Denton County Living Well Magazine November/December 2016 | Page 29

I

f you suffer from hip pain, you know it can sometimes be
excruciating. It can be worrisome to both you and your
family. And it can often hold you back from activities that
you enjoy. If hip pain is putting a damper on your active lifestyle, we’re here to help
you understand potential underlying reasons for the pain,
and what you can do about it.

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If you’re still concerned
about your pain level, visit
our website at www.texashipandkneecenter.com/
pain and take our Hip Assessment to gain a better understanding of what may be
going on with your hip.

Can I treat hip pain
with off-the-shelf
medications?

Answered

What does it mean
when my hips hurt?

Get

ions

At Texas Hip and Knee Center,
our goal is to ease your mind
and help you alleviate hip
pain through education, physical therapy, and by providing
the least invasive treatment options to you. Below, you’ll find
our answers to some of the
most commonly-asked hip pain
questions.

Your
Quest

Discussing your hip problem
with a specialist is important.
A specialist can help you manage your pain and discomfort,
and diagnose the exact issue.

manageable pain, you’ll still want to visit your doctor, as
he or she may be able to help you manage the discomfort
with medications or physical therapy.

For the short term, yes.
Taking any drug for a
longer period can potentially cause side effects.
Common over-the-counter
drugs like Ibuprofen can
cause life-threatening ulcers, and some NSAIDS,
such as Tylenol, increase
the risk of heart attack,
stroke or liver damage.
Make sure to discuss the
long-term use of drugs like
these with your doctor.

Household accidents or a direct
blow may be the reason for immediate pain. Overusing your
hip joint can induce delayed
Can I avoid
pain, meaning your hip cartisurgery on my hip?
lage is inflamed, or your hip
socket has degenerated. If you
It’s best to discuss possiCourtesy Texas Health Physicians Group
limp consistently, this may be
ble treatment options with
caused by long-term damage, which
your doctor. Once he or she
may possibly indicate the need for hip replacement. Make sure determines the cause of your pain, physical therapy
to see your physician for a proper diagnosis.
may be the recommended treatment. If your hip pain
is chronic or severe, your doctor may suggest surgery
Is my hip pain normal at my age?
and rehabilitation.
Hip pain can occur with people of all ages. Arthritis can
be a major contributor, as can sports-related injuries. Com- Losing weight may help alleviate pain, and low-immon household accidents and natural degeneration are pact exercises can assist in strengthening the muscles
also common causes of pain. So yes, hip pain can affect around your hip, taking stress off the joint.
everyone, at any stage of life.
Whichever treatment option you choose, Texas Hip
Should my hips hurt this bad?
and Knee can be your hip pain resource, helping you
No. If your hips are hurting beyond a natural pain level, get back to normal, being active and living life to the
then schedule a doctor’s appointment immediately. If it’s fullest.
Schedule an appointment today with one of our experienced hip specialists at www.texashipandkneecenter.com/pain.
Physicians on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees of the hospital or Texas Health Resources.

DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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