Hip pain significantly impacts daily life, making simple movements challenging. While surgery is an option for severe cases, many explore non-surgical approaches to manage discomfort. Among these, hip joint injections provide targeted relief. These methods alleviate pain and improve function, offering a less invasive alternative.
Understanding Gel Injections
Gel injections, or viscosupplementation, introduce hyaluronic acid into the hip joint. This gel-like substance is a natural component of synovial fluid, which lubricates and cushions healthy joints, allowing smooth movement and shock absorption. In hip pain, particularly from osteoarthritis, natural hyaluronic acid can break down, becoming thinner and less effective. Injecting hyaluronic acid supplements this diminished supply, restoring the fluid’s lubricating and shock-absorbing properties. This added “gel” reduces friction, decreases inflammation, and improves joint gliding motion, aiming for pain relief and improved function without surgery.
Hip Conditions Addressed
Gel injections are most commonly considered for hip pain due to osteoarthritis. This degenerative condition involves cartilage wear, causing bones to rub, leading to pain, inflammation, and reduced hip mobility. By supplementing the joint’s natural fluid, gel injections may reduce symptoms associated with cartilage breakdown. These injections are typically explored when other non-surgical treatments, like oral medications or physical therapy, have not provided sufficient relief. They are not used for other hip conditions unrelated to joint fluid degradation.
The Injection Process
Receiving a hip gel injection typically involves a precise procedure for accurate placement. Due to the hip joint’s deep location, imaging guidance (e.g., fluoroscopy or ultrasound) is almost always used to visualize the joint and surrounding structures, ensuring accurate needle positioning. Before the injection, the area is cleansed, and a local anesthetic numbs the skin. A small needle is then carefully guided into the hip joint, sometimes with contrast dye to confirm precise intra-articular placement before the hyaluronic acid gel is slowly injected. The entire process is relatively quick, though preparation and monitoring add to the overall time.
Important Considerations and Outcomes
Following a gel injection, individuals may experience temporary side effects at the injection site, such as mild pain, swelling, or tenderness for a day or two. Applying ice and taking over-the-counter pain medication can help manage these reactions, and it is advised to avoid strenuous activity for at least 24 hours after the procedure. Pain relief from hyaluronic acid injections varies, typically lasting three to six months, and some people may not experience significant relief. These injections are considered for those with mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis who have not found sufficient relief from other treatments. They are not a cure for osteoarthritis but a method to manage symptoms; results do not reverse cartilage damage.