The hip is one of those remarkable, hard-working joints that most people don't think about much -- until, of course, it becomes painful. Hip pain and stiffness can render you practically immobile or at least turn everyday tasks into agonizing challenges. Whether you've sustained an acute injury to the hip joint or you're struggling with the effects of a chronic musculoskeletal issue, you need reliable solutions to your symptoms. Hip Pain Treatment is not far! Here at Zaker Chiropractic, we have treated many who are just like you.
Here at Zaker Chiropractic, we're happy to provide those solutions. Our Torrance, San Pedro, and Newport Beach chiropractor, Dr. Misa Zaker, can help you achieve significant relief through natural methods, freeing you from the need to depend on painkillers or undo invasive surgery.
To understand how and why your hip pain has come about, it's helpful to understand the basic anatomy of the joint. Both the shoulders and the hips are considered "ball and socket" joints. The head of the femur, or thigh bone, is shaped like a ball and fits into a concave socket (called the acetabulum) in the hip bone.
A lining of cartilage reduces friction between these two bony surfaces, while sacs of synovial fluid called bursae prevent other kinds of friction between the joint tissues. Ligaments flexibly attach to the bones, while tendons attached to muscles allow for free movement of the joint. A major nerve called the sciatic nerve passes through this region of the body, relaying signals to the leg.
There's more to this "ball and socket" joint than meets the eye -- and pain may occur among any of these intricate parts. This is true with treatment for hip pain too. Acute hip pain may occur as a result of a high-impact injury such as a sports injury or workplace injury. One of the ugliest examples is dislocation, in which the head of the femur pops out of the socket. Acute strains or sprains of the hip's connective tissues can also cause acute pain.
But hip pain can also have much more subtle and slow-growing causes. One of the most common examples of chronic hip pain is osteoarthritis. In this progressive degenerative condition, the cartilage within the joint wears down and starts to disintegrate, causing the bones to rub together painfully. Athletes are often troubled by the tearing of a ring of hip cartilage called the labrum. The bursae that minimize friction between tissues may become inflamed, producing a painful condition called bursitis. Continuous micro-tears that occur in the hip tendons may leave you with chronic tendinitis.
Some of the causes, notably osteoarthritis, are a natural complication of age-related wear and tear, although severe overuse of the joint may accelerate the problem. Many forms of chronic strain are related to repetitive motion disorders and overuse injuries, especially in athletes or workers who perform the same hip motions countless days each day. A musculoskeletal imbalance can also make you prone to chronic hip pain. Your "hip pain" might even be a referred pain problem, with a pinched sciatic nerve root serving as the source of the pain.
If your hip pain is accompanied by a popping sound, obvious deformity, bleeding, or inability to use the hip at all, you need to seek immediate medical help. But most non-emergency conditions respond well to conservative care from chiropractors.
Our chiropractors will take X-rays of the hip to look for obvious hip joint problems while also discussing your symptoms, medical history, and any recent accidents you may have experienced. These evaluations can also point out any spinal and/or pelvic alignment problems that are contributing to overuse injuries, chronic strain, bursitis, or arthritis, as well as any impingement of spinal nerve tissue.
Once our Torrance, San Pedro, and Newport Beach chiropractors understand the underlying cause of your hip pain, it's time to receive the all-natural hip pain treatment you need. We can make adjustments to the relative positions of the femur and hip socket -- not only to correct dislocation but also to fix a more subtle alignment error known as subluxation. Adjustments to the spinal column can correct postural and alignment issues that place stress on hip tissues. Decompression therapy can ease pressure on sciatic nerve roots. A combination of massage and physiotherapy can help strengthen or heal the tissues supporting the hip joint.
Don't put up with the miseries and constraints of a nagging hip problem. Call Our Torrance, San Pedro, and Newport Beach Chiropractor at any of our offices to schedule a non-invasive treatment! For more answers about hip pain and its treatment options at our office, make an appointment with Zaker Chiropractic. Our chiropractors provide a wide variety of services to diagnose and treat pinched nerves. Zaker Chiropractic has several locations to serve you. Call (949) 734-4454 for an appointment with Newport Beach Pain & Wellness, (424) 235-1562 for South Bay Pain & Wellness, or (310) 831-0003 for an appointment with San Pedro Pain & Wellness. Each clinic offers a multidisciplinary list of services.
