Hip Pain - When to Call the Doctor and Basic Treatment

Oftentimes we know the exact moment when an injury occurs, but this is not always the case. In order to find a treatment that will be successful and relieve your hip pain it is important to know the root cause of the problem. Even if you are positive about what caused the issue it may be a good idea to talk to your primary care physician.

There are some symptoms that should steer you toward a trip to the doctor as soon as possible. If the pain you are experiencing is making it too difficult to walk, get to your doctor. Also, if the pain has been ongoing for more than just a few days or there is swelling, fever, redness or warmth, make an appointment or go to an urgent care facility. Obviously, if there has been any sort of injury that has caused a deformity to the area a doctor should be consulted immediately! You should be able to bend your hip and the inability to do so suggests a need to be addressed, also. Most of these are common-sense reasons to see a physician. However, we often minimize the severity of our injury or pain or put off seeking treatment. Neither of these paths is likely to lead to a successful full recovery.

There are a wide variety of treatments that are used for hip pain. Of course, the treatment will depend on the cause of the pain, another reason to see your doctor! There are some basic treatments that are likely to help in just about any injury situation. Rest is the most common treatment for hip pain and is useful for just about any type of hip problem. For many people this may be the only treatment required and the injury will take care of itself.

If rest is not enough there are some other easy and basic options to try. Ice and heat are an excellent way to address an inflammation problem. The trick is in understanding and knowing which option will work best in your situation. Ice is generally used for injuries that are less than a couple days old and if there is any swelling present. By choosing to apply an ice treatment to an injury quickly you may be able to keep swelling, and therefore some of the pain, to a minimum.

It is best to use heat treatments if it has been advised by your doctor. In general, heat is used for injuries and for pain that is chronic. By heating an area blood flow is increased and the area becomes more relaxed. It is important to be very cautious when using heat to treat an injury. Be very careful not to leave a heating pad on too long or to leave it in place while sleeping. Caution is needed in order to avoid any kind of burn. Oftentimes, simply using a moist hot towel will get the job done.

When in doubt, check it out. Don't be shy and get yourself to a doctor if you have any doubt about how best to alleviate your hip pain. The doctor may be able to advise you on medications or supplements to help you along your way and relive that hip pain once and for all.