Hip Pain Diagnosis

The diagnosis of the hip pain critically depends upon where the pain is exactly located or emerging from, and the medical history of the patient. Apart from a comprehensive examination of these, a complete physical examination is required. X-Rays are the most commonly used technique in case of degenerative hip problems. Many other tests and scans might be requires, since hip pain can be caused by many factors other than problems around the hip, and hence, these possibilities have to be eliminated. In addition, fractures can sometimes be failed to get detected, imaging techniques like Computerized Tomography (CT) scans are used these days. Blood tests might be required in cases where there is a suspicion that the cause of the hip pain is systemic, meaning body-wide. To detect the chief areas of inflammations, bone scans might be used after radioactive dye is injected through the scans. Conditions like avascular necrosis can be detected by modern techniques like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Futhermore, an arthogram is done where there might be cartilage tears involved. This requires contrast dye to be injected into the patient and a consequent X-Ray scan, which reveals the area of tears, wherever there is concentration of the dye.