Hip and leg pain can be as limiting as any spinal condition, affecting your ability to walk, stand, exercise, and go about your daily life without discomfort. What makes hip and leg pain particularly challenging is that the source of the pain is not always where the pain is felt. Pain in the hip, thigh, knee, or calf can originate in the lumbar spine, the sacroiliac joint, or the hip joint itself, and identifying the true source is what determines the right treatment approach.
Dr. Jeff Brown has been evaluating and treating hip and leg pain in Greenville for over 40 years. His thorough diagnostic approach means you will know exactly where your pain is coming from before treatment begins.
Common Causes of Hip and Leg Pain
Hip and leg pain can have a number of different origins, many of which respond well to chiropractic care.
Common causes include:
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Sciatica and lumbar nerve compression radiating into the hip and leg
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Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
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Hip joint misalignment or degeneration
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Piriformis syndrome
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Iliotibial band syndrome
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Lumbar disc herniation with referred leg pain
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Muscle strains and soft tissue injuries
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Auto accident injuries affecting the pelvis and lower extremities
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Arthritis in the hip or surrounding joints
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Postural imbalances creating uneven loading on the hips and legs
Why the Source of Pain Matters
A patient who comes in with hip pain may actually have a lumbar disc pressing on a nerve root that refers pain into the hip. Another patient with identical symptoms may have a sacroiliac joint problem or true hip joint dysfunction. The treatment for each of these is different, and treating the wrong source produces poor results. Dr. Brown's examination process is designed to identify where the pain is actually coming from before any treatment begins.
How We Treat Hip and Leg Pain
Once the source of your hip and leg pain is identified, treatment is targeted directly at that cause. Depending on your examination findings, care may include chiropractic adjustments to the lumbar spine, pelvis, and sacroiliac joint, extremity adjustments to the hip joint when indicated, Cox disc distraction for disc-related nerve compression, lumbar traction to decompress the lumbar spine and nerve roots, cold laser therapy and therapeutic ultrasound to reduce inflammation and promote soft tissue healing, and high voltage galvanism for pain control and muscle relaxation.
Hip and Leg Pain After a Car Accident
Auto accidents frequently produce injuries to the pelvis, sacroiliac joints, and lower extremities that are not always identified in emergency room evaluations focused on more acute injuries. If you developed hip or leg pain following a car accident, even if it did not begin immediately, it deserves a thorough chiropractic evaluation. Dr. Brown works directly with personal injury cases and can provide the documentation your claim requires.
When to Seek Care
Hip and leg pain that has been present for more than a few days, is getting worse rather than better, or is accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot warrants professional evaluation. Dr. Brown will give you a clear and honest assessment of what is causing your pain and what chiropractic care can do for your specific situation.
