Autumn Years—December 1, 2017
Geoffrey H. Westrich, MD, hip and knee surgeon at HSS, authors an article for Autumn Years about dealing with hip pain.
He writes that pain in the hip can range from being an overuse injury to something more serious. After treating hip pain conservatively with rest, anti-inflammatories and ice and heat therapy, it's best to visit a doctor to be evaluated if no relief is found.
Dr. Westrich explains that common causes of chronic hip pain include bursitis and arthritis. If the arthritis is severe, hip replacement surgery may be considered to eliminate pain and get back to activities. According to Dr. Westrich, over 300,000 hip replacements are performed each year in the U.S.
Newer techniques have resulted in less pain, a quicker recovery and easier physical therapy.
Dr. Westrich advises that when pursuing a hip replacement, patients should choose a surgeon who specializes in joint replacements and a hospital that sees a high volume of cases.
This appeared in the Winter 2017-2018 print issue, which can be accessed online here.
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