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The hip joint is responsible for attaching the leg to the torso. In the hip joint, the head of the thigh bone (the femur) moves in a socket (the acetabulum). Pain in the hip joint can be caused by any type of trauma, but is most often associated with degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis. In fact, osteoarthritis is the most common cause of hip pain in patients over the age of 50.

Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown and wearing away of the cartilage of the joints. The hip joint’s femoral head and the acetabulum are lined with cartilage that, when in perfect health, allows the bones to move with less friction. Cartilage serves as a cushion between the bones. When degeneration of the cartilage occurs, friction and inflammation can cause hip pain.

Medical Care for Hip Pain: Choosing Your Doctor

For patients who do not require surgery (or those looking for ways to avoid surgery), Physiatrists offer a number of conservative, minimally invasive treatments for hip pain. Physiatry is a medical specialty that focuses on disorders of the nerves, muscles, and bones of the body. Treatment goals center on managing pain while increasing functioning through rehabilitation.

Hip pain becomes a serious problem that requires medical attention when any of the following symptoms are present:

• Hip pain is experienced for more than a few days and does not resolve on its own;

• Walking becomes uncomfortable or painful;

• Bending of the hip is restricted;

• There is swelling/inflammation in the hip or thigh;

• Hip pain occurs when the body is at rest; and/or

• An infection causing fever and redness is apparent.

After a full diagnosis has been completed, a Physiatrist will develop a comprehensive plan to reduce pain and increase functioning. The diagnostic process also allows the doctor to rule out any serious medical concerns and determine the cause of hip pain.

Rehabilitative practices for hip pain may include physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, or chiropractic care. Because Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation offers all of these modalities, our Medical Director acts as the head of a team of practitioners to help hip pain sufferers reduce pain and increase mobility.

Joint Injections for Hip Pain

Hip pain can range in severity—for some patients, pain and inflammation can seriously limit the ability to undergo the most conservative rehabilitation practices (such as acupuncture or physical therapy). A specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation will then determine if Joint Injections are a viable option for such patients. Joint injections work by reducing inflammation and pain through the use of a corticosteroid.

Corticosteroids are produced naturally by the body and are involved in a number of the body’s processes, including stress and immune responses as well as the regulation of inflammation. Synthetic corticosteroids are used in Joint Injections to reduce inflammation and increase functioning; in this way, patients are able to complete rehabilitation programs to allow the body to heal in the healthiest way possible.

At Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation, joint injections are performed with the guidance of Ultrasound or Fluoroscopic imaging. These imaging techniques allow our doctors to view the musculoskeletal system in real time, thereby ensuring the precision, accuracy, and effectiveness of injections.

Joint Injections as part of the Diagnostic Process

To further ensure the accuracy of corticosteroid Joint Injections, a Physiatrist may perform a diagnostic injection to determine the specific area of pain. For diagnostic injections, a simple numbing agent (such a Licocaine) is used. If pain is temporarily relieved during this process, the locus of pain is more accurately identified.

Medical Services for Hip Pain at Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation

Although pain is a healthy response to disorder or illness, it can severely restrict movement and quality of life. It also places a burden of unhealthy stress on the body and, over time, forces the brain to become more adept at delivering pain signals. For these reasons, it is important to address painful conditions, such as hip pain, as soon as possible.

At Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation, we work to help patients avoid surgery as well as the excessive use of painkillers. Toward this end, we incorporate Physiatry in our practice. With minimally invasive procedures (such as Joint Injections), patients are relieved of pain in order to undergo rehabilitation.

Please contact our Monmouth County office to learn more about hip pain treatment in Red Bank, NJ.