Other Types Of Arthritis
Inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis can all cause hip pain. This can be managed with specific medications for each condition.
For more information see our sections on rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
Conditions With Similar Symptoms
A number of conditions that are not actually related to the hip joint can cause hip joint pain and symptoms in the “hip” area. These include:
Spinal stenosis This condition most commonly causes pain in the buttock, low back, and back of the upper thigh . Spinal stenos is a lower-back problem, not a hip problem. Spinal stenosis causes pain in the buttock area that some identify as part of the “hip.”
Greater trochanteric bursitisThis causes pain over the point of the hip . It also causes tenderness and sensitivity to pressure. Although this seems like a hip problem, it is a problem well away from the joint itself and is related to an inflammation in a lubrication point called a bursa. Greater trochanteric bersitis is not a joint problem .
Non-orthopedic conditionsVery occasionally, non-orthopedic conditions can cause pain in the groin that masquerades as hip joint symptoms ovarian cysts, hernias, and other intra-pelvic conditions can sometimes cause pain that is mistaken for hip joint pain.
Other types of arthritisOther forms of arthritis can cause similar symptoms to osteoarthritis of the hip in particular, post-traumatic arthritis and avascular necrosis are almost indistinguishable in many cases from osteoarthritis of the hip.
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis versus rheumatoid arthritis can be made by a physician with experience in treating conditions of this type.
When To Get Medical Advice
See a GP if you think you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, so they can try to identify the underlying cause.
Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis quickly is important, because early treatment can prevent it getting worse and reduce the risk of joint damage.
Find out more about diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis.
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Finding The Best Hip Arthritis Treatment In North Dakota
Dont let the symptoms of hip arthritis render you unable to do the things you enjoy. Exercise is your most effective pill-free treatment to alleviate the pain and symptoms of hip arthritis. You can consult any one of our board-certified, highly skilled orthopedic surgeons. They are experts in treating hip arthritis and can help you determine the exercises that best meet your needs. They can devise a treatment plan for you to reduce pain, maintain function, and prevent the progression of your condition.
Call us today at The Bone & Joint Center at 946-7400 / 900-8650 to schedule an appointment or use our online request form. We look forward to being your healthcare partner!
Osteoarthritis Of The Hip
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which means it causes gradual damage to the joint. It is the most common form of hip arthritis and can affect other joints. Hip osteoarthritis is typically caused by wear and tear related to aging and worsens over time. The breakdown of cartilage leads to pain and inflammation.
Hip osteoarthritis may develop faster in some people due to irregular shape of the bones forming the hip joint. For example, if the ball and the socket parts of the hip joint dont perfectly fit together , they may rub against each other, eventually leading to osteoarthritis. This may also happen in people with hip dysplasia, who have a hip socket that is too shallow to support the ball of the femur. This places abnormal stress on the cartilage, causing it to wear away prematurely.
Stages of Osteoarthritis of the Hip
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Home Management And Self
The following home remedies may help people manage RA symptoms and relieve pain:
- A balanced diet: Eating a balanced, nutritious diet can aid in maintaining overall health, well-being, and a moderate weight.
- Regular movement: Daily movement may help reduce stiffness from periods of rest. People may want to choose walking places instead of using public transport wherever possible or taking the stairs instead of an elevator.
- Moderate exercise: Low-impact exercise, such as swimming, may help increase endurance and reduce stiffness.
- Rest: It is important to balance activity with rest, especially during RA flare-ups. People should aim for regular breaks throughout the day, which can help with inflammation, protect the joints, and increase energy.
- Hot and cold treatments: Heated compresses or warm baths can help ease stiff, aching, or tired joints and muscles. Cold compresses can help numb the affected area and decrease inflammation to reduce more severe pain and swelling.
- Assistive devices: People may find using a cane or walker or tools such as a long-handled shoehorn helps them carry out their usual day-to-day activities.
- Support network: Having family, friends, or co-workers as a support network can help with emotional well-being.
Doctors may use the following to diagnose RA:
- a personâs full medical history and details of symptoms
- small bumps under the skin in bony parts of the body
- shortness of breath, which can be due to inflammation and scarring of the lungs
What Is Hip Arthritis
Hip arthritis is deterioration of the cartilage of the hip joint. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint with the ball at the top of the thighbone . The ball is separated from the socket by cartilage. The cartilage acts as a slippery coating between the ball and the socket that allows the ball to glide and rotate smoothly when the leg moves. The labrum, a strong cartilage that lines the outer rim of the socket, provides stability.
When cartilage in the hip is damaged, it becomes rough. Thinning of cartilage narrows the space between the bones. In advanced cases, bone rubs on bone, and any movement can cause pain and stiffness. When there is friction at any point between bones, it can also lead to bone spurs bone growths on the edges of a bone that change its shape.
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What Aggravates Hip Bursitis
This common disorder can be caused by excessive running, exercise, microtrauma over time caused by a variety of issues, or major trauma to the area from a fall or an automobile accident.
Sports enthusiasts sometimes develop bursitis in the hip from overuse, such as soccer players or ballet dancers. Bone spurs can also cause crystals to form and irritate the bursa.
Some people develop hip bursitis simply from long hours of sitting. Sitting for long periods without moving or stretching causes the muscles to come shorter and tight, pulling across the bursa and irritating it.
Inflammation is often idiopathic, which means that it has no known cause. Talking to your doctor or chiropractor about your daily activities and habits oftentimes reveal the root cause.
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Alternative Remedies And Treatments
Nutritional supplementation is helpful to some patients though the science on this is not entirely supportive of their effectiveness.
There are some studies to suggest that acupuncture can decrease the pain associated with osteoarthritis of the hip.
Although there is little hard science on this point, most hip surgeons and rheumatologists believe that patients with osteoarthritis of the hip should consider avoiding impact sports such as running in order to avoid increasing the rate at which the disease progresses.
It is important that patients with osteoarthritis of the hip avoid decreasing their activity level and it is important that they remain fit. However this often does require some modification of exercise programs running and walking programs are usually poorly tolerated by patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. Stationary bike, swimming and water aerobics usually are well-tolerated and they are recommended.
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Stage 2 Hip Osteoarthritis
At this stage, you will probably be experiencing some pain and discomfort in your hip area. You might notice that you are stiff, especially when you first get up in the morning or after sitting for a long time. Those first few steps will be tough on whichever hip has arthritis, but once you get going, it usually subsides. Your X-rays may show bone spurs at this point, but the section between the bones in your hip joint will still be adequate.
To try to prevent worsening symptoms, it is advised to maintain a regular workout schedule. It is very important to strengthen the muscles around your arthritic joints in order to help stabilize them. Imagine driving down the street with fragile items that you dont want damaged in the back. The best way to do that is to secure them. Its the same with your joints: By strengthening the muscles attached to the hip, you are better able to protect the joint and keep it strong.
One Common Pain Two Different Problems
Two likely causes of hip pain are osteoarthritis and bursitis. They have similar symptoms, but very different reasons for causing pain.
Hip osteoarthritis develops as the joints cartilage wears down. WatchHip Osteoarthritis Video
Hip bursitis occurs when the bursa in the hip become inflamed. Throughout the body, bursae provide cushion and reduce friction between bones and the soft tissues that run over them during joint movement. In the hip, the bursa most likely to become inflamed is the trochanteric bursa.
Inflammation of the trochanteric bursa typically occurs alongside inflammation in the hips abductor tendons .1 Both the trochanteric bursa and abductor tendons are located at the bony knob near the top of the thighbone , near the outward curve of the upper thigh.
Because of its tendency to share symptoms with hip osteoarthritis and other hip conditions, hip bursitis is sometimes called the great mimicker.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hip Quick Answers
Currently there is no known prevention measures for rheumatoid arthritis in the hips. You may be able to reduce your chances by:
- Quitting smoking and tobacco use
- See your dentist regularly
- Stay fit and active
Hip RA is often treated using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs , such as Plaquenil. DMARDs may be used with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or corticosteroids in low doses.
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Stop Avoiding Mobility Aids
A cane, walker, or wheelchair may be necessary for some people with arthritis to stay independent and get around on their own. Understandably it can be tough to think about needing some sort of mobility aid, but if you do need one and donât use it you risk missing out on things you would enjoy.
A cane or wheelchair doesnât define who you are, and no one will judge you or think less of you for using one. In fact, youâll probably be admired for getting out there and having fun in spite of needing a little help.
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Lie On Your Stomach To Relax Tight Hip Flexors
People with hip pain typically try not to stand much, since it can be an uncomfortable position. But sitting shortens the hip flexor muscles, which can actually increase pain, says Genie Lieberman, the director of the Gloria Drummond Physical Rehabilitation Institute at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Florida.
To promote the full extension of the hips, Lieberman recommends lying face down for up to 30 minutes, with small pillows placed under your shoulders for comfort. You can do this on your bed turn your head to either side and rest it on your forearms for comfort. In the beginning, it may be too painful to stay this way for more than a few seconds, but as you stretch the muscles it will get easier.
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An Overview Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is due to inflammation of the synovial lining . This can cause the diseaseâs characteristic swelling, pain, limited range of motion, and decreased function, but also joint damage and deformity as the synovium begins to thicken and inflamed cells release enzymes that digest bone and cartilage.
RA typically has a symmetrical pattern of joint damage. For example, both of your knees are usually affected rather than just one. Signs and symptoms can differ slightly depending on the part of the body thatâs affected.
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Which Stage Of Hip Osteoarthritis Are You In
Do you have arthritis? A lot of your friends and family members probably have arthritis too. As a matter of fact, osteoarthritis is diagnosed by physicians more often than any other joint disease or disorder.
However, not everyone experiences osteoarthritis in the same way. You may only feel some pain when you get out of bed in the morning, or after sitting for a long period of time. And you might feel fine once you get going.
Although there are many different types of arthritis, there is a good chance you are suffering from osteoarthritis, which is the most common type. In fact, you can have signs of arthritis on your X-rays even though you have no pain at all.
Why doesnt everyone who has osteoarthritis experience the same problems? The answer to this question becomes clearer when you understand that osteoarthritis is a progressive disease meaning that the longer you have it, especially if you dont change some of your habits, the worse it can get.
The reason you might experience hip arthritis differently than your best friend or your family member is because you are probably in a different stage of the disease than they are. Osteoarthritis can be classified into four different stages, and the stage you are in will determine your best choice of treatment.
So, which stage of hip osteoarthritis are you in? Your orthopedic surgeon is most qualified to identify this for you, but here are some general rules of thumb.
What Is Osteoarthritis
Arthritis means “joint inflammation.” It causes pain and swelling in the body’s joints, such as the knees or hips. There are many types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is the most common. Also known as degenerative joint disease or age-related arthritis, osteoarthritis is more likely to develop as people get older.
Osteoarthritis occurs when inflammation and injury to a joint cause a breaking down of cartilage tissue. In turn, that breakdown causes pain, swelling, and deformity. Cartilage is a firm, rubbery material that covers the ends of bones in normal joints. It is primarily made up of water and proteins. The primary function of cartilage is to reduce friction in the joints and serve as a “shock absorber.” The shock-absorbing quality of normal cartilage comes from its ability to change shape when compressed. It can do this because of its high water content. Although cartilage may undergo some repair when damaged, the body does not grow new cartilage after it is injured.
The changes in osteoarthritis usually occur slowly over many years. There are, though, occasional exceptions.
The two main types of osteoarthritis are:
- Primary: More generalized osteoarthritis that affects the fingers, thumbs, spine, hips, and knees
- Secondary: Osteoarthritis that occurs after injury or inflammation in a joint, or as a result of another condition that may affect the composition of the cartilage, such as hemochromatosis
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Tips For Using A Cane
When using a cane, remember the following tips:
- Ensure the cane isnt too tall or short. You shouldnt slump or slouch over when using a cane. Its height should come to the top of your wrist.
- Use the cane on your strong side. If your affected hip is your right one, hold the cane with your left hand. When you step forward with your right leg, the cane will provide support. Practice moving your affected leg and the cane at the same time.
- Advance the cane an appropriate distance. Move the cane about 2 inches to the front or side of you. If its too far from your body, you might lose balance.
A physical therapist can help you develop a safe technique.
Your insurance company may cover the cost of these aids. Your healthcare provider can write a prescription for these mobility aids to help in the reimbursement process.
Rice: Rest Ice Compress Elevate
It’s a good first step for any hip pain. Rest, but don’t stop all movements , just the ones that hurt. Ice for 20 minutes at a time, and use a cloth so you won’t damage your skin. Compress the painful area with an elastic bandage, but not too much. Loosen it up if you see skin turning blue. Elevate the injured part on a pillow or stool to stop blood from pooling there.
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When Hip Pain May Mean Arthritis
Learn about the various causes of hip pain, including different kinds of arthritis.
Many forms of arthritis and related conditions can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the hips. Hip pain can occur on the outside or inside of the hip, the upper thigh or outer buttock. Here are some diseases that can affect the hips.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Previously known as wear and tear arthritis, OA is a disease of the joint that causes inflammation and damage to the tissues in the joint, including cartilage, which cushions the ends of the bones where they meet to form joints. The result is stiffness, pain, loss of movement and the formation of bony growths . Pain from hip OA is often felt in the groin area and front of the thigh. Stiffness may be worst after periods of inactivity, like first thing in the morning.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when the immune system doesnt work properly and attacks the body’s own tissues, including the joints. Hip involvement in RA is often signaled by pain, stiffness or swelling in the hips, thighs or groin area. RA usually affects the same joint on both sides of the body, such as both hips.
Juvenile Arthritis
Juvenile arthritis refers to rheumatic diseases, including arthritis, that affect children and teens 16 years and younger. Several types of juvenile arthritis may cause hip joint pain and swelling.
AxSpA
Psoriatic Arthritis
Bursitis