For the second time this month, my ailing left hip has given out. The first time it happened (on August 8) I simply woke up lame. This time around I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling relatively okay, but, as the day progressed, the severe pain and immobility returned. I am now back hobbling around with the use of my cane.
I have a doctor's appointment first thing Monday morning. I'm certain Dr. Hill will send me across the parking lot to our small hospital to have the hip x-rayed. Though I certainly can't be sure what the x-ray will show, my bet is that my hip has deteriorated to the point that I can't really put off hip replacement surgery much longer.
My layman's guess -- based on the fact I have been experiencing a lot of bone popping and internal grinding -- is that enough of the hip socket has been destroyed that the ball of the hip is moving too much and the searing pain is caused by constant misalignment.
As is typical with hip injuries and/or degenerative conditions of this nature, not only is the pain centered in my hip and thigh, but my knee and ankle aren't fairing much better. Misalignment in the hip causes misalignment in the knee and ankle joints as well and the pain seems to be worse the farther away you go because these joints bear even more weight than the hip.
Of course, my degenerative hip condition may NOT be the root of this problem at all. It could turn out to be a hamstring, tendon or ligament issue. It could even be caused by a severely pulled muscle, though I can't think of anything I've done this week that could have pulled the muscle.
Whatever the cause, the worst of it is trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. The last two nights have been tough as every position I have tried hasn't worked very well. All I can say is that it is what it is and I am coping as best I can. I even have broken down to take some pain medication which is something I don't do very often!
I have a doctor's appointment first thing Monday morning. I'm certain Dr. Hill will send me across the parking lot to our small hospital to have the hip x-rayed. Though I certainly can't be sure what the x-ray will show, my bet is that my hip has deteriorated to the point that I can't really put off hip replacement surgery much longer.
My layman's guess -- based on the fact I have been experiencing a lot of bone popping and internal grinding -- is that enough of the hip socket has been destroyed that the ball of the hip is moving too much and the searing pain is caused by constant misalignment.
As is typical with hip injuries and/or degenerative conditions of this nature, not only is the pain centered in my hip and thigh, but my knee and ankle aren't fairing much better. Misalignment in the hip causes misalignment in the knee and ankle joints as well and the pain seems to be worse the farther away you go because these joints bear even more weight than the hip.
Of course, my degenerative hip condition may NOT be the root of this problem at all. It could turn out to be a hamstring, tendon or ligament issue. It could even be caused by a severely pulled muscle, though I can't think of anything I've done this week that could have pulled the muscle.
Whatever the cause, the worst of it is trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. The last two nights have been tough as every position I have tried hasn't worked very well. All I can say is that it is what it is and I am coping as best I can. I even have broken down to take some pain medication which is something I don't do very often!
My sister had a lot of hip pain a few years ago. Everyone was chalking it up to arthritis; but it bothered her so much that they finally sent her in for x-rays. Her left hip had partially collapsed. After a hip replacement, she is back to walking without pain again. She uses a cane, and sometimes a walker (she has other problems with balance, a bad back, etc.), but is certainly better than before. I hope whatever is causing this, can be discovered and fixed relatively quickly.
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