How to Know When To Seek Treatment for Hip Pain

When hip pain becomes a regular part of life, or manifests often, it should be addressed. It is important to keep in good communication with your doctor and know your body. As we age, the major joints naturally deteriorate. Sometimes, injury or unusual stress also plays a role. Whatever the cause, any time pain is experienced in the body, diagnosis and treatment options should be sought. It doesn't necessarily merit a rush to the emergency room, but making an appointment, or mentioning it in your next scheduled visit is important. Sometimes a doctor can suggest self-help methods or minimally invasive options, such as a holistic approach through osteopathy.

Common sense dictates that the fist step in alleviating hip pain is through self-help methods. If aching or pain in the hip is experienced, one of the best first approaches is to allow the joint to rest. The body often can heal itself with time taken to prevent further injury. Over-the-counter pain or anti-inflammatory medication can also sometimes do the trick to reduce the swelling and remove the discomfort. Sometimes stretching can also help. If those methods have little or no effect, then your doctor needs to know. They will be able to run the proper tests in order to provide a diagnosis and suggest a variety of treatment options.

Chronic or reoccurring hip pain can severely impact your quality of life. You may find yourself unable or unwilling to perform everyday activities in order to avoid the pain. Rather than reducing your lifestyle to accommodate for the milady and accepting the pain as normal, it is important to seek help. Many options exist before invasive treatments such as surgery should be considered. Osteopathic manipulation could be an option. An osteopathy will utilize methods of stretching, pressure, and massage to move the tendons and soft tissue around the joint, so the body can realign and heal. It is important to find the right treatment option, so you can get back to living your life.

If you would like to learn more about hip pain in Austin, visit Tamara McReynolds, D.O.