If you have chronic hip pain, you may need to consider surgery at some point to get relief. Surgery is an option to think about when other treatments no longer help, but you don't want to wait too long and let your quality of life suffer. Here are some suggestions on when to see an orthopaedic doctor to discuss the possibility of surgery and how hip surgery can help.

Signs You Might Need Hip Surgery

If your hip pain is mild, you might be able to manage it with over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medication. If your hip condition continues to get worse over time, then these medications may stop being effective. If you have pain at rest or if it keeps you awake at night, then let your doctor know. If your hip problem gets in the way of your usual activities such as going up and down stairs, walking, work, or leisure activities such as playing golf or exercising, then surgery might be the solution. Hip pain can affect your quality of life, limit your mobility, and cause you to become sedentary. These problems can lead to other health consequences, so talk to your doctor about surgery before your life is negatively impacted by hip pain.

How Hip Surgery Helps The Pain

Non-surgical treatments for your hip pain just treat the pain and not the underlying cause of the pain. The benefit of having hip surgery is that the cause of the pain is removed when you have the joint replaced. Your damaged joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint, and the new joint functions just like a natural one so you'll be able to walk and do most of your usual activities without pain. However, this surgery requires a recovery period, and you'll need to restrict some activities for several weeks or months until your hip has healed. During your recovery, you may still have pain that's caused by the surgery itself. Physical therapy is needed during recovery to keep your muscles strong and to help with mobility. Once recovery is complete, your hip pain should be a thing of the past.

Before you undergo a hip replacement surgery, your doctor examines you thoroughly and may order imaging tests to determine the cause of the pain. Sometimes hip pain is caused by back issues and hip surgery won't help those situations. Surgery is indicated when the cause of your pain is in the hip joint itself due to an injury or deterioration from a condition such as arthritis. If you have hip pain that bothers you frequently and it interferes with your activities, then talk to your doctor to find a solution so you can continue to live an active lifestyle without pain. Contact a company, like Orthopaedic Associates Of Rochester, for more help.