Aching hips are more than just an annoyance. For millions of seniors, hip problems can make everyday activities, like walking and climbing stairs, a challenge. Arthritis is the most common cause of hip and joint paint. To understand why your hip is hurting and which medical interventions may be able to help, it’s a good idea to start at the beginning.

Common Types of Arthritis

The three most common types of arthritis in the hips are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic arthritis. Each of these types of arthritis can cause hip tissue degeneration and joint pain.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis among seniors in the Redding community. It can occur in one of both hips, and it is typically caused by years of wear and tear. Deterioration of the cartilage puts the femur in direct contact with the acetabulum, causing significant discomfort or pain. During the earliest stages of osteoarthritis, treatment recommendations typically include some combination of exercise, stretching, and over the counter pain relief medications. However, patients with advanced cases of osteoarthritis are unlikely to find relief without surgical intervention.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another common condition among seniors in the Redding community. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that causes the body to produce an excess of fluid. This fluid results in damage to the cartilage inside the hip joint. Rheumatoid arthritis often causes stiffness and pain, and while there is no cure, there are a number of treatment options available to decrease the pain and slow joint damage.

Although traumatic arthritis shares many similarities to osteoarthritis, the cause of the condition is unique. Traumatic arthritis in seniors is often caused by an old injury or previous joint surgery. Treatment options for traumatic arthritis are similar to those for osteoarthritis, running the gamut from non-invasive pain management options to surgical interventions, such as total hip replacement or hip arthroscopy procedures.

Arthritis is not the only cause of hip pain, however it is a very common condition among seniors in Redding. Because hip pain can have such a drastic impact on people’s lives, I encourage anyone suffering to schedule an appointment for a complete evaluation.

In future posts I will highlight some of the ways that total hip replacement surgery can benefit patients with osteoarthritis and traumatic arthritis, as well as rehabilitation techniques to manage hip pain without surgical interventions.