There are multiple methods of non-surgical, or conservative, treatment options for hip pain and hip arthritis. We aim for the easiest options possible in order to provide pain relief. Options for conservative treatment include exercise, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, and corticosteroid injections. Corticosteroid injections can provide the patient with significant relief and near full function of the joint for months at a time.
Surgery, including joint replacement, is generally only recommended after all other conservative treatment options fail to provide relief. Always talk to your primary care physician or to your orthopedic surgeon before starting any treatment plan. Your doctors will help you develop a plan that will best fit your specific condition.
Hip arthroscopy uses tiny instruments inserted into the joint through small punctures. Damaged tissue can be removed or repaired within the joint providing relief from both pain and swelling while possibly preventing further damage to the hip. The most common indications for hip arthroscopy is labral tears of the acetabulum or femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Patients are able to go home from this procedure the same day that it is performed.
Arthritis of the hip that results in pain and stiffness may necessitate a hip replacement.
If all other conservative treatment options have failed to provide relief, then surgery may be recommended. A total hip replacement is used to treat arthritis of the hip. There are two different types of approaches that can be used for a hip replacement. A patient can have a traditional posterior total hip replacement or a direct anterior total hip replacement.
