Coping With Low Mood And Sleep Problems
You might find that osteoarthritis makes you feel depressed or anxious. Speak to your doctor if youre feeling low. They may be able to recommend psychological therapies to help you, such as cognitive behavioural therapy and a few stress-relieving techniques. If your sleep is disturbed because of hip osteoarthritis, this could make your pain feel worse. However, there are things you can do for yourself that might help, such as:
- Keep a sleep diary to work out if there are any patterns to your sleep problems.
- Sleep at regular times to get your body into a routine.
- Try to wind down before bed by having a warm bath or reading a book.
- For a more comfortable sleeping position, use a pillow between your legs if lying sideways, or use a pillow under your knees if lying on your back.
If youre still having problems, speak to your doctor or an occupational therapist. They can give you some tips and techniques. They may also refer you to a pain management clinic, where you can be shown how to live a more active life.
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Etiologies And Risk Factors
OA is a chronic disorder affecting synovial joints. Although sometimes referred to as degenerative joint disease, this term is a misnomer. The degenerative process manifested by progressive loss of articular cartilage is accompanied by a reparative process with reactive bone formation, osteophyte growth, and remodelling.5 The dynamic process of destruction and repair determines the final disease picture. OA is not primarily an inflammatory process, and synovial inflammation, when found, usually is not accompanied by a systemic rise in inflammatory markers. Primary OA , generally is a diagnosis of exclusion and is believed to account for the majority of all hip OA.10 Aging is assumed to contribute to the development of hip OA mainly because of the inability to specifically define an underlying anatomic abnormality or specific disease process leading to the degenerative process.
Risk factors associated with hip OA can be divided into local risk factors that act on the joint level and more general risk factors.
What To Expect At Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam with careful attention to your hips, thighs, back, and the way you walk. To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your provider will ask questions about:
- Where you feel the pain
- When and how the pain started
- Things that make the pain worse
- What you have done to relieve the pain
- Your ability to walk and support weight
- Other medical problems you have
- Medicines you take
You may need x-rays of your hip or an MRI scan.
Your provider may tell you to take a higher dose of over-the-counter medicine. You may also need a prescription anti-inflammatory medicine.
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How Is Arthritis Or Degeneration Of The Hip Joint Diagnosed
In most cases, a diagnosis can be made by X-ray and a physical examination. Damage to the hip creates a narrowing of the space between the ball and socket. Eventually, the hip can lose so much cartilage that bone touches bone, which can be very painful. Some patients have a painful hip that is caused by other structural problems with the hip joint. These structural problems usually can be diagnosed with a physical examination and X-rays, but sometimes more advanced imaging, such as MRI, can help identify other pain causes.
Whats Causing The Pain
Dr. Elson says pain in the side of your hip most often results from one of the following conditions:
Tendinitis. This is an inflammation of the tendons that connect the gluteal muscles in your buttocks to the hip bone. Tendinitis develops because of muscle imbalance. It could be from a lack of activity, crossing your legs, or even sitting on a wallet, Dr. Elson says.
Overuse injury. When you walk or run, weak hip and buttock muscles can tighten and irritate the iliotibial band a long band of connective tissue that runs from the knee to the hip. It merges with the gluteal muscles to stabilize the leg.
Tight muscles in the buttocks and hip. If the gluteal muscles and IT band are too tight, they pull at the thighbone where they attach, and that causes pain on the side.
Spine problems.The body isnt always smart in recognizing where the pain is coming from, Dr. Elson explains, and spine arthritis, a pinched nerve, or bones in the spine rubbing together can create pain in the side of your hip.
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How Is Hip Pain Treated
Treatment for hip pain typically depends on how much pain youre in and what is causing your discomfort. Mild injuries to muscles, tendons or bursa sacs often improve with rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medications. You can often follow the RICE methodrest, ice, compression and elevation. This form of treatment can be done at home and it can sometimes relieve some of your hip pain. If necessary, doctors can usually repair tendons and labrum tears with minimally invasive surgery. More serious hip conditions may require a total hip replacement.
Arthritis treatment may include medication and physical therapy. Doctors can usually treat DDH and Perthes disease with special braces, casts and slings that keep the joint in place while the hip heals. Some children may need surgical repair.
No matter what caused the pain, physical therapy exercises can strengthen your hip muscles and relieve discomfort.
Nonsurgical Treatments For Hip Arthritis
- Activity modifications may help reduce painful flare-ups. Avoid activities that aggravate hip arthritis, such as running, jumping and other high-impact exercises.
- Lifestyle modifications, such as weight loss, can help reduce stress on the hip joint.
- Physical therapy exercises can help improve strength in the hip. Engaging in low-impact exercises and activities, such as swimming and cycling, and remaining physically active are key to managing hip arthritis symptoms.
- Heating pads can help soothe inflammation in the hip.
- Medications and injections, such as corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid injections, platelet-rich plasma injections, vitamin and mineral supplements, and immunosuppressive or biologic medicines can help control pain and inflammation. Which medications will work best depends on the type of arthritis.
- Walking aids such as a cane or walker provide support when walking.
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Move Of The Month: Seated Pretzel
Stretches the buttocks, hips, and outer thighs.
Reps: 24
Hold: 1030 seconds
Starting position: Sit up straight in a chair and rest your left ankle on your right thigh above your knee. Place your hands on your thighs.
Movement: Keeping your spine neutral, slowly hinge forward from your hips until you feel a stretch in your left hip and buttock. Hold. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat with your right ankle on your left knee. This is one rep.
Tips and techniques: Keep your spine neutral, not rounded, and your chest lifted as you lean forward. Keep your shoulders down and back, away from your ears, as you stretch. For a deeper stretch, gently press down with the hand on your bent leg.
When To Contact A Doctor
People can speak with a doctor if they have unexplained hip pain or any other symptoms of RA. An early and accurate diagnosis can help in providing effective treatment for the condition.
A doctor may refer people to a rheumatologist, who is a doctor specializing in inflammatory conditions developing in the joints, tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles.
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Hip Pain Professionals are healthcare professionals that have university qualifications and a special interest in helping those with hip pain or functional difficulties.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Hip Arthritis
For osteoarthritis of the hip, symptoms may include:
- aching pain in the groin area, outer thigh and buttocks
- joint stiffness
- reduced range of motion
In people who have hip osteoarthritis, walking and other motion that stresses the diseased hip cartilage usually increases pain symptoms and reduce a person’s ability to be active levels. At the same time, reduced activity not moving the body much can weaken the muscles that control the hip joint, which may make it even more difficult to perform daily activities.
Because of the loss of the gliding surfaces of the bone, people with arthritis may feel as though their hip is stiff and their motion is limited. Sometimes people actually feel a sense of catching, snapping or clicking within the hip. The pain is usually felt in the groin, but also may be felt on the side of the hip, the buttock and occasionally down into the knee. Activities such as walking long distances, standing for long periods of time or climbing stairs puts stress on the hip that generally makes arthritis pain worse.
In people who have rheumatoid arthritis in the hip, pain is usually worst after periods of rest and inactivity, such as first thing after waking up in the morning. This is because the inactivity causes the joints to stiffen. Pain is often relieved after a period of walking or other activity as the joint becomes more flexible. Some rheumatoid arthritis patients may experience pain, swelling, redness and warmth, especially in the morning.
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When Should I Seek Emergency Care
Contact your doctor if you have hip pain that lasts longer than a few days. They can come up with a plan to manage pain and treat your condition.
However, you should contact your doctor immediately if the hip is bleeding or you can see exposed bone or muscle, a popping noise occurs, or you cant bear weight.
Also, seek immediate help if your hip joint appears deformed or is swollen, or if you have severe pain.
Prompt medical attention is necessary for hip pain accompanied by any of the following:
- warmth
- redness
These may be signs of serious conditions, including septic arthritis, which is a joint infection. If its left untreated, septic arthritis can lead to deformed joints and osteoarthritis.
For pain that could be related to a condition such as arthritis, your doctor will ask you a range of questions, including:
- Is the pain worse at a time of day?
- Does it affect your ability to walk?
- When did your symptoms first appear?
You may need to walk around to let your doctor observe the joint in motion. Theyll measure the motion in the normal and abnormal hip and compare the two.
To diagnose arthritis, your doctor will perform fluid and imaging tests. Fluid tests involve taking samples of blood, urine, and joint fluid for testing in a laboratory. Imaging tests may include:
The treatment of hip pain depends on the cause. For exercise-related pain, rest is usually enough to allow the hip to heal. This type of pain is typically gone within a few days.
When Should I Call The Doctor About My Hip Pain
Persistent hip pain could be a sign of arthritis or a serious injury. Call your doctor if you have pain that lingers for more than a couple of days. Visit your doctor right away if the pain is making it hard for you to walk or move. If you have hip pain after a fall or car accident, see your doctor immediately.
If your child has hip pain, see your pediatrician to rule out DDH or Perthes disease. Call your pediatrician immediately if your child is having trouble walking or running.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 03/01/2020.
References
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What Does Arthritis Of The Hip Feel Like
- Pain that develops slowly and is typically worse in the morning or with rainy weather
- Stiffness, reduced range of motion and difficulty walking and/or bending
- Locking, sticking or grating of the hip joint during walking or exercise
- Pain in the hip, thigh, buttock and groin, especially during vigorous activity
- Swelling of the hip
- Tenderness in the hip joint
- Pain severe enough to make walking difficult or cause a limp
Is My Hip Pain From Arthritis Or Bursitis
Your hips have a herculean task: they must support the weight and movement of your entire body while simultaneously allowing for a wide range of motion. Hips accomplish this through a system of complicated biological machinery. However, the complexity of this system brings with it several drawbacks. First, the more moving parts a system has, the more likely a problem may arise. Second, when a problem does arise, it affects the entire system. In the hips, this means finding out what exactly went wrong can be difficult.
Two of the most common issues with the hip are bursitis and arthritis. They are completely different conditions with their own unique causes, yet they exhibit extremely similar symptoms, making it difficult to differentiate which is which.
This article provides information about each condition, including their causes, symptoms, and treatment options. Note that this article is not a substitute for an evaluation from a medical professional. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms in this article, schedule an appointment with Dr. Steve Hamilton, a hip joint expert at Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
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What Causes Hip Pain
Many conditions and injuries throughout your life can cause hip pain. Some common hip pain causes can include:
Arthritis: Several types of arthritis affect the hips, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Hip arthritis is common. It causes joint pain and swelling. Arthritis can affect people of all ages, but older people are more likely to have the condition.
Injuries: Overuse or trauma can damage your muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments . Athletes who perform repetitive motions are particularly prone to overuse injuries. Older people are more likely to break a hip because bones become more fragile as we age. Some of the kinds of hip injuries you can experience could include:
- Dislocated hip.
- Fractures.
- Snapping hip syndrome.
Bursitis: Bursae provide cushioning for our joints. These are sacs, filled with fluid that are located on inside of the hip. These bursa sacs can become irritated and swollen from injury, overuse or arthritis. When this happens, a painful condition called bursitis can develop.
Structural abnormalities: Developmental dysplasia of the hip can affect babies. When the hip socket is too shallow, the ball part of the ball-and-socket hip joint doesnt stay in the socket. DDH runs in families. It can result from a breech delivery . Without treatment, DDH can cause pain later in life.
What Are The Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis Of The Hip
If you have any of the following symptoms of hip osteoarthritis, talk to your doctor:
- Joint stiffness that occurs as you are getting out of bed
- Joint stiffness after you sit for a long time
- Any pain, swelling, or tenderness in the hip joint
- A sound or feeling of bone rubbing against bone
- Inability to move the hip to perform routine activities such as putting on your socks
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How Your Hip Works
Your hip is a very stable and strong joint.
Its known as a ball-and-socket joint. This is because the top of the thigh bone is shaped like a ball. This ball sits inside a hollow socket in your pelvis.
Ball-and-socket joints give the most movement of all the different types of joints in the body.
The hip joint is held together by a covering of muscles which are secured to the bones by strong cords called tendons.
These muscles and tendons form a capsule around the joint and support its movements. They help move the joint, supporting your leg and upper body movement.
Inside the capsule is the synovium, which lubricates the joint with synovial fluid and keeps the cartilage healthy. The cartilage sits between the bones of your hip joint to stop them rubbing together and reduces any impact when you walk or move your hip.
With all this support, it is unusual for the hip to become dislocated, even after a high-impact injury.
What Is Osteoarthritis Of The Hip
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and the hip is the second most commonly affected joint.
Everyones joints go through a normal cycle of wear and repair during their lifetime. As your joints repair themselves, their shape and structure can change. If this happens in one or more of your joints, its known as osteoarthritis.
A joint is a part of the body where two or more bones meet. Your hip joint consists of a ball at the top of the thigh bone, which fits into a socket in your pelvis.
The ends of both bones in a joint are covered by a smooth slippery surface, known as cartilage. This is the soft but tough tissue that allows the bones to move against each other without friction.
Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in your hip joint to become thinner and the surfaces of the joint to become rougher. This can cause swelling, pain and stiffness, but not everyone will have these symptoms.
The exact cause of osteoarthritis is often not known, as there can be quite a few reasons why a person develops the condition. These include the genes inherited from your parents.
Osteoarthritis usually starts in people over the age of 45 and is more common in women than men.
Research has shown that injuries, and jobs that involve heavy lifting or long periods of standing up, are associated with an increased risk of developing hip osteoarthritis.
Being overweight can also be a factor, as it increases the load on your joints.
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