For Patients
The Hip – Did you know?
The hip is the most flexible free-moving joint in the body. It can move backwards and forwards, from side-to-side, and can perform twisting motions.
Hip Specialists in Wake County
Whether from a fall, arthritis or overuse injuries, hip pain can make it difficult to walk and reduce quality of life. The hip specialists at Raleigh Orthopaedic include Dr. Albright, Dr. Barker, Dr. Cadet, Dr. Chiavetta, Dr. Eskildsen, Dr. McNabb, Dr. Vaughn, Dr. Watters, and Dr. Wyker, who are trained to diagnose causes of hip pain and treat minor injuries, as well as perform total joint replacement.
Our hip specialists are available at all of our clinics throughout Wake County.
Common Hip Issues Treated at Raleigh Orthopaedic
|
|
Let’s fix what hurts
Choose Raleigh Orthopaedic to be your official orthopedic provider. We can help diagnose and treat any hip related injury or condition. Schedule an appointment with a hip specialist today.
Hip Clinics in Wake County
Raleigh Orthopaedic provides treatment for hip injuries and conditions at six separate clinics throughout Wake County. Our clinics can be found in Raleigh, North Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Holly Springs, and West Cary-Panther Creek.
Hip Specialists at Raleigh Orthopaedic
The orthopedic specialists at Raleigh Orthopaedic can handle a wide range of conditions and injuries of the hip.
Hip Treatments in Wake County
Raleigh Orthopaedic provides a complete range of surgical and non-surgical treatments for hip conditions. Your surgeon works with you to develop a personalized plan of care suited to your unique needs.
How the Hip Works
The hip joint is a ball and socket joint: the ball, or femoral head, is at the upper end of the thigh bone (femur) and fits into a socket (acetabulum). A thick cushion of cartilage covers the ball and lines the socket, allowing the ball to move easily. When the coating of cartilage is damaged or worn out, it cannot repair itself.
Types of Hip Pain
Hip pain can present in several ways. For some, it might be a dull ache that intensifies with movement or pressure. Maybe you feel more intense discomfort when you lie on your side. In general, though, hip pain is categorized into three different types.
Hip flexor pain
The pain usually occurs on the outside of the hip, down the upper thigh, or along the buttocks. Usually, this pain is caused by a soft tissue injury involving the muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Hip flexor pain may also be caused by tendonitis.
Hip Joint Pain
This pain normally feels more deeply rooted than hip flexor pain. It will mostly occur on the inside of your hip or groin region. This pain is normally rooted in an injury or deterioration of the hip labrum, which is a band of cartilage-like tissue that lines the outer part of the hip socket.
Referred Hip Pain
Certain nerves that travel through the body can cause pain in the hip despite being located in a different part of the body. These cases of referred pain can be caused by several factors, such as lower back pain, pinched nerves, herniated discs, diabetes, and cancer.
Non-Surgical Treatment for Hip Pain
Typical nonsurgical treatment for hip pain includes:
- Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE)
- Activity Modification: alerting or avoiding activities that worsen symptoms
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
- Home exercise to strengthen muscles that support the hip
- Physical Therapy to increase hip strength and flexibility
- Assistive devices such as crutches or cane when symptoms increase or worsen
- Steroid injection: Cortisone, a type of steroid, is a powerful anti-inflammatory medication. It can be injected along with a local anesthetic to reduce inflammation and pain and may relieve symptoms temporarily or permanently. If pain returns, another injection may be needed.
Treating Hip Fractures in Wake County
A hip fracture is a break in the upper part of the femur (thigh) bone most commonly from a fall or direct impact to the side of the hip. Medical conditions such as osteoporosis (softening of the bone with age), or rarely cancer, can weaken the bone and make the hip more vulnerable to breaking.
Symptoms of a hip fracture include: pain over the outer upper thigh, pain in the groin area, discomfort with any attempt to flex or rotate the hip and the leg may appear to be shorter than the non-injured leg.
Hip Surgery for the Triangle Community
Our hip surgeons may recommend surgery if your hip pain causes disability or is not relieved from nonsurgical treatment. Some examples include:
Hip Arthroscopy
A hip arthroscopy or “hip scope” is a surgical procedure in which the orthopaedic surgeon uses a camera to visualize the internal structure of the hip joint. Through this minimally invasive scope, the surgeon can address cartilage damage in the hip joint.
Labral Repair Surgery
The labrum is the “cartilage cup” that the head of the femur bones sets in and provides stability and cushion. When the rim of the labrum is damaged, the orthopaedic surgeon can work to repair the surface as well as prevent future issues.
Hip Replacement Surgery
Total hip replacement surgery involves removing the diseased portion of the hip joint. An artificial hip, known as a prosthesis, replaces it. There are four pieces in a new hip implant: a stem which fits into the thigh bone, a ball on the end of the stem, a shell that fits into the pelvis and a liner that snaps into the shell.
Learn More About Hip Replacement Surgery
BOOK AN HIP SPECIALIST APPOINTMENT TODAY
What to do in Case of an Emergency
If you are in need of emergency medical care for your hip, please go to UNC Rex Hospital. Raleigh Orthopaedic specialists are on call for orthopaedic trauma at all hours of the day.