“Should I see a doctor or chiropractor for hip pain?”
I am a 45 year old female. I have hip pain. Should I see a doctor or chiropractor for hip pain?
19 Answers
It depends on your injury. Is it hip or sacroiliac? Is it acute or chronic? What is the diagnosis? Medical doctors tend to prescribe drugs which may not remove the cause even if it relieves the pain. Herbs can do that as well. Medical doctors often will order physical therapy, which may help you identify and correct core weaknesses that are at the root of your issue. Chiropractors can do that as well and will also more than likely correct misalignments that are causing it. Sometimes you need all three approaches and sometimes one or the other suffices. You need to try it and see. Sometimes one practitioner doesn’t help at all and another one does. There are many different techniques and types of experience that each practitioner brings to the table. Sometimes you have to hunt for the perfect practitioner for yourself and sometimes any one will do.
You can see either type of physician to get an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your hip pain. The difference really lies in the therapy to treat the problem causing the symptoms. If you go to the M.D., you will more than likely receive a prescription for a pain killer, anti-inflammatory and/or muscle relaxant. You may also receive a script for physical therapy. The medications prescribed will not fix the problem causing your symptoms, but can help to relieve the discomfort. If you go to the D.C., you should get the same diagnosis with more emphasis placed on the cause of the symptoms, not just masking the symptoms. The treatment would be similar to physical therapy with the addition of manipulation if necessary. Chiropractic care should be very effective treatment for your hip pain. If surgery is necessary, both physicians should make the appropriate referral to an orthopedic surgeon.
I hope this info is helpful. Take care and be well. I hope you find relief quickly.
Dr. Eric Miller
I hope this info is helpful. Take care and be well. I hope you find relief quickly.
Dr. Eric Miller
It depends on what the cause of pain is. I have found that advanced hip arthritis does not respond to treatment. I have also found that hip pain caused by a muscle injury has responded well to treatment.
For hip pain you should consult with a chiropractor as misalignment of the pelvis or hip or even the knee, ankle or foot can contribute to hip pain.
Chiropractor can make the proper evaluation and see if you are a good candidate for chiropractic care
Chiropractors are trained specifically for neuromusculoskeletal pain. A chiropractor will be able to diagnose and either correct the issue or refer if needed.
Dear Patient,
Chiropractors are doctors that specialized in neuromusculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. They would be well qualified to help you with hip pain.
Chiropractors are doctors that specialized in neuromusculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. They would be well qualified to help you with hip pain.
Very good question. It kind of depends on what kind of hip pain you have. Is the hip pain in the actual hip joint or more in the posterior sacrum illium area? Oftentimes, hip pain can be coming because of a torsion in the pelvis. It's a good idea to have a consultation and possibly an exam with a good chiropractor. If it's not a chiropractic issue, they should be able to guide you to where you need to be.
I hope this helps!
Tracy Malton, D.C.
I hope this helps!
Tracy Malton, D.C.
Good evening,
Thanks for your question. A good place to start with any issue is conservative care. With that being said, there are many reasons someone has hip pain. A Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine can help determine what the likely causes are and possible solutions. A medical doctor would have a different perspective that can be valuable as well. I would recommend starting with a Chiropractor first.
Thanks and best,
Thanks for your question. A good place to start with any issue is conservative care. With that being said, there are many reasons someone has hip pain. A Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine can help determine what the likely causes are and possible solutions. A medical doctor would have a different perspective that can be valuable as well. I would recommend starting with a Chiropractor first.
Thanks and best,
I would see a chiropractor with a sports medicine background. It's important to also address the myofascial system as well.
Yes. Chiropractic can help with hip pain. Hip pain is one of the main reasons patients come into the office. Getting your pelvis aligned can help decrease the pain; also finding out what is causing the pain is very important.
Your question is a little confusing to me, because a chiropractor is a doctor, and in many states they are considered primary care physicians. I believe you are talking about a medical doctor, versus a doctor of chiropractic. It depends on what type of treatment you want and what the problem is. If you want to treat the pain with medications, visit your medical doctor. If you want to discover the underlying cause of your pain and treat the cause without drugs or surgery, visit the chiropractor. Whichever you choose, make sure you find a health care provider that will take a detailed history and perform a thorough examination that may include x-rays or MRIs to find out what is causing your pain. You could do both. See your medical doctor for pain medications to keep the pain under control, then visit the chiropractor to help you treat, manage, and hopefully prevent future pain.
I recommend seeing a Chiropractor first, since their expertise is in musculoskeletal conditions like hip pain. If nothing changes, or gets worse over time, then it will be necessary to seek medical attention.