In the vast majority of cases, pain in the hip joint is associated with degeneration of the cartilaginous joint layer and the development of deforming osteoarthritis. But this is if we are talking about patients over 45 years old. But at a younger age, completely different pathological processes can be the causes of the appearance of such a clinical symptom. And very often they are directly related to the defeat of the lumbar spine and lumbar spine syndrome. Most of them are complications of long-term osteochondrosis without proper treatment.
Pain in the hip joint is a signal that the position of the femoral head in the acetabulum is disturbed. This joint is one of the most loaded. It represents the maximum damping load both during walking and running, and when a person is standing and sitting.
The head of the femur, like the acetabulum of the ilium, is lined with a cartilaginous articular layer. Inside the joint capsule is synovial fluid. When compressed, the cartilage tissue secretes synovial fluid, and when straightened, it absorbs back. Thus, the simultaneous distribution of the damping load and the protection of the bone tissue from damage and cracks are carried out.
Synovial fluid is produced during the work of the muscles surrounding the joint. It penetrates the joint capsule by diffuse exchange. Maintaining an adequate level and optimal viscosity of synovial fluid is key to the longevity and health of the hip joint.
Unfortunately, sedentary life, malnutrition, traumatic effects, excess weight and other risk factors lead to the fact that synovial fluid becomes small or loses its normal properties. This starts the process of destroying the cartilaginous synovium.
Bone tissues are destroyed and begin to be covered with deposits of calcium salts - osteophytes. The joint loses its mobility. Ankylosis and contracture are formed. In the last stages of coxarthrosis, only a hip replacement surgery can help the patient. This is the most dangerous disease that can lead to disability in adulthood. In the early stages, it can be successfully treated with manual therapy methods.
At a young age, pain in the hip joint when walking can be due to traumatic damage to the ligamentous and tendon apparatus. If a person has even minor problems with the lumbosacral spine, then they do not have an even distribution of the damping load. As a result, there is a large mechanical load on the ligaments and tendons. They are subject to periodic microscopic injury. In these places, arcuate deformations form and gradually begin to exert a compressive effect on the adjacent nerve fibers. This causes pain to appear.
In middle age, hip joint pain may also be associated with damage to the lumbosacral spine. But in this case, the possibility of violation of blood microcirculation increases. The defeat of the root nerves and the plexus of the lumbosacral nerve leads to the fact that the tone of the muscle wall of the blood circulation is disturbed. As a result, the tissues around the hip joint, like other parts of the lower limbs, do not receive adequate nutrition. Ischemic processes begin.
With a prolonged combined load on the hip joint in the context of an ischemic process, there is a risk of developing aseptic necrosis of bone tissue. This is a very dangerous disease, which, in case of delayed treatment, can lead to disability in adult life. A person loses his ability to work, requires surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
We strongly recommend that in case of any discomfort in the hip joint, you contact an orthopedic doctor in a timely manner. If necessary, he will schedule a consultation with a spondylologist, neurologist or vascular surgeon.
Causes of severe pain and stiffness in the hip joint
Some of the possible causes of severe hip pain have already been mentioned above. However, this is not a complete list of factors that negatively affect the condition of the hip joint.
Severe pain in the hip joint can occur as a result of a traumatic effect - this is:
- A hip fracture is a serious injury that most often requires surgery to restore integrity.
- fissure of the ilium or femur.
- dislocation or subluxation with stretching of the joint capsule, accumulation of capillary blood and the subsequent process of hemarthrosis development.
- rupture of the joint capsule.
- violation of the integrity of the joint bags (sweets).
- stretching and tears of ligaments and tendon fibers, including the subsequent process of scar deformation.
Pain in the hip joint can be a result of dystrophic processes. They can affect both the outer soft tissues and the cartilaginous synovial membranes inside the bone joint. Violation of the tone of the vascular wall against the background of lumbosacral osteochondrosis is the most common cause of destruction of the tissues of the hip joints. If we add to this the negative impact of the forced curvature of the spine due to the muscle fiber tension syndrome, it becomes clear that the pathology of the cartilaginous intervertebral discs can lead to disability due to the destruction of the hip joint.
Note that pain and stiffness in the hip joint can be signs of developing ankylosis. This disease can be post-traumatic or rheumatic. In the first case, contraction develops first, and then the range of motion decreases to complete immobility. Rheumatic lesions are the articular form of ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polyarthritis, etc.
Possible causes of pain in the hip joint are diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They develop under the influence of the following risk factors:
- overweight and obesity (each extra kilogram of weight puts a huge load on all joints and the spine, causes their accelerated destruction).
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle with insufficient physical activity and sedentary work - the process of blood supply to the tissues of the hip joint is disturbed, the effectiveness of synovial fluid decreases, and the process of decay of cartilaginous protective tissues begins.
- smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages - changes biochemical processes, causes a sharp spasm of capillary blood circulation.
- heavy physical work and lifting extreme weights without prior training.
- incorrect positioning of the foot in the form of flat feet or club feet.
- the wrong choice of shoes for everyday use and physical training.
- violation of the rules of ergonomics when arranging your sleeping and working space.
All these risk factors must be excluded. An experienced physician during the initial collection of memory data will try to identify all the putative causes and negative influencing factors. Then he will give the patient individual recommendations, the observance of which will eliminate the risk of recurrence of the identified disease in the future. Therefore, be sure to follow all your doctor's recommendations.
Which doctor should I see for hip joint pain?
The answer to the question of which doctor treats hip pain largely depends on the circumstances under which such a clinical symptom appeared. For example, if you have fallen, slipped or been involved in an accident, you should first contact a trauma specialist. This doctor will exclude the possibility of a violation of the integrity of the tissues. If needed, he will provide all necessary assistance.
Then, for full recovery, it is recommended to contact a chiropractor. He will develop a course of therapeutic exercises that will fully restore the working capacity of the body's muscular framework after forced immobilization. This will prevent the risk of developing deforming osteoarthritis and other serious degenerative pathologies in the future.
If pain in the hip joint bothers you constantly - which doctor should you consult? We strongly recommend finding a manual therapy clinic near where you live. There are usually doctors with vast experience in working with such patients.
Unfortunately, in most clinics in the city, it is either impossible to make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist, or this specialist deals exclusively with the symptomatic treatment of localized pathology. Those. approaches the solution of the patient's problem exclusively formally.
With long-term pain, it is very important to exclude the possibility of destruction of the lumbosacral spine. Therefore, in addition to an orthopedic consultation, you may also need to see a spondylologist or neurologist. As a rule, doctors of this profile practice successfully in specialized manual therapy clinics.
Treating hip pain
Treatment for hip pain can only begin after an accurate diagnosis has been made. This is a clinical symptom of various pathologies. And the correct course of treatment should take into account their causes.
For example, if the destruction of the cartilage layer inside the joint is caused by muscle weakness against a background of insufficient innervation due to the destruction of the intervertebral discs in the lumbosacral spine, then the course of treatment can be approximately as follows:
- first, with the help of manual traction of the spine, it is reasonable to restore the normal position of the vertebral bodies and eliminate the compression pressure from the cartilaginous tissues and the nerve roots.
- then, with the help of massage, the doctor can eliminate the syndrome of excessive tension of muscle fibers and improve the elasticity of all soft tissues, speed up the blood supply process.
- the osteopathic effect triggers the disturbed process of blood, lymphatic and interstitial fluid microcirculation, which has a positive effect on tissue trophism, on the elimination of infiltrating edema of the soft tissues surrounding the joint.
- Physiotherapy accelerates metabolic processes, removes decay products, enhances the synthesis of new cells, etc.
- laser exposure stimulates reparative processes.
- Reflexology has a stimulating effect due to the fact that it affects biologically active points in the human body.
- Therapeutic gymnastics in combination with kinesiotherapy develops the muscular framework of the human body, initiates the processes of disturbed trophism of cartilage tissues within the joints and in the area of the affected cartilage intervertebral discs.
The course of treatment for hip pain is always developed individually. Do not rush to take medicines without a doctor's prescription. Most of them may be completely useless in your case. The second part of the pharmacological agents can significantly accelerate the process of tissue breakdown within the hip joints.
If you have unpleasant sensations in the area of this bone joint, then in no case do not tolerate them. Make an appointment with the specialist who will be available. Ask for an X-ray of the joint, as needed, an MRI examination. For treatment, look for a manual therapy clinic in your area.