The hip is a complex joint made of bone, cartilage, ligaments, muscles with various neighboring organs, vessels and nerves. The symptoms of a hip disorder can include:

- hip pain when walking or flexing the hip

- reduced movement or mobility in the hip joint

- referred pain such as pain that is felt in the legs or in the back

- muscle stiffness and soreness that is felt in the front or bac

- Osteoarthritis or a tear in the soft tissue of the hip may cause chronic pain and pain when walking.

- If you fall or have an accident involving your leg and you develop swelling or pain in your hip, seek medical attention immediately.

Sometimes sacroiliac (SI) joint pain can feel like hip pain, and vice versa. The SI joint connects the ilium (pelvic bone) to the lowest part of the spine, the sacrum. There is a SI joint located on either side of the sacrum. SI joints function as shock absorbers for the pelvis and the low back. When an SI joint is unstable, irritated, or injured, you may have:

- Difficulty sitting for too long due to pain

- Buttock pain

- Low back pain

- Thigh pain

At Interventional Orthopedics of Washington, Dr. Silva conducts a thorough physical exam, takes a complete medical history, and may perform other diagnostic tests to determine the source or sources of your pain.

Women are more likely to develop hip conditions than are men, and those who are older are also at higher risk. Other risk factors for acute (sudden) or chronic (ongoing) hip pain include:

- Joint trauma or injury

- High impact activity and overuse

- Referred pain coming from the low back

- Unstable Hip Joint or SI Joints

- Nerve injuries

- Hip deformities

- Weak muscles

A tumor or infection can also cause hip pain in rare cases.

Each case of hip or SI joint pain is unique. After determining the causes of your pain or symptoms, Dr. Silva designs a custom treatment plan. He might also recommend lifestyle changes and supportive therapies such as:

- Participating in physical therapy led by a rehabilitation specialist to improve body mechanics and strengthen supportive joint tissues

- Discontinuation and replacement of certain medications, such as NSAIDs to manage chronic and acute inflammation and pain

- Diagnostic ultrasound, nerve blocks, and/or prolotherapy

- Anti-inflammatory diet & supplements

If you don’t respond to lifestyle adjustments or your pain or disability are severe, he can also recommend groundbreaking regenerative treatments such as:

- Prolotherapy: injections that irritate injured tissues to stimulate healing

- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): injectable serum with a high concentration of platelets, which contain growth-factors that repair tissues

- Cellular Therapy: your own cells injected into damaged tissue and bone to stimulate a healing response and regrowth

Dr. Silva uses ultrasound guidance and/or fluoroscopic (x-ray) guidance when administering injectable therapies to ensure that the healing agents, also known as “orthobiologics”, are delivered precisely to the area of injury.

To find out if your hip pain can be treated with non-surgical interventions offered by Dr. Silva at Interventional Orthopedics of Washington, call us at 425-325-1665 or use the easy “Book Appointment” button.