The appearance of pain in the groin joint should definitely alarm, because this is the largest bony connection without which the process of walking is impossible. It maintains balance, redistributes body weight between the spine and lower limbs. When the function of the thigh joint is impaired, the patient's quality of life decreases immediately and his physical activity decreases.
If you feel pain in the hip joint, you need to determine the cause. Treatment of pain depends on the pathology of which it is a symptom. Complex measures and strict adherence to the recommendations will help eliminate the disease and maintain the motor activity of the joint.
Disorder of the hip joint makes active movement impossible. Reduced functionality restricts the patient in terms of movement and independent performance.
So what are the causes of such uncomfortable discomfort in the hip joint and how can it be treated at home? Let's try to figure it out.
Causes
Pain in the hip joint can occur for a variety of reasons: due to damage to the joint itself, both to the right and to the left, as well as to the bones, cartilage or ligaments located near it. Numbness and restriction of movement throughout the groin often present with a painful symptom.
Thigh joint diseases can occur at any age, but most commonly affect the elderly. If pain occurs, it is advisable to consult a general practitioner, he will prescribe an initial examination and recommend which doctor you should go to.
The most common causes of hip pain are:
- dislocations;
- fracture;
- infectious inflammation, or arthritis;
- degenerative changes, or osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis);
- aseptic necrosis of the femoral head;
- inflammation of the periarticular sac (bursitis);
- non-infectious inflammation in autoimmune connective tissue diseases;
- period of pregnancy.
The prevalence of pain syndrome in this localization increases with age. If in young people under the age of 18, pain in the hip joint is found in 8-10%, then for middle-aged people this figure is 20-30%. At the age of 50-59 years, 40% already suffer from this, and among the elderly - from 50 to 60%. Women are more likely to suffer from this localization pain syndrome than men.
By age
Typical pathological conditions for different age groups that cause pain in the hip joint:
- Adults and the elderly. Osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis), joint injuries and deformities, acetabulum compression.
- Children and adolescents. Perthes disease, transient synovitis, acquired varus deformity, tuberculous lesions, joint injuries and deformities.
- Newborns and infants under 1 year of age. Congenital thigh dislocation, consequences of generic epiphysis, acute purulent osteoarthritis, congenital deformities of the varus.
bursitis
The main signs of bursitis:
- with the development of the disease, the appearance of back pain;
- increased discomfort when moving the leg;
- increased pain after prolonged sitting, back pain;
- sharp and burning pains, especially when you are lying sideways at night, extending to the entire surface of the thigh.
If an infection is introduced, purulent bursitis may appear, which is characterized by acute pain in the hip joint. For this type of bursitis, a characteristic symptom is the inability to fully extend the leg. When pressed, a firmness is felt, which can spread to the large surface of the thigh. Perhaps the appearance of back pain.
Osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis)
Coxarthrosis is based on degenerative (destruction) and dystrophic (malnutrition) processes in the hip joint. As a result, the joint ceases to perform its functions - the movements of the legs are interrupted. It can be an independent disease or develop with secondary damage to the joint (bone tumor). In old age, coxarthrosis develops again after a thigh fracture.
Depending on the severity of the changes that have occurred in the joints, 3 stages of coxarthrosis are distinguished.
- In stage 3, pain in the hip joint bothers patients even at rest, at night. Significant lameness, which forces the use of a cane.
- In stage 2 coxarthrosis, the pain begins to radiate to the groin, inner and front sides of the thigh, often falling to the knee. They appear after the usual daily load, but at rest do not bother.
- Stage 1 is characterized by pain in the thigh joint that occurs during excessive exertion: climbing stairs with load on the hands, walking for more than 2-3 kilometers, running. The sensations of pain go away after a short rest.
The choice of methods for treating osteoarthritis of the hip depends on the severity of the changes that have occurred in the joints. Grade 1 and 2 disease can be treated, as a rule, conservatively. Anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors, drugs that improve blood circulation to the joints, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises are prescribed. The final stage is treated only with the help of surgeries.
Thigh fracture
A very common injury, especially in elderly people with weak bones. This condition is characterized by severe pain, inability to make any movement in the joints.
In this case, hospitalization is necessary for proper treatment, as a thigh fracture is often complicated by an infectious process, for example, bacterial arthritis, etc. Increased inflammation significantly impairs the healing of fractures and contributes to improper bone melting.
Dislocation of the hip joint
It is most often a consequence of road accidents and also occurs during various falls and injuries at work.
Clinical manifestations in dislocation: unbearable acute pain, almost absolute difficulty in movement of the lower extremities, with damage to nerve endings, loss of sensation of the ankle and ankle. With bilateral dislocation of the wrist, symptoms are expressed in the form of intermittent claudication, or so-called "duck walking".
It is worth noting a concept such as congenital hip dislocation, diagnosed in newborns. This disease is a consequence of the underdevelopment of the acetabulum, due to which the femoral head falls outside its boundaries, thus forming a dislocation.
Subluxation
This is an incomplete loss of contact between the femoral head and the acetabulum. The person does not feel sharp pain, motor activity is slightly limited, but unpleasant sensations are constantly present.
Rheumatism
A systemic connective tissue disease, associated with damage to the joints and valvular apparatus of the heart. It most often develops in girls and young women after streptococcal sore throat.
Approximately two weeks after the illness, severe pain appears in the large joints, which gradually diminish and disappear. Rheumatism does not cause permanent damage to the joints, its main risk is the development of acquired heart defects.
Arthritis
Arthritis is especially common in the elderly. The older a person is, the more processes can occur within his joints. Discomfort occurs in the area of the legs and hips, cramps can be felt in the front of the thigh and even reach up to the knee. Symptoms worsen with walking and resting on foot. It becomes difficult to get up from a sitting position, this causes severe pain in the hip joint.
Most often, the disease increases in the morning, but with physical activity decreases. But with excessive loads, uncomfortable sensations increase and stiffness in movement appears. Treatment depends on the diagnosis, usually prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, exercise therapy and hormonal drugs.
Infections
Infectious arthritis can be caused by viruses such as influenza, staphylococcus, streptococcus and others. . . In such cases, the disease develops rapidly. Fever starts, swelling is noticed in the affected wrist area. Acute pain in the hip joint is noticed with movement and even touching of the affected area.
A slightly different symptomatology is observed in tuberculous arthritis, which most often affects the hip joint. In this case, the disease is felt gradually. At first, a person begins to suffer from a slight pain when walking, radiating to the legs - to the middle of the thigh or knee. As the disease progresses, the hips are restricted in movement in all directions, the affected area swells.
Tendonitis
Inflammation of the tendons, or tendonitis, usually affects people who are exposed to high levels of regular physical activity. Most often these are athletes. It should be noted that this disease sometimes persists invisibly, especially if the patient reduces the load on the hip joint. And, conversely, with very active movements and heavy loads, the pain becomes very strong.
Treatment of tendonitis is performed with anti-inflammatory drugs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed.
Which doctor is treating you?
The help of these doctors may be required if you have pain in the hip joint:
- Rheumatologist;
- Traumatologist or orthopedist;
- Physiotherapist;
- Neurologist.
The specialist will perform a study and examination of the patient, will prescribe a comprehensive examination.
Diagnosing
Laboratory and instrumental research methods:
- X-ray examination and ultrasound. They are the gold standard for almost all hip joint diseases.
- General blood test. Will provide an opportunity to assess the general condition of the body.
- Biochemical blood test and specific markers of rheumatic diseases.
- Urine examination. The color, quantity, clarity and density of urine are determined. In addition, proteins, glucose and bilirubin are important indicators.
- Morphological examination of biopsy specimens. Used to study the structure of the material obtained, especially often in cases of suspected skeletal oncological disease.
- CT scan. Allows the node, bone tissue in several projections to be visualized, to determine its density.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Rendered in thin layers of body tissue in each plane.
- Osteoscintigraphy. With the introduction of osteotropic radiopharmaceuticals, the state of blood flow to bone tissue and the intensity of metabolic processes are visualized.
Note the reduced mobility of the joints. Remember if the disease was accompanied by fever, headache, local hyperemia, edema and other local manifestations. Do not be afraid to draw the attention of a specialist to the possible causes of the disease. Describe in detail everything that worries you.
How is hip pain treated?
What to do if painful symptoms appear in the hip joint area? After all, the pelvis is an important link in the musculoskeletal system. And if there is serious pain, you should immediately contact a specialist. He will help diagnose and identify the cause of the problem. The sooner the diagnosis is made, the more effective the treatment will be.
If you suspect mild pain associated with minor injury or joint overload, the following measures may be taken:
- avoid stress on the injured joint, keep calm;
- take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug;
- during sleep, it is advisable to lie on the healthy side.
Drug treatment consists of a complex administration of drugs in different directions:
- Hondoprotectors, mineral and vitamin complexes.
- Muscle relaxants that reduce spasms that occur with pain.
- NSAIDs and steroids. Steroid medications are prescribed only for severe symptoms.
- Tools for improving microcirculation. They relieve edema and hypoxic manifestations in the affected area.
- Diuretics to reduce swelling in the inflamed area.
Physiotherapeutic measures are also of great importance in the treatment of hip joint diseases. They are performed after removal of acute inflammation and severe pain. Electrophoresis is well proven, with the help of which a high concentration of drugs can be created directly in the affected area.
A progressive method is considered to be laser therapy, which produces analgesic, resorbable and anti-inflammatory effects. Magnetotherapy, diode dynamotherapy and drug phonophoresis are also used successfully.