Medical question. I saw the doc yesterday for hip pain, got xrays and a diagnosis of arthritis in the right hip. Got prescribed exercises at home, physical therapy, and a stronger pain-killer to be taken as needed (which I hope is never).
I neglected to ask why or how a buildup of calcium on the inside parts of the hip joint (which seems to be what is happening) becomes a pain in the soft tissues (muscles or ligaments or whatever, the doc was not specific)?
Secondary related question: do these exercises and therapy movements in fact slow down the advancement of this calcium buildup? How does that work?
It’s not that I don’t believe the doctor about anything, but I would like to have a better understanding of what is physically going on. My next appointment isn’t for 6 weeks, and I am finding it difficult to get into a PT place.
Most people suffering from arthritis pain start shifting movement or gait to compensate and lessen the pain. That can put new tensions on the soft tissues, creating pain where none was felt before. Therapy often involves instructions to stop or redirect these harmful movements so that the double pain is reduced. Doing so is not easy. My wife went through this. She was finally successful but it means you have to be conscious of how you move in a way that you never needed to give a thought to.
Thank you, that makes sense.
I have to say, though, that I am not aware of any other kind of pain associated with my hip, aside from what seems to be soft tissue pain, that my body was trying to avoid by shifting movement. Maybe it was so minor I didn’t notice it as pain? I don’t know.
The doctor said that doing these exercises and the PT would not just reduce my current pain, but it would slow down the progress of the arthritic degradation of the joint. I’m still having trouble understanding that.