Millions of Americans suffer from hip pain, and if you’re one of them, you know the toll those symptoms can take on your life. With chronic hip pain, even everyday activities like climbing stairs, walking or sitting can leave you in significant discomfort.
Lots of problems can cause ongoing or recurrent hip pain, and not everyone with chronic hip pain needs hip replacement surgery, although it’s estimated that 498,000 hip replacement surgeries will be needed this year.
Still, if you’re experiencing any of the following eight symptoms, it’s critically important to schedule an office visit with Dr. W. Joseph Absi at Orthopaedics of Atlanta and Aesthetic Institute as soon as possible to find out if hip replacement surgery might be a good choice for you.
Most people with chronic hip pain have worse symptoms when they perform weight-bearing tasks like walking or climbing stairs. You might be able to prevent some symptoms by avoiding certain activities, but when hip pain interferes with daily routines or keeps you from enjoying the activities you love, it’s time to have your pain evaluated.
Some types of hip problems feel better with rest. At other times, however, the pain is severe enough to keep you awake at night. While this type of pain is often attributable to arthritis, there are other issues, like muscle strains or even lower back problems, that can cause similar nighttime symptoms. Having an evaluation is the best way to find relief so you can get a good night’s rest.
If you have stiffness in your hip when you try to tie your shoes, stoop or bend at the hips, it’s a sign that you may have hip arthritis, the most common reason for hip replacement surgery. Clicking, popping, or grinding sensations also typically occur with hip arthritis.
Many people with hip arthritis find it difficult to stand on the affected leg for more than a few seconds, even when they grasp a table or chair for balance and support. If you have pain in your hip when you try the “one-leg test,” you need an evaluation to find out if arthritis or another problem that’s to blame.
If you’ve already tried all the nonsurgical treatments for hip pain, like physical therapy, lifestyle modifications, and pain medicine, without finding long-term, meaningful relief, surgery could be a good choice to help you feel better. In fact, Dr. Absi considers hip surgery only when these other options haven’t worked.
If you need to take higher and higher doses of medicine to relieve your pain, hip surgery could be a really good option — not only to restore movement in your hip, but also to help avoid the problems that can occur with high doses of pain medicine.
If your hip pain has progressed to where you’re only comfortable moving with an assistive device, it might be time to consider hip replacement surgery.
When hip pain is interfering with your life so much that it makes you sad, anxious, or depressed, that’s a really good time to consider hip replacement surgery.
The only way to know for sure whether hip replacement surgery is the right choice for you is to schedule an office visit so Dr. Absi can evaluate your hip and your symptoms. At Orthopaedics of Atlanta and Aesthetic Institute, he and his team offer a wide array of treatments for hip pain, including state-of-the-art hip replacement surgery for patients who have severe damage to their hip joints.
If you’re having hip pain, early treatment is the key to a quick recovery. Don’t put off getting the care you need to start feeling better. Call the Atlanta, Georgia, office at 404-334-2929 today or use our convenient online booking option to request an appointment with Dr. Absi today. You can also send a message to the team here on the website.
