Mercy Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Kamala Littleton Discusses Causes, Treatments for Hip Pain

If you have experienced hip pain, chances are you have probably told yourself that it is just part of getting older.

It can happen to women of all ages. But you shouldn't walk around in pain.

Gloria Harris understands this better than most. Even at 80, she never passes up the chance to hit the dance floor. It wasn't too long ago that Harris had to hang up her dancing shoes because of arthritis.

"When it got too painful, I had to stop, and when I had to stop being active, that's when I had to go to the doctor," Harris said.

According to Mercy orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kamala Littleton of The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital at Mercy, told Harris that it was time to have her hip replaced.

"The patients have their surgery, they recover very quickly and then they get back to doing things they haven't done for years," Dr. Littleton said.

Dr. Littleton explained to WBAL-TV11 reporter Megan Pringle that hip replacement surgery usually comes after patients have tried other options.

"You start out with medications, activity modification, sometimes weight loss (or physical therapy) will help," Dr. Littleton said. "Sometimes injections help people. Ultimately hip replacement is the definitive treatment."

While patients can't prevent hip arthritis, but that doesn't mean they have to suffer.

"You don't live with misery," Dr. Littleton said. "You don't take it until you can't take it anymore. That's just not how life needs to be."

Harris can attest to that.

"My purpose was to get rid of the pain so I could get back into being active," she said. "That's why I had it, so I'm happy I had it."

To view Mercy orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kamala Littleton’s interview regarding hip pain, click here.