Hip pain happens to all of us from time to time. It’s that achy feeling we get on our side. It’s the twinge we feel in our groin when we try to do anything requiring flexibility. It’s the shooting pain down our legs when we stand up wrong or when we walk for too long.
Causes of Hip Pain
For some patients, pain in the hip is a side effect of a meniscus tear. Meniscus tears are common injuries in the knees and the pain can affect the thigh and the hips as well.
Often hip pain is the result of a torn labrum. The labrum is the tissue and fibrocartilage that cushions the hip joints and keeps them stable (similar to what the meniscus does for the knee).
Labrum injuries happen for a few reasons. Most are caused by biology: patients have a slightly malformed hip joint and it causes issues (medical types call this FAI), or as a result of degeneration caused by osteoarthritis. Once in a while hip injuries happen organically—you bend, twist or move in a weird way and tear the tissue.
Symptoms of Hip Pain
Hip pain is an obvious sort of pain. It tends to present in the groin area or the front of the hips, though sometimes it can happen close to your posterior. The tricky part is that the pain isn’t constant. It typically only shows up when you’re trying to bend or rotate your body in some way. If the pain is constant, or you notice the twinges happen for more than a day or two, it is time to call your doctor.
What’s The Prognosis?
Like with most other injuries, your prognosis is going to depend on the type and severity of the injury. The best thing you can do is get checked out by your doctor. He or she will likely do an MRI arthrogram to determine the extent of the injury, prior to recommending a treatment and recovery plan.
It’s normal for you to jump to scary conclusions and assume that you’ll need hip replacement surgery. We’re not going to lie to you. That is one of the possible treatment options. Before you get worked up, however, know that some injuries can be healed more simply, with time, rest, and rehabilitation.
Also, there are alternative treatments you can explore. One of the most promising therapies for hip pain, especially the kind caused by osteoarthritis, is stem cell treatment. We’ll talk about that more in a minute.
What About Hip Replacement Surgery?
If your injury is extreme or the degeneration of the joint is extensive, your doctor is likely going to recommend hip replacement surgery. Understand that this is the worst possible scenario, even from your surgeon’s perspective. Hip replacement surgery is invasive and can lead to lasting pain and mobility issues.
Recovery after hip surgery is extremely variable and can involve up to 4-6 months of rehabilitation. Not to mention, any major surgery comes with additional risks due to the general anesthesia involved in the procedure.
As we mentioned before, surgery is no longer your only option. There are other treatment alternatives out there. Stem cell therapy for hip pain, for example, is quickly growing in popularity and reputation.
What About Stem Cell Therapy?
Perhaps the biggest reason patients are choosing stem cell treatments for hip pain is the time frame for treatment and recovery. Instead of spending six months in treatment and rehabilitation programs, stem cell treatments only take a day and recovery can occur within a matter of weeks.
Another major factor in stem cell popularity is that it is completely natural. Your doctor will harvest stem cells from your own body, so you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll have a reaction to donor cells or who those cells came from.
Before you get attached to the idea of stem cell therapy for hip pain, though, you must make sure you will be a good candidate. Have a specialist give you a thorough examination and evaluation before committing to this course of treatment.
Also, it’s important to understand that currently there is a lack of standardization on how stem cell treatment is performed. Therefore, when speaking to a physician about this procedure, make sure to ask for more information about the following:
- Types of stem cells used,
- The number of cells your injured site will receive,
- The extraction process, and
- Complementary injections (like PRP),
Having a thorough knowledge about how the procedure works will help ensure a successful outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Pain
Q: What are alternatives to hip replacement surgery?
In addition to stem cell therapy, some doctors have had success treating pain using steroids and other correctional surgeries.
Q: What is a total hip replacement surgery?
Total hip replacement means that the affected portions of the hip joint will be removed and replaced with an artificial prosthesis.
Q: What is the recovery time for a hip replacement?
4-6 months.
Q: Can a chiropractor or physical therapist help with hip pain?
Sometimes. Make sure you have visited your physician first and are certain about the diagnosis before you put your joint through any form of stress.
Q: Can back pain cause hip pain?
Yes. Sciatica, injured back muscles and disc disease can also cause pain in the hips.
Q: What should I do if I have hip pain?
See your doctor! If your pain lasts for more than a day or so, get yourself thoroughly checked out.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a hip pain related injury and want to find out if you’re a good candidate for stem cell therapy, book a one-on-one evaluation to find out if The Goswami Clinic Cell Therapy® is right for you.
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