Hip injection

Hi Celia,

If a surgeon has recommended a hip replacement for your Mom, it's a good idea to get it done.

I understand having a relative (in my case, sister-in-law aged 73) being reluctant for replacement surgery. But hip replacement, while still a significant surgery, is relatively straightforward, compared to the knee for example.

If your Mom isn't having other problems, and she needs or wants to get around without pain, the hip replacement is the way to go. I don't know what other issues she may be having, but if you trust the surgeon, I'd encourage the replacement. Her gait is likely affected by the pain, and if not corrected, that can cause other problems.

Easy for me to say, although I have had both knees replaced and love the results (I was 67 when I had the surgeries).

All the best to you and your Mom.

Joe

Yes, I agree. I have encouraged her, along with her primary, but my mom has diagnosed extreme anxiety. She is also stubborn and prone to ignore advice. I can’t see it happening.

My mom has severe reflux and has had bleeding ulcers. Constantly reports esophagus issues, but eats all the wrong foods that aggravate her condition. It’s frustrating. She’s been this way her entire life . I buy and prepare healthful and nutrious meals and snacks, but they rarely interest her. She’ll eat things and then complain how sick she feels. She always says she wants good health, but she doesn’t follow through. I’ve suggested talk therapy, but she refuses. I’ve done all I can at this point. I encourage her to get treatment, drive her there, but can’t make her follow recommendations. It’s frustrating.

Oh please believe me, you are not alone. I turn 70 this year and if life has taught me one thing, it's that I have no control over others, none whatsoever. That knowledge is a good thing. But when the signs are obvious, and that sounds like your Mom's case, it's extremely frustrating.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your own sanity and peace is to practice letting it go, knowing you have done all you could. Just because our loved ones choose misery doesn't mean we need to follow. It's still hard, but you'll probably sleep better. I know I do, but it's taken a lot of practice - and talk therapy!

@msvjv
I am a 55 year old female with cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and neurogenic claudication. I also have small fiber neuropathy. I have pain, numbness and weakness in my lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet. I went to a hip specialist to see if my hips were the source of some of my pain and they did X-ray and MRI and told me my hip joints looked okay but my MRI showed bilateral gluteal tendiapathy and partial hamstring tears. This indicated that most of my symptoms were from my lumbar spine and neurogenic claudication. I actually and going for lumbar surgery this Friday (8/2/2024) to decompress/fuse my L3-L5 levels. The spinal injections are no longer really helping my severe stenosis/claudication. I was told my hip issues would heal on their own but physical therapy could help expedite recovery. I will consider PT after my surgery because I have lost so much muscle strength due to prolonged chronic pain, numbness and weakness from crushed spinal nerves.

Did you have exist and MRI of your hips to see if there is anything beyond the hip joint causing your pain?

@msvjv
* Correction: did you have an X-ray and MRI of your hips to look at hip joints and pelvis/soft tissues? Have you had a MRI of your lumbar spine and did it show anything?

Hi heyjoe-
Yes, it’s cortisone. Doc says if my pain goes away it’s proof that my hip is the problem. I’m skeptical. The X-ray did show arthritis in my hips and lower lumbar. He also said it could be bursitis. Pain in leg feels more like muscle or tendon damage to me and it has gotten better. He disagrees. Hence the shot to “prove” it’s my hip. I may hunt for a Valium to help me relax pre injection. 😊

His PA will be doing the injection and I’ll certainly talk with her when I go in. I’ve had injections in my wrist and both knees. The one in the wrist almost put me on the floor from the pain (seriously….nearly fell out of the chair). The knee injections were hyaluronic acid and were uncomfortable but short duration. Remarkably, my last knee injections were four years ago! The pain just went away and the doctor who did them said that happens sometimes though I’m supposedly bone on bone.

I’m obviously hoping to avoid a hip replacement.

Thank you so much for your kind post.

Not yet. Waiting for result of injection which may be weeks. I’m sure if the pain subsides with the steroid he won’t order an MRI unless it’s pre surgery.

Hi again. I’ve only had an X-ray of hips which showed lower lumbar degeneration and moderate hip degeneration.

@msvjv, I did get the cortisone injection this morning!
It was performed in the office by the Nurse Practioner who has been taking care of me throughout my wrist fracture recovery. In fact, I was able to get the injection scheduled in coordination to my wrist follow-up today since I'm an established patient and my PCP had written the order for the produre! That was so convenient and a benefit of a local facility.

I do admit that I was concerned about it beforehand, but the NP explained everything and answered my questions/concerns. Since my injection was going into soft tissue and not into the joint, it was performed right there in the office. I did not even need a new x-ray, since the Feb xray was available for her to view in regards to mild degeneration. She really appreciated when I presented my bone density reports to her. Inflamation due to bursitis is the suspected culprit of my pain due to the location and kind of pain, At this point, we are going to watch and observe my response and relief from bursitis inflamation.
If I ever need injection into a joint, it would need to performed as a guided injection in the medical setting.
The injection was, for me, absolutely painless. I have another appointment for wrist issues in a month, and she will also want to know about the cortisone injection.

@msvjv
Does your pain radiate to your groin? My hip doctor said that is a common symptom when the source of pain is hip joint. MRI would help to show soft tissue injury, etc. They did an MRI after X-ray and before any recommendation of hip injection (which I ended up not needing since my pain was from gluteal tendinapathy and hamstring tears and lumbar spine. Good luck with getting the injection and hope you find relief.