Causes of hip pain and treatment methods

The bone-joint structure of a person is characterized by a complex structure and includes a number of elements. The hip joint is one of the largest and most loaded joints in the human musculoskeletal system. It is located at the junction of the femur and the pelvis. The joint has a peculiar structure, which ensures free movement of the extremities in different directions. It is with this joint that a person's ability to walk upright is connected. The appearance of painful complaints in the hip joint leads to a serious decrease in its functionality with problems in movement or sitting. In some cases, numbness of the extremities is possible.

The main causes of pain

In order to start the treatment of pathologies of the hip joint in a timely manner, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination as soon as possible in order to diagnose the diseases and the causes of their manifestation. At the same time, the diagnosis can be difficult, because pain is caused by a wide range of problems - injuries, skeletal diseases, background pathologies of internal organs. The intensity and nature of the pain also varies. They can be painful and sharp, burning.

Complaints about pain in the hip joint can be heard to the greatest extent in patients over 50 years of age. Moreover, such violations are usually found in women. This refers to pathologies of the joint itself or the hip.

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

1. Problems of traumatic origin - fractures of the neck of the femur, direct bruises of the joint region, intense hip dislocations. Myositis ossificans, which is caused and progresses due to injuries to the joint, can cause discomfort and pain. Specialists also note frequent fractures of the pelvic bones, the development of epiphysiolysis of the femoral head.
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 articulation, which occur against the background of degenerative processes in the tissue area. For example, we are talking about coxarthrosis.
4. Osteochondropathic manifestations caused by the progression of dissected osteochondritis, Legg-Calve-Perthes pathology.
5. Deviations in the processes of skeletal development. For example, this refers to the epiphyseal varus deformity of the foot, which is typical for adolescents.
6. Inflammatory changes in soft joint tissues. These pathologies include bursitis, transient synovitis, coxitis of the articular type due to the action of the tuberculosis bacillus.

Traumatic causes of pain syndrome

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

• Congenital damage to the hip in the form of a dislocation, which occurs due to improper management of the birth process or is formed in the prenatal phase of the child's development. Such a violation can be quickly diagnosed already in newborns. They will have irregularities in the gluteal folds and may show signs of shortening of one leg. In some cases, the nerve is pinched. Experts recommend that you pay special attention to signs of such deviations, because the disease itself is considered dangerous. It often leads to preservation of the consequences of the trauma for the rest of the life.
• Dislocation of the hip of a traumatic nature - sharp pain occurs, due to which the ability to perform movements is lost. The patient cannot take an upright position or sit down. Edema and hematoma form in the area of the damaged joint. If there are signs of hip dislocation, then any physical load is contraindicated. Sport during this period leads to deterioration of the patient's condition, causes the development of negative changes and pathological disorders in the hip joint. In case of such injuries, treatment should be started immediately.
• Fracture of the neck of the femur, which is usually characteristic of women over 60 years of age. This condition is caused by a fall or a blow to the hip joint area. When a fracture occurs, the patient feels a sharp pain syndrome. Such pain will increase during movement. Gradually, the pain spreads to the inner thigh. Swelling and hematoma appear at the site of injury. In the case of a fracture, shortening of the limbs is observed, the person's gait is characterized by lameness, and clicks are heard in the joint area. The damage often causes a pinched nerve, resulting in stiffness in the thigh.
• Fracture of the femur pertrochanteric type - accompanied by severe or moderate pain. When the patient is in motion, the pain begins to intensify. A possible consequence is a pinched nerve, which causes back pain and numbness in the extremities.
• Bruising the hip joint. The pain syndrome is moderate, but active movement can cause its increase. In this case, the pain decreases and disappears when the person rests. This factor is considered the most common. Bruises are diagnosed in patients who fall frequently, especially the elderly. The patient complains of lameness, but this symptom disappears relatively quickly.

Hip joint injuries caused by trauma are considered by experts to be the main cause of pain. In the case of serious fractures and dislocations, surgical intervention is prescribed in many cases. An indication for urgent admission to the hospital is a pinched nerve and numbness of the extremities.

The influence of systemic pathologies on the appearance of pain

A common cause of pain in the hip joint when walking or in another body position is the development of systemic connective tissue lesions. Such pathologies require a constant process of therapy, because they belong to the group of practically incurable ones. It is important to ensure the comprehensive nature of treatment with an impact on the causes of the origin and progression of pain and other symptoms.

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

1. Ankylosing spondylitis, which causes dull pain in the joint. Patients suffering from this disease notice an increase in negative symptoms at night. Usually the sensations are localized in the area of the sacrum or pelvis. The pain syndrome can affect the knee joint, thigh, groin area. Frequent recordings are possible. In this state, walking and other movements are difficult, the patient shows stiffness. The 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 joint part, as well as organs of the genitourinary system. In parallel, there is an inflammatory process in the conjunctiva. This is an autoimmune disease caused by an intestinal infection. The development of the pathological process can begin several weeks or even months after the penetration of the pathogen into the body. Patients complain of acute hip pain. The pain syndrome also affects the joints. This causes an increase in body temperature. There is swelling in the pelvic region on the left and right sides. This pathology is usually associated with the symmetrical nature of joint damage.
3. Arthritis of the rheumatoid type, in which damage to the connective tissue is observed. The process of disease development does not cause the formation and release of purulent masses. Usually, the pathology becomes a precursor, which indicates 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 during movement, the pain spreads. An inflammatory process takes place in the joint, which leads to an increase in general and local temperature. Further development of changes is followed by stiffness of movements, activation of pain syndrome in the side lying position. In most cases, the pathology develops symmetrically. Destruction of the hip joint leads to pinching of the nerve and numbness of the extremities. A quick start of the therapeutic process is required.

Pathologies of a systemic nature often cause a lot of inconvenience to patients. There are pains that differ in intensity and character. They can be sharp, sharp, jerky. It is very difficult to get rid of such discomfort on your own, even finding the body at rest does not help. Therefore, targeted treatment is needed, especially when pathology is detected in newborns. Ignoring symptoms can worsen a person's condition.

Pain caused by degenerative disorders

Often, patients notice the presence of sharp, burning or pulling pains in the joints, but they have not suffered any injuries and no autoimmune diseases have been diagnosed. In this case, the cause can be degenerative changes caused by such diseases:

• Epiphyseal varus deformity, which is most common in adolescents. The pains are dull and pulling, they can occur in the inner zone of the knee joint. Increased feelings occur during running or other sports activities. Shots are occasionally observed, clicks are heard in the wrist.
• Coxarthrosis, which is considered a fairly common pathology of the hip joint. Violation can be detected in patients regardless of their gender. The disease requires long and complex therapy. It causes the active progression of joint disorders of a degenerative and destructive nature. The main symptomatology is reduced to the feeling that the joint hurts after physical exertion. At rest, these feelings disappear, there are no restrictions on movements. After that, the pain spreads to the groin and thighs. With daily stress, this symptomatology increases, although it disappears at rest. When walking for a long time, lameness begins to appear, clicks are heard in the wrist. At the same time, there is a breakdown in the work of the muscle-tendon structures, the tone drops. The last stage of the development of the pathology is characterized by the appearance of pain even at rest, especially at night. Severe pain is combined with severe lameness and muscle atrophy. This leads to immobility of the patient. In the last phase, treatment is aimed at inhibiting destructive changes in the joint.

The development of degenerative pathologies causes permanent lameness, which leads to disruption of work functions and a drop in performance. Lack of physical activity worsens the patient's condition. Over time, difficulties arise even with the usual getting out of bed.

The influence of inflammation and infection on the appearance of pain

The appearance of discomfort can be associated not only with direct damage to the bone structures of the joint, but also with inflammatory processes in the muscles, tendons and joint bag.

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

1. Purulent arthritis. The disease is accompanied by an increase in general temperature and redness of the skin in the joint area. There is the appearance of extensive edema with acute or sharp pain. It is difficult, and sometimes simply impossible to carry out any loads. Over time, the sensations take the form of gunshots. These changes require immediate treatment to prevent the development of sepsis.
2. Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head, which usually develops in young and middle-aged men. The disease is activated due to blood circulation disorders in the joint area. Necrosis leads to the death of tissue cells. The pathological process manifests itself in a sudden pain syndrome that radiates to the groin area, as well as a burning sensation in the damaged areas. The intensity of the pain can be so strong that the person has difficulty supporting the limb. This leads to problems getting out of bed. An injection with an analgesic is used to anesthetize the joint. Symptoms disappear after a while, but further progression of the disease causes atrophy of muscles and tendons. The person begins to limp, his gait changes.
3. Tuberculous arthritis. Pathology manifests differently in young children with a weakened immune system. Progress is very slow. The child has increased fatigue, is inactive in games. Muscle atrophy is accompanied by clicks in the joint and shortening of the extremities. After a while, pains appear in the joint that are pulling or burning. The joint is covered with suppuration with increased symptoms.
4. Bursitis is an inflammatory lesion that covers the joint sac of the joint. The main symptom is pain, which spreads along the extremities. Sharp pains intensify during movement. At rest, the limb hurts, burns.

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 the sensation can be high, so the person has difficulty getting a good night's rest. This condition requires immediate treatment.

Diagnosis of pathologies

Complex diagnostics, which should include:

• ultrasound examination of the condition of the hip joint;
• x-ray examination in two projections;
• laboratory study of blood parameters based on general and biochemical analysis, which helps in the identification of rheumatoid factors, increase in the number of leukocytes, changes in the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes;
• general examination of the patient with recording of complaints and palpation of the damaged area;
• MRI diagnostics.

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

Features of treatment

If rare or occasional pain occurs, the symptom should not be ignored. In this condition, you should consult a doctor and start treatment. The therapeutic process is determined by the cause that causes the pain.

Presence of congenital dislocation

With such a pathology, a special orthopedic device is placed in the area of the baby's joint. These can be stirrups or spacers. In some cases, the use of Frejka pillows is recommended. Thanks to these designs, the baby's legs are in a physiologically correct position. The child wears these means for 6 months, sometimes longer.

When conventional therapies fail, surgery may be indicated. Operatively, the femoral head was reduced and some associated defects were eliminated. After removing the orthopedic aids, light massage procedures are prescribed to strengthen the muscle structures.

Dislocation of a traumatic nature

Such damage requires the use of drugs to remove muscle tone and reposition. After that, the patient must be at rest to stabilize the structures. If there are complaints of numbness, it will indicate a pinched nerve. In this case, you must consult a neurologist.

Hip fracture

Treatment of this injury is carried out by a traumatologist with surgical manipulations. Conservative methods of therapy are possible, but often do not bring the desired effect. In the absence of the possibility of surgery, a plaster cast is placed on the patient from the lumbar sector to the heel.

It is important to remember that older patients suffer the most severe consequences. Their fractures usually do not heal, and the recovery period itself lasts several months.

In addition, damage leads to many consequences. Patients show a lack of functionality of the respiratory organs, disorders of the heart and circulatory system, due to the lack of conditions for an active lifestyle and normal movement. Patients have trouble sitting, resulting in a burning sensation in the soft tissue area as a result of the fracture.

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

Development of Bechterew syndrome

The treatment of this pathology requires an integrated approach, which allows reducing the intensity of the manifestation of symptoms caused by inflammatory disorders. In the course of therapy, drugs are taken - anti-inflammatory drugs, hormone-type drugs, immunosuppressants. In addition, physiotherapy is carried out.

A course of physical exercises for muscle stretching is also prescribed. Massage is useful in this condition - the joint is worked on the left or right side, depending on the manifestation of the disease.

The therapeutic process is determined by the doctor based on the nature of the development of the pathology and the patient's condition. Swimming will help strengthen muscle structures. If the disease has taken a severe form, then a joint replacement procedure is performed.

Reiter's disease

Treatment of this disease without the use of antibiotics is impossible. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed. In the therapeutic process, the place of glucocorticosteroids, agents that reduce the activity of the immune system, and ointments for local application must be determined.

The duration of treatment is not shorter than 4-5 months. At the same time, there is a high probability of relapse. The course of treatment should be accompanied by measures to maintain muscle tone through physical activity, for example, stretching.

Arthritis of the rheumatoid type

Due to the progression of arthritis, pain can occur not only when moving the joint, but also at rest. It is impossible to completely remove such pain. The therapeutic effect is aimed at improving the quality of life of patients. For this purpose, prescribe medications:

• cytostatics;
• hormonal drugs;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• antirheumatic agents.

Surgical intervention is prescribed only when the disease reaches its final stages. In this condition, the patient has serious problems with walking and sitting. Surgical manipulations are performed using the method of joint fixation or arthroplasty. In the recovery process, stretching exercises, external ointments are prescribed.

Coxarthrosis

The therapy of this pathology is aimed at eliminating the cause of its manifestation. In the early stages, the disease can be cured by conservative therapy with the appointment of:

• NSAIDs;
• chondroprotectors;
• agents that restore blood flow;
• pain relievers;
• local ointments with a warming effect.

The treatment complex also includes low-intensity exercise therapy. For joint anesthesia, if necessary, injections are used.

In the last stages of pathology progression, conservative treatment methods are ineffective. In this state, there is a deterioration of well-being with minimal stress. Getting out of bed requires anesthesia with injections. Treatment is carried out surgically due to joint arthroplasty. Elderly patients are not prescribed such a procedure, but are limited to auxiliary manipulations.

After the operation, the rehabilitation process begins. Non-intense stretching, light training with low load are performed.

Treatment of inflammatory disorders and infections

The therapeutic process is determined by the nature of the disease and its manifestations:

1. In purulent arthritis, anesthesia of the hip joint is performed by introducing analgesics into the joint area. It may include several types of medication at the same time. An antibacterial agent is used in combination with an antibiotic. Pustules are also removed. To ensure the fixation of the limb, a plaster or splint is applied.
2. Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head requires normalization of blood circulation and resorption of dead zones. NSAIDs are used to relieve pain. The therapy plan includes vitamins, drugs that reduce blood viscosity. Massages and anesthetic ointments will help to get rid of painful pain. In parallel, physiotherapy and exercise therapy are prescribed. In severe cases of the disease, minimally invasive operations or arthroplasty are performed.
3. Bursitis requires quick relief of joint pain. At the same time, an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory drug administered intramuscularly are prescribed. Steroid medications help relieve severe symptoms of discomfort and pain. The affected joint should rest.
4. Conservative treatment methods are used for tuberculous arthritis. The baby must be immobile, so a tight bandage is used. The appearance of an abscess in the area of soft tissue requires removal.

Using traditional medicine recipes

These agents can be used in addition to traditional treatment. You should always consult your doctor first. The most popular recipes include:

• Compresses based on blue or white clay. They help in removing swelling and minimizing pain. Apply a compress with clay before going to bed and leave it overnight. From above, the damaged area is wrapped with a warm piece of cloth.
• Wraps with cabbage and honey. It is necessary to take one cabbage leaf and cover it with a layer of honey. Then such a compress is applied to the area of manifestation of burning or acute pain. It must be covered with a film from above, and then insulated with a wool scarf or scarf. The duration of the procedure is up to 1 month. Between manipulations, it is recommended to rub and caress the affected area.
• Fat with visceral fat and white root of the foot. Pour 250 g of crushed root into the previously melted fat and cook on low heat for 7 minutes. Allow the product to cool, then apply to the surface of the joint and leave overnight. A woolen cloth is applied to the treated area. Thus, it will be possible to remove swelling and other symptoms.
• A remedy of 2 lemons, 300 g of celery root, 130 g of garlic will help to get rid of severe pain in the tendon area. The components must be finely chopped and poured into a container with a lid. Pour the composition with boiling water and mix, then wrap the container and leave it overnight. Use 1 tsp. before eating for 1-3 months.