Hip Pain Relieving Tips

Hip pain is a hindrance and a hassle—no doubt about it. Fortunately, there are many ways to relieve hip pain. Here are some tips to relieve your hip pain.

1) Use heat to soothe. - Moist heat is your first ally against hip pain, because moisture helps the heat penetrate further. Soak a towel in hot water, wring it out and place it over your hip for 20 minutes three or four times a day. You might want to place a dry towel on top of the wet one to help hold in the heat. Or you can use a moist heating pad.

2) Take it easy. - You should cut back on exercise (but not totally eliminate it) for a few weeks when the pain is at its worst. Give yourself a chance to heal. Perform only stretching, not weight-bearing exercises.

3) Smooth on a deep-heating ointment. - Both the ointment itself and the soothing rub will ease tight hip muscles. Try Eucalyptamint (available at most pharmacies). Never use menthol-containing ointments with a heating pad, however, as serious burns may result.

4) Make that a massage. - Whether it's your own hands or a spouse's, massage is a masterful healer for hip pain. Massage focuses on surrounding tissues, where so much of the pain originates, rather than the joint. Since there are so many kinds out there, from Swedish to Shiatsu, you should experiment to find out which gives you the most relief.

5) Ask about medicines. - If over-the-counter standards like aspirin and acetaminophen haven't eased your hip pain, your doctor may prescribe stronger medicines. Your doctor may also recommend cortisone injections or tablets. It's great for quick reduction of inflammation within the first few days after an injury.

5) Sleep in comfort. - Avoid lying on the painful hip. And for softer support, use a foam egg crate mattress over your regular mattress.

6) Walk in the right shoes. - Buy running shoes for walking—not walking or aerobic or cross-training shoes. Running shoes are extra light and specially designed to increase stability of the foot.

7) Customize your cane. - If you need a cane or walker for extra steadiness, be sure it's the right size. If Grandpa's cane from Ireland is the wrong size for you, it will increase your hip pain. Ask your doctor to refer you to a medical supply store where you can be properly measured.

8) Lose some weight. - It's easy to overlook as a cause, but excess body weight can greatly increase hip pain. Every time you take a step, two to three times your body weight goes through the hip in terms of the pressure exerted on the joint. Each pound lost represents two to three pounds less pressure on your hip.

9) Pinpoint your pain. - If you do go to your doctor for hip pain, be prepared to talk about exactly where it hurts and when. Tell your doctor what kind of pain you're experiencing—whether it's dull or sharp, whether it comes or goes, whether it hurts more when you're moving or still, and what kinds of movements seem to make it worse.