• analgesic;
• topical ointment with a warming effect.

The treatment complex also includes low-intensity exercise therapy. To anesthetize the joints, if necessary, injections are used.

In the late stages of disease progression, conservative treatments are ineffective. In this state, the decline in happiness occurs with minimal stress. To get out of bed, anesthesia with an injection is required. The treatment is done surgically due to arthroplasty. Elderly patients are not assigned such a procedure, but are limited to auxiliary manipulations.

After the operation, the rehabilitation process begins. Non-intensity stretching, light training with low loads is performed.

Treatment of inflammatory and infectious disorders

The course of treatment is determined by the nature of the disease and its manifestations:

1. With purulent arthritis, anesthesia of the hip joint is performed by introducing pain medication into the joint area. May involve several medications at once. An antibacterial agent used in combination with antibiotics. The pustules are also removed. To ensure immobilization of the limb, a plaster is applied or a splint is used.
2. Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head requires normalization of blood circulation and resorption of dead areas. NSAIDs are used to relieve pain. The treatment plan includes vitamins, drugs that reduce blood viscosity. Massage and anesthetic ointments will help get rid of the pain. In parallel, physiotherapy and exercise therapy are prescribed. In severe cases of the disease, minimally invasive surgery or joint surgery is performed.
3. Bursitis requires quick relief from joint pain. In this case, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, which are administered intramuscularly, are prescribed. Steroid medications help to eliminate symptoms of severe discomfort and pain. The affected joint should be rested.
4. In tuberculosis arthritis, conservative treatment methods are used. The baby must be immobile, and therefore a tight bandage is used. The presence of an abscess in the soft tissue area will require removal.

Using traditional medicine formula

These funds can be used as a supplement to traditional treatment. You should always consult your doctor first. The most popular recipes include:

• Compression based on green or white clay. They help eliminate swelling and minimize pain. Apply clay gauze before going to bed and leave it overnight. From above, the damaged area is wrapped with a warm cloth.
• Compress cabbage and honey. It is necessary to take a cabbage leaf and cover it with a layer of honey. Then, such a gauze is applied to the area that presents with acute or burning pain. From above, it must be covered with a film, and then insulated with a woolen scarf or scarf. The duration of the procedure is up to 1 month. Between operations, it is recommended to rub and stroke the affected area.
• Ointment with visceral fat and white legs. Pour 250 g of the ground root into the pre-melted fat and cook over low heat for 7 minutes. Allow the product to cool, then apply to the joint surface and leave overnight. A woolen cloth is covered over the treated area. So it will be possible to get rid of puffiness and other symptoms.
• The remedy includes 2 lemons, 300 g of celery root, and 130 g of garlic to help eliminate intense pain in the tendon area. The ingredients must be finely chopped and poured into a covered container. Pour the composition with boiling water and mix well, then cover the box and leave it overnight. Use 1 tsp. before meals for 1-3 months.