How Do I Know If My Hip Pain Is Serious?

There are a number of reasons as to why somebody could be experiencing hip pain. After a slip and fall or strenuous workout, it’s common for the muscles surrounding the hip to become bruised or strained which can lead to mild soreness and pain for a few days or weeks. Typically, these kinds of injuries can be remedied through rest, as well as ice and heat without a trip to the doctor. On the other hand, if the hip pain was caused by something more serious like a car accident, the hip pain could be the result of a more severe injury. In this post from the Greater Austin Pain Center blog, we’ll discuss some of the different symptoms you may experience if your hip pain is the result of a serious injury, as well as common types of hip injuries that can require medical attention.

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Understanding Your Hip Injury

Understanding what led to your hip pain is the first step to discovering if it could be serious. Try to think back to what may have caused your hip to hurt. Most hip pain will occur in the groin area, but it is possible to feel pain on the lateral or posterior hip. If your pain seems to flare up after strenuous activity, but you’re still able to go about with your normal routine, then rest and ice should be sufficient to heal at home. Exercise related symptoms are the most common type of hip injuries, and it’s typical for these injuries to simply go away.  If you recall a popping sensation, immediate swelling or bruising, or inability to stand or walk for a bit when thinking back on your injury, then you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. These symptoms are often related to a serious tear or other condition within your hip and will require medical attention to be remedied.

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Types Of Hip Injuries

Hip injuries can be classified into two common types: athletic hip injuries, and elderly hip injuries. Athletic hip injuries can occur in people of all ages. Anybody who’s active in sports that require strenuous activity like hockey, basketball, football or martial arts run a serious risk of experiencing a hip injury. It’s very common for a tackle, check, or hip toss to result in tears within the muscles or joint of the hip. The most common types of athletic hip injuries include labral tears, loose bodies, and snapping hip. Most common athletic hip injuries can be healed from the comfort of home with rest. Other common treatments for these kinds of injuries are physical therapy and medications. If your pain persists for over a few weeks after resting your hip, then you should consider going to a medical professional.

Alternatively, elderly people run a greater risk of hip injury than people of any age. Senior citizens can experience serious hip injuries from a slip and fall easily, due to decreased bone density and joint elasticity as we age. In fact, of the approximately 250,000 hip replacement operations that occur annually in the United States, the great majority of patients are over 60. Since our hips are used for stability, balance, and in many ways, our very ability to walk, hip ailments are a very concerning injury to experience for senior citizens. Hip injuries can lead to chronic pain, decreased movement, and disability entirely. If you’re an elderly citizen and think you may have experienced a hip injury, you should visit a doctor whether it was from a small bump or a big fall.

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Experiencing Hip Pain In The Greater Austin Area? Reach Out To Greater Austin Pain Center Today

If you’re experiencing hip pain that’s lasted for longer than a few weeks after resting, and live in the Greater Austin area, reach out to Greater Austin Pain Center today. Our Austin pain specialists have seen it all when it comes to hip injuries, and we’ll use this experience to develop a treatment plan that’s perfect for your injury. While hip injuries can be stressful and scary, our pain treatment specialists have the know how to get you back to feeling as good as ever. To learn more, give us a call or reach out to us online today.