Hip Pain

Hip pain can be disabling and hard to manage. If painful hips are getting you down, visit the Union Anesthesia Associates team at one of their convenient offices in Union, Scotch Plains, Bloomfield, South Bound Brook, New Brunswick, Old Bridge, and Woodbridge, New Jersey. The dedicated pain management specialists offer advanced treatments to reduce pain and increase mobility. Call your nearest Union Anesthesia Associates office today or schedule a consultation online for expert hip pain relief.

Why have I got hip pain?

Hip pain develops for many reasons, including:

Lumbar radiculopathy

Radiculopathy is spinal nerve damage that causes pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. In the lumbar (lower) spine, radiculopathy triggers sciatica, which causes shooting pain that usually goes through the hip and down one leg.

Trauma

Trauma from slip-and-falls, motor vehicle accidents, and sports injuries can fracture (break) the femur (thigh bone) or pelvis, where they form the hip joint. Hips can also dislocate (come apart) under sufficient pressure. The ligaments, muscles, tendons, and/or cartilage (labrum) lining the hip socket can also tear.

Avascular necrosis

Avascular necrosis develops due to poor blood circulation in the hip bones, which causes cell death.

Arthritis

Osteoarthritis usually develops in mid to later life after decades of joint wear. Poorly healed injuries can speed osteoarthritis progression. Rheumatoid arthritis, the next most common kind, is caused by an immune system defect that causes it to attack the joint linings.

Bursitis

Bursitis is a particularly common hip pain cause. Bursae are small sacs of fluid that provide a cushion between a joint’s moving parts. Excessive use inflames the bursae, causing joint pain. In the hip, trochanteric bursitis is the most likely problem. It causes pain on the outer hip that gets worse when you lie on that side.

How does my doctor diagnose hip pain?

Hip pain diagnosis involves giving your doctor as much information about your condition as possible. They’ll ask how it started, when, if it’s getting worse, and what the pain feels like.

After checking your medical history, your doctor completes a physical exam. They assess the joint’s range of motion and flexibility and look for noticeable abnormalities.

Diagnostic imaging (X-rays, CT or ultrasound scans, and MRIs) can help by allowing your doctor to view the hip joint’s interior. They can see damaged tissues and assess how far the problem extends.

How is hip pain treated?

Union Anesthesia Associates prepares personalized treatment plans for patients after determining what’s causing the problem. Depending on your condition and how it affects you, they could recommend:

• Physical therapy
• Pain medication
• Activity changes
• Steroid injections
• Nerve blocks (local anesthetic injections)
• Radiofrequency neurotomy

Radiofrequency neurotomy is a minimally invasive treatment. It deadens the nerves, sending pain messages from your hip to your brain.

Call Union Anesthesia Associates today or book an appointment online for exceptional hip pain treatment.