What Can I Do to Postpone Hip Surgery?

When is it time to take the plunge and get hip surgery? Talking to your doctor about your options should be your first step. You can discuss your opportunities to relieve pain, increase mobility, and hopefully improve your quality of life.

Keep in mind that hip pain may not necessarily need surgery if it’s strenuous activities that cause pain and flare-ups. You should focus primarily on day-to-day tasks, instead of your lack of ability to dance or continue with extreme sports. Be concerned if your hip pain is affecting the way that you sleep, walk, put on your shoes each morning, get dressed, and go about your day.

If osteoarthritis is beginning to affect you in daily tasks, then seeking help from your doctor should be an immediate priority. Many people ignore their hip pain for some time before consulting a doctor. While doing so will have little bearing on the injury in the long run, it is your quality of life and limited mobility that will be most affected by ignoring the problem. Discuss with your doctor, and ask if there are opportunities to treat your pain before jumping straight to hip replacement surgery.

Lose weight

Your doctor might suggest that you lose weight. Weight can put more pressure on your joints. Relieving the pressure with a healthy weight could make a great deal of difference in your mobility, range of motion, and maybe even your pain.

 

Exercise therapy

 

Physical therapy, either with a professional or just prescribed to you by a professional to do so at home can also make a difference in your pain and quality of life. Regularly exercising the area where you feel pain can prevent pain because it makes the affected area stronger and more flexible. Examples of this would be quad stretches or pelvic bridge exercises. Talk to your doctor about options for your particular issue.

 

Pain relievers

 

Cortisone shots in your hip, or even using over-the-counter NSAIDs could help the pain that is affecting your life. If your flexibility and mobility hasn’t been affected yet, your issue might be solely controlled by pain relief medicine. While pain relievers might be able to curb your hip pain, taking pain medicine can open up a whole new can of worms. If you find you are taking pain medicine too often, seek out a medical professional for more options.

 

Arthroscopy

 

If all your options have been exhausted at this point, surgery is the last resort. Your doctor will look for opportunities to do so arthroscopically, or explore options to do a partial hip replacement before deciding that you may need a full hip replacement.

If you are experiencing hip pain and want to explore your options before deciding on getting hip surgery, talk to the orthopedic specialists. We have offices in Little Rock and North Little Rock, and offer onsite MRI and physical therapy, as well. To schedule an appointment, call (800) 336-2412 to use our Online Appointment Request Form.