Arthritis in hips is interesting because the pain may be felt in the hip joint or in the thigh, groin, or low back. Hip arthritis has the same causes of OA elsewhere in the body: cartilage breakdown around the joint causes destruction of the joint itself and deformity of the bones.
The hip joint is a major weight bearing joint and arthritis of the hip joint can lead to major problems. First there's the same issue you find with knees: walking. Patients with arthritis in hips often complain of pain when walking, and may need to eventually use a cane or a walker.
If the deformity gets bad enough there's the risk of a hip fracture. Estimates figure that less than half the people who have a hip fracture ever get back the same quality of life as before the fracture. The other problem is that hip fractures are known for serious complications, some of which are life threatening. The recovery from hip fractures means a lot of time in bed, which can lead to blood clots in the legs, which can dislodge and travel to the lungs.
Symptoms of Hip Arthritis
- Pain while standing or with activity
- Limited range of motion
- Pain in the joint while lying in bed on your side
- Walking with a limp
Natural Treatment Options for Arthritis in the Hip
DietLike the knees, the hips take the brunt of your weight when you're standing. If you are overweight eating the foods that help arthritis is the single easiest thing you can do to relieve the pain, as you'll lose weight while doing it.
Modifying daily life
Activity modification may be important and learning how to properly use a cane or a walker can help during flare-ups. Click here to learn how to properly use a cane.
If you do need to use a walker, make sure it's set to the proper height to avoid causing additional back pain. You can download walker height instructions by clicking here (thanks to the Canadian Red Cross!).
Laser therapy for pain
Laser therapy is offering real pain solutions to people with chronic pain and it penetrates deeply to get into the hip joint. To learn more about the K-Laser class 4 laser that I use, follow that link. To read about chiropractic laser therapy in general, follow that one.
Water exercise
Hip arthritis responds very well to water exercises, and many YMCA's offer aquatic classes all year long. Physical therapy is another good option, as making the muscles around the hip strong can take some of the burden off the joint.
Supplements
Joint supplements like glucosamine and hyaluronic acid are also good options for the pain and to slow down the destruction of the joint.
There are also excellent homeopathic remedies for arthritis on the market.
Want to read other pages related to this one?
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