Wellness

[texassunflower]

I had a bilateral hip MRI on Monday for hip pain. I was diagnosed with ostoarthitis in both hips. Primary Care doctor recommends physical therapy. He didn't prescribe an anti inflammatory medication or send me to an orthopedist. I take 3 Advil every morning and it seems to help. Mornings are rough but the stiffness and pain gets better as the day proceeds. Has anyone had any luck with physical therapy for ostoarthitis of the hip?

[D Kay]

No, but my internist told me to stop taking NSAIDS for my arthritis pain. Advil is one.  It has been difficult.

[SeaMaiden]

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@texassunflower wrote:

I had a bilateral hip MRI on Monday for hip pain. I was diagnosed with ostoarthitis in both hips. Primary Care doctor recommends physical therapy. He didn't prescribe an anti inflammatory medication or send me to an orthopedist. I take 3 Advil every morning and it seems to help. Mornings are rough but the stiffness and pain gets better as the day proceeds. Has anyone had any luck with physical therapy for ostoarthitis of the hip?

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@texassunflower  Go see a joint specialist for a second opinion.  Always good to get a second opinion.  

I had both hips replaced at age 59.  Physical Therapy IF it helps at all....is only a temporary thing....do not put off the inevitable too long....your hip replacement outcome is better not waiting until the hip  gets so bad it collapses. 

[on the bay]

@texassunflower

I have had wonderful luck with a very good physical therapist but it is difficult to get a good one who customizes exercises and massages to you.

And there should be massages I learned, not just leaving you on a heating pad, turning on a tens unit and letting you do the exercises yourself after the first time. You can do all that at home!

And the ones she gave me to do at home,

everytime I think this isn't going to help, it does.

But it's true you have to keep doing them.

A lot of people say hip replacement has been good and they are glad they did it but I just don't want to go that route.

I think you should definitely try PT first.

One thing I learned is to speak up. If something does not feel right or really hurts while doing exercises, let them know and stop.

It should feel like a stretch or a "good hurt" but not so much you are crying out in pain or can't stand it!

One of the best PT's I had said physical therapy should never hurt.

I used to take excedrin a lot but now only occasionally or aleve if it really hurts a lot that day.

You may wonder how in the world it can help, but when you get someone who really knows what they are doing, has studied every muscle and bone, it really does help.

It can be pretty amazing.

I hope you find a good one and feel better soon

[Nonametoday]

I have very severe osteoporosis, (my hips are so bad that I am told by radiologist and endocrinologist if I suffered a severe fall, I probably would not survive).  I am bone-on of knees.  I have bulging and herniated disks now. 

If I had not undergone physical therapy, I do not believe I would be walking today.  I think I would be bedridden, not just wheelchair-bound but bedridden.  If you have a good physical therapist, it will be great.  Physical therapy is not meant to maintain you throughout life but to get you to where you are ambulating and getting around and to teach you how to do this on your own when you are no longer working with a dedicated physical therapist in-house.  

You need to see a really good doctor for your situation.  I cannot take the drugs you are taking on a long-term basis.  I can only take Naproxen, Aleve or Advil on a p.r..n. basis.  Otherwise, they are worse for me than the good they do but there are times I have to take something.  Doctors know that.  I get steroid shots only on a have-to-have basis and they are bad for the osteoporosis but sometimes you have to have something to be able to bear the pain when it is so bad.

[on the bay]

@Nonametoday-

I was wondering if you had ever thought of hip replacement or if any of the doctors had mentioned it, and what your thoughts are on this.

I guess I'm wondering if others have thought about it but decided against it too.

[Nonametoday]

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@on the bay wrote:

@Nonametoday-

I was wondering if you had ever thought of hip replacement or if any of the doctors had mentioned it, and what your thoughts are on this.

I guess I'm wondering if others have thought about it but decided against it too.

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@on the bay I have serious back problems, hip and knee problems that we are taking one at a time.  My doctors all talk about me.  They think my back is the most pressing issue.  They say if we do not move on surgery soon, I could be paralyzed, so they are trying to get me prepared for the week after Christmas. 

Getting old is just not a good thing.  I don't know why my family had those Scandanavian genes.  LOL.  My mother never had any issues nor my daddy but I am just like my paternal grandmother.  Neither sister is like me but I have a cousin who is.

[on the bay]

@Nonametoday-

I hope they will be able to help you esp with your poor back!

You are dealing with a lot!

[hckynut]

@texassunflower

For me, Physical Therapy has, and always will be my first choice. I could list all my injury/surgery recoveries, but many here have seen them many times. Suffice it to say, I have Osteoarthritis in many parts of my body, including my spine, from 2 back surgeries to remove a total of 3 Lumbar Discs.

Most Osteoarthritis is the worst in the mornings. While sleeping your body temperatite drops, along with that, the same is true of your blood temperature. As you get up and move around, both temperatures go up, thus connective tissues/joints, and muscles move much easier, and with less pain.

What milligram Advil are you taking? Even prescribed Therapeutic Dosage is only 800mg at 1 time, and over a period of time could create internal issues. 

The strongest med I can take for the last many years, is Tylenol, and that's it. Have had a few surgeries during that time, and took nothing stronger than Tylenol. 

I suggest you give PT a try. With many joint and connective tissue problems, the pain sometimes increases before it starts to get better. I could explain the physiology of WHY, but it would make this longer than it already is now.

Best to ya,

hckynut

[Danielle46]

Yes, PT has been a life saver for my hip arthritis.  I never take anti inflammatory drugs for it.  They can cause stomach bleeding, micro cholitis and many others problems.  I think your doctor did the right thing.  In addition, you better take it easy with the Alieve /Advil too because they can cause similar problems.  I have never taken anything stronger than Tylenol and I didn’t take ir for more than a week or too once a day.Until you get into PT, you can use a heating pad to help ease soreness.  When in PT ask for ultrasound and STIM.  The work miracles.  I was in PT for it in May and I got total relief.  I still do the exercises they gave me every single day, I also do 50 minutes on the Pilates Reformer 6 days a week.  I am very active and athletic, I’m also over 50 yrs old and trim.  All of these things contribute to making my arthritis flare ups few and far between.  Worst thing for arthritis is a sedentary lifestyle and carrying extra weight.  By the way, that post telling you to consider hip replacement surgery is rediculous.  Just because you have hip arthritis doesn’t mean you need to replace your hip or that it will ever get to that point were it needs replacing.  Hip arthritis is very manageable.  I have had it for 13 years and it has not gotten worse and I only needed PT twice.  I got 100% relief both times but I also continued doing the recommended exercises along with other things.