Low Back Pain in Hips: Causes and How Chiro Can Help

Your hips provide your body with multiple functions. For example, your hips let you walk upright, support your weight, and allow you to run, kick, jump, play, and more. Essentially, your hips are involved in nearly every motion you undertake. 

Patients experiencing low back pain in their hips can quickly suffer from various health problems and reduced quality of life. While patients should never compromise their primary healthcare, visiting a chiropractor in Woodstock, GA, can help. 

This guide will explore common causes of hip pain and how chiropractic care and physical therapy can help. 

Inflammation 

The first primary source of low back pain in the hips stems from hip joint dysfunction. The hip joint’s structures or the ligaments surrounding a patient’s joint can trigger inflammation. 

Within a patient’s joint, the femoral head (near the femur) has limited space to move around. An illness or injury causing inflammation can have hazardous results with limited space. Fluids like blood can fill up this space, creating tremendous pain. 

Bursitis can also trigger inflammation, usually caused by minor trauma. 

Chiropractic care primarily focuses on realigning a patient’s lumbar spine vertebrae. This process reduces the pressure exerted on a patient’s nerves. With nerves properly functioning, a patient’s body will stop producing neuropeptides that create inflammation. 

Injuries From Overuse

Severe pain commonly occurs in patients engaging in strenuous activities that stress their ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Inflammation remains a common symptom that generally occurs gradually. 

Workers who engage in repetitive motions every day often report having hip joint pain. Unfortunately, athletes can also suffer from these types of injuries. 

When seeing a chiropractor, it’s important to remember that their services often can go beyond temporary adjustments. For example, many chiropractors emphasize preventative care to prevent future injuries. 

A patient suffering from an injury due to overuse often remains prone to the same damage in the future. A chiropractor may then suggest lifestyle changes or preventative exercises or stretches. Patients may even adjust how they currently move to perform strenuous tasks. 

Osteoarthritis and Other Inflammatory Diseases

Low back pain in the hips doesn’t always come from a specific injury or trauma. For older adults, osteoarthritis commonly causes hip pain. This disease creates joint degeneration and cartilage loss. 

Currently, there’s no cure for osteoarthritis and similar inflammatory diseases. However, treatments can slow its progression while also treating its symptoms. 

For example, chiropractic care can realign a joint, preventing your arthritis from worsening. Chiropractic care also helps patients correct bad posture, which can cause or aggravate diseases like osteoarthritis. 

Trauma or Specific Injuries 

While overuse injuries can be gradual, trauma occurs from specific events. Examples of trauma may include the following: 

• Dislocations 
• Fractures 
• Broken bones 
• Bruised, strained, or sprained joints

Trauma injuries prove easier to diagnose than overuse injuries, as you may only need an X-ray. Unfortunately, these types of injuries can cause a lot of pain. 

We associate trauma with athletes or car accident victims. However, one segment of the population that sees numerous trauma injuries to their hips and pelvises is the elderly. 

Elderly patients become more prone to brittle bones and poor balance. Coupled with the side effects of aging, a slight fall for younger patients can result in dangerous hip fractures for older patients. 

Chiropractic care can treat trauma in many ways, including: 

• Releases tension, especially tension held in the spine and muscles 
• Opens pathways in a patient’s nervous system, leading to a better mind and body connection
• Increases blood flow and lessens inflammation or other symptoms

Of course, patients should never use chiropractic care to replace going to their primary care doctor. 

Pain From Other Body Parts 

Patients may report pain in their hips only to discover it stems from a different body part. For example, patients with pain in their sacroiliac joints may blame it on their hips or lower back. 

Other conditions like groin pain, spinal degeneration, or inflamed sciatic nerves can all resemble hip pain. Depending upon the specific injury or illness, a chiropractor can implement different treatment options. 

Patients having their primary care provider diagnose their condition is the first step. Afterward, they can explore if treatments like chiropractic care make sense. Then, a chiropractor can craft a personalized treatment plan to improve a patient’s health and prevent future issues. 

Get Help Today From Ribley Chiropractic

Dealing with low back pain in the hips can be frustrating, but help is available. Ribley Chiropractic clinic has proudly assisted patients for over 20 years. Obtain a stress-free and pain-free life by booking an appointment with them today!