How Can A Person Cure Hip Joint Pain Naturally?

The hip is a large ball and socket joint. Its main function is to assist a person in movement. So, one can enjoy the complete range of motion to their advantage.  

There are several causes of hip inflammation or pain. Some can be cured at home while others require medical attention. 

Strained muscles or slight stretching due to overuse or an injury can be cured naturally at home. Take enough rest, stay hydrated and sleep well. The pain will go away in a few days. 

Sometimes, rest isn’t enough. The condition needs more than that. In that case, consult an orthopedic doctor for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. 

All causes of hip pain aren’t treatable at home or with natural remedies.

Anatomy

The hip joint is made up of several crucial parts. These are as follows. 

●      The Acetabulum or Socket

●      The Femoral Head or Ball

●      The Labrum

●      The Articular Cartilage

●      Ligaments

●      Tendons

●      Bursae

●      Synovial Membrane

●      Muscles

●      Nerves 

Except for the socket and the ball, the rest are called soft tissues. 

The labrum is found on the rim of the socket and it locks the femoral head over the same structure. The articular cartilage is a layer all over the femoral head and it helps with smooth movement. 

Ligaments and tendons provide connectivity and stability. Every part helps one another so the hip functions as it should.

Causes

Hip pain is a symptom of more than one condition; some of which are as follows. 

Strained Muscles: Over-exhaustion or an injury can lead to this condition. 

Bursitis: A bursa is a fluid-filled bag that cushions the adjacent structures in a joint. Its inflammation is called bursitis. 

Sprains: An injury or even harmful and sudden moves can damage a ligament, leading to conditions called sprains.   

Osteoarthritis: Loss of cartilage makes the hip joint stiff and immobile. With time, tiny growths start to develop along the edges of the bones of the socket and the ball, making the range of motion extremely restricted.  

Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is an autoimmune condition. It makes the joint chronically inflamed. The inflammation starts with the joint lining and slowly goes deeper inside, causing irreversible damage.  

Other types of arthritis are Psoriatic Arthritis & Septic Arthritis. 

Osteonecrosis: The death of bone tissue and collapse of the structure due to a lack of blood supply is called osteonecrosis or AVN, which particularly affects the hip joint. 

Deformities: Not everyone is blessed with the correct shapes and sizes of hip balls and sockets. Some have hip joints in abnormal shapes. It might be a congenital problem or even develop during growth years.     

Trauma: It can lead to the conditions such as 

●      Dislocation

●      Fractures

●      Labral Damage

●      Tendonitis (inflamed tendon)

●      Sciatica (compressed sciatica nerve) 

Furthermore, Fibromyalgia and Bone Cancer are other causes to blame. 

Symptoms

Physical discomfort manifests as per the nature and severity of the prevailing condition. Major symptoms are as follows. 

●      Pain

●      Tenderness

●      Stiffness

●      Redness

●      Swelling

●      Reduced mobility

●      Numbness

●      Inability to walk, climb stairs or do basic activities

●      Affected mental health  

If you have any of the following discomforts in the hip, consult the best doctor for hip surgery in Delhi. They will let you know if you need surgery or if the condition can be treated otherwise without surgery. 

Diagnosis

To see what is wrong with the hip joint, the following imaging tests are ordered.

●      X-Ray

●      MRI

●      CT Scan 

Furthermore, as per the advice of the doctor, blood tests and synovial fluid analysis can also be prescribed for the accuracy of diagnosis.

Home Remedies

Some people overuse their joints without even realising and it leads to strained muscles. It usually happens to people due to 

●      overexercising

●      exercising for the first time

●      climbing more stairs

●      walking more steps

●      lifting too much weight

●      prolonged sitting or standing

●      improper posture

●      poor conditioning 

Sometimes, a fall or hit can lead to mild muscle strain or injuries as well. 

For such situations, try the following for relief. 

●      Rest & Activity Modification

●      Ice Packs

●      Assistive Devices

●      Light Stretching Or Exercise 

Give the affected hip as much rest as possible. Don’t move it so the condition doesn’t get worse. 

Inactivity has two-fold benefits. First, it prevents an injury from becoming worse. Second, it helps with healing and restoration of normal range of motion. 

During recovery, make sure that you use an assistive device if you have to walk for basic activities. You can make use of a walking stick or even a walker as per your own comfort. It will help take the pressure off the affected section of the hip. 

One can even take support from another human being as well if that is an option. 

Furthermore, apply an ice pack to the hip immediately after an injury. It helps reduce post-injury swelling and pain. 

Try to make exercise part of your lifestyle. It will help condition the body to withstand future traumatic events better. When the pain and discomfort start to subsist, it is always best to begin with mild stretching or low-impact workouts, i.e., walking, cycling, swimming etc. 

If the pain doesn’t correct itself with rest and all these options, book an appointment with an orthopedic doctor and have a consultation for better guidance and lasting relief.  

Treatment Options

Besides mild strains and sprains, there are other hip issues as well that cannot heal themselves with rest. These causes are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteonecrosis, etc., as mentioned above as well. 

For such conditions, the following are usually the treatment options. 

●      Pain Medicines

●      Injections of Corticosteroids

●      Physiotherapy

●      Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

●      Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC)

●      Surgery 

Painkillers and corticosteroid injections are frequently employed to alleviate discomfort and enhance immediate quality of life. Such injections are typically considered when pain becomes overwhelming, significantly affecting mental health. 

Physiotherapy primarily aids in healing while strengthening weakened or affected body parts. It is often integrated into a holistic healthcare programme rather than functioning as a standalone treatment. 

PRP and BMAC both are biologics: medicines made out of living tissues of the patient’s body. A biologic treatment helps with the repair and healing of damaged body parts. 

For example, under PRP, platelets out of the blood are extracted and then injected into the injured part to promote healing and revive the capacity of the damaged tissue to regenerate itself. Platelets contain certain growth factors that help with this biological process. 

BMAC resembles PRP; however, instead of using a platelet-rich plasma concentrate, it utilises a stem cell concentrate to aid in the regeneration of the damaged tissue. In this therapy, the stem cell-rich concentrate is derived from the bone marrow deposits in the body, primarily located in the pelvis region. 

Fractures are treated with internal fixation, external fixation, immobilisation, closed reduction, etc. 

An intense injury might lead to hip dislocation as well. The condition is treated with closed reduction, arthroscopy or open surgery as the case may be. 

For severe arthritis where the cartilage is nearly depleted and bones have deformed, hip replacement surgery is recommended. This surgery only removes the damaged parts from the joint and then resurfaces the same with durable and safe implant components.  

Hip replacement surgery success rate is very high and it is a very effective and complication-free treatment for chronic hip pain.

Conclusion

In short, hip pain can be treated with rest at home if the cause is not that severe. If the situation doesn’t change even after quality sleep and rest, make sure you consult a hip specialist because all hip pain cannot be treated naturally at home.