Transient Synovitis Hip
What is Transient Synovitis of the hip?
Transient synovitis may sound scary but it isn’t. Transient means ‘lasting for a short while’. It is a condition characterized by impermanent inflammation in the hip joint. The inflammation results in pain and swelling. The disease is a common childhood condition affecting up to 1 in 1000 children. It usually occurs in children between 3 and 9 years of age; with a peak incidence at around 6 years. The condition is twice more common in boys than in girls and more common in Caucasians than other racial groups. The left and right hips are affected roughly equally, but bilateral disease is rare. Up to 10% of children will have recurrent episodes. Moreover, the condition can be a little scary for both the child and his parents when it occurs suddenly, but there is nothing to be afraid of here as it goes away in a few weeks and causes no long term problems.
How is transient synovitis of the hip caused?
Various studies have put down certain causes of the disease. However, the exact reason is still unknown. Some of these causes are:
· Systemic infection, viral or bacterial, is one of the most common sources, with recent upper respiratory tract infection present in up to 80% of patients.
· Allergic reaction can also be one of the causes.
· Finally, trauma can cause irritation of the hip capsule.
One thing to keep in mind here is that since doctors are unaware of the exact cause of transient synovitis of the hip, it can’t be prevented.
Symptoms of Transient Synovitis
The condition is generally characterized by pain in the hip. Initially, hip pain is extremely mild that the child may not even realize that there is something wrong. In some children, the pain gets worse slowly while in others it gets worse rather quickly. Other than pain there are some other symptoms that direct towards transient synovitis of the hip, these include-
- Limping
- Knee or thigh pain
- Low-grade fever
- Inability to lifting weight
- Trouble in standing
How to treat transient synovitis of the hip?
The treatment of the disease is as simple as the disease itself is. Once you consult your doctor, he may recommend the following measure-
- Take proper rest
- Certain anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce swelling
- Heat treatment using a heating pad
- Massaging the affected area
- Checking your child’s temperature
- Avoid putting weight on the hip
Cases of Transient synovitis are usually not severe. Hence your child will recover quickly and can resume to his/her normal activities as soon as the pain & swelling is eradicated.
What more is there to know from your doctor?
Every child is different and so the cause and treatment of their injuries are also different. You can ask your doctor the following questions.
- What is the possible cause of my child’s hip pain?
- What is the best treatment option suitable for my child?
- What measures can I take at home other than giving my child medicines to relieve his/her pain?
- What kind of exercises can my child indulge in?
- What should I do if my child develops a fever?
We here at Vardaan Hospital are well versed in treating all possible severity of the disease. Moreover, you can consult our team of doctors to get the answers to any of your queries regarding your child’s condition all you have to do is pay a visit or contact us.