Our hips do a lot of things for us that we often take for granted. They bear weight, keep us upright, and allows us to walk, run, jump, and play. In fact, there isn’t much that our hips aren’t involved in when it comes to the human body’s movement.
Common causes of hip pain
Hip pain has several causes. Inflammation can occur after an injury or illness, especially in the bursitis, the sac outside the hip. Osteoarthritis, which involves progressive joint degeneration and cartilage loss, is the leading cause of hip pain among older adults. Hip pain can also be the result of trauma and overuse, and is also a potential “referred pain” – that is, a pain that may generate from a different part of the body. One of the most common examples is sciatica.
Five ways that chiropractic care can help relieve hip pain
Chiropractic care in Charlotte, NC is a safe, effective option for relieving hip pain. Here are five of the best ways that Active Life Chiropractic puts its hip pain relief skills to good use.
#1: Chiropractic adjustment
One of the most common ways to treat hip pain is with chiropractic adjustment. Studies show that chiropractic adjustment benefits people with sciatica, which as mentioned above is a common cause/contributor to hip pain. In fact, 60% off patients with severe sciatica reported considerable improvement, to the point that they could avoid surgery. Chiropractic adjustment can also help alleviate the symptoms related to Piriformis syndrome and sacroillac joint dysfunction, two common causes of hip pain.
#2: Osteoarthritis treatment
For patients with hip osteoarthritis (HOA), which is not curable but treatable, chiropractic care brings big benefits. In this case our treatment program involves techniques such as stretching, axial manipulation of the hip, and full kinetic chain treatment – a multifaceted manipulative therapy that addresses the spine, knee, ankle, and/or foot, as appropriate. In a recent survey, 83% of HOA sufferers made great strides after just nine visits to a chiropractor.
#3: Short-wave diathermy/microwave
Both of these methods seek to accomplish the same thing: delivery of moist heat into the deep tissue surrounding the hip. Combined with massage and the solutions mentioned above, short-wave diathermy and microwave can improve the hip joint and reduce inflammation.
#4: Passive hip range-of-motion
This method can be very beneficial in terms of reduction of swelling and improved range of motion (as the title suggests). Passive hip range-of-motion techniques can be administered by a professional chiropractor or an appropriate device. This of course comes after a discussion of the patient’s history and a thorough examination of the affected area.
#5: Nutrition/exercise/stretching/posture
With any hip treatment, the objective is to confirm what caused the hip to exhibit pain, relieve/eliminate that cause, and then rehabilitate the hip joint. Depending on the exact nature of the cause, and the patient’s pain level, it may be that a stretching regimen, exercise program, nutritional advice, and posture practice are enough. Or, one or more of these approaches may be combined with other treatment options, such as those detailed above.
For more information and to schedule an appointment, contact us today.