How to Prevent the Need for Hip Surgery

Are you living with hip pain? You’re not alone. It’s one of the most common types of joint pain, and it impacts people of all ages. The good news is there are a number of treatment options that don’t involve surgery.

William Graham, MD, and our team at Sporting Medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina, specialize in nonsurgical treatments for hip pain. In this blog, Dr. GRAHAM explains what you should do if you experience this ailment.

Go to the doctor early

Seeking early intervention is one of the best ways to relieve your symptoms and help prevent the need for hip surgery. Ignoring persistent hip pain or delaying treatment can lead to further deterioration of your joint and potentially irreversible damage.

By consulting with a health care professional at the first sign of hip discomfort, you can get an accurate diagnosis and a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your needs. Dr. GRAHAM and our team perform comprehensive hip evaluations to pinpoint the cause of the pain, and we always explore nonsurgical treatment options first.

Explore customized nonsurgical treatments

We diagnose your condition with a thorough physical exam and additional testing as needed. Depending on the cause of your hip pain, Dr. GRAHAM may recommend a range of nonsurgical treatments, such as the following:

Physical therapy

With physical therapy, our skilled team creates a personalized exercise plan to strengthen the muscles around your hip joint, improve flexibility, and correct any imbalances or movement issues.

Participating in physical therapy can help alleviate your pain, increase joint stability, and improve your overall hip function. If you stick with your physical therapy regimen, it’s possible to experience significant relief and improve your hip condition without needing to undergo surgery.

Corticosteroid injections

Corticosteroid injections offer temporary relief for pain that’s caused by conditions like osteoarthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis. These injections are minimally invasive and help reduce inflammation in the hip joint to alleviate pain and improve mobility.

While corticosteroid injections aren’t a long-term solution, they can effectively manage symptoms so you can focus on other treatments, such as physical therapy.

Regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine offers a promising alternative to hip surgery by putting your body's natural healing processes to work. Dr. GRAHAM offers a few different regenerative therapies that can help stimulate healing and reduce pain.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy involves extracting a small amount of your blood, separating the platelets in the sample from the rest of the components, and injecting the resulting platelet serum into your hip joint. Platelets contain powerful growth factors that can stimulate tissue repair and reduce inflammation.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy involves taking stem cells from your bone marrow and injecting them into the hip joint. Stem cells have the remarkable ability to differentiate into various cell types, which can aid in tissue regeneration. Stem cell therapy can help repair damaged tissues and improve joint function over time.

When faced with hip pain, it’s normal to be concerned that you might need surgery. But, by taking proactive steps and working closely with your health care team, you may be able to get relief and avoid the need for surgery altogether.

If you have hip pain and want to learn about your treatment options, call 704-503-9023 or book an appointment online with Sporting Medicine today.