Hip pain is a rather common health problem. This problem seen especially in the elderly appears in relation with a bone-joint disease or trauma in general. Since the hip joint is the most commonly used joint of the body, pain in this joint adversely affects the daily life. Hip pain that indicates some adverse situation in the hip joint must be taken seriously, and if the problem is not removed within a few days, individuals with this problem must apply to a healthcare organization to know the cause of the pain and to get treated.
However, the following conditions giving rise to hip pain require immediate application to a healthcare facility without waiting for a recovery period:
- Falls and hip injuries,
- Worsening of the hip pain within days,
- Feeling an urge to stoop forward because of pain when walking, climbing the stairs and similar,
- Fever accompanying the pain,
- Continuous feeling of discomfort,
- Sudden weight loss.
When cases with hip pain are examined, it is seen that most of them have developed in relation with simple reasons such as adverse movements or over-straining of the joint during exercise. In such cases, the factor causing pain is the strain in muscles and tendons or inflammation in the soft tissues of the hip. Lack of improvement in pain within 2 weeks indicates a more serious problem underlying. Pains arising from articular problems sometimes can be reflected to groins, knees or thighs. In some other cases however, pain related to problems in knee or lumbar areas can be felt in hips.
Individuals with hip pain that does not go away spontaneously within two weeks must apply to a healthcare facility. Physical examination by a doctor can reveal whether or not there are any malfunctions in the operation of the hip joint or other joints. The doctor will determine if pain is felt during some movements or pain increases or decreases with which movements, and will investigate the causes of the problem. At the same time, doctor will take the patient’s history to obtain information about the problems encountered during daily living activities. Generally, some diagnostic tests will be needed following the history and physical examination in order to make the definitive diagnosis.