Any doctors about? I have a mystery!

[EarthMotherImNot]

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis around 8 months ago after an increasing pain in my right hip. Because I was also diagnosed with breast cancer last August (its not been a good year) going on the list for a hip replacement was put on hold until after surgery/treatment etc.

I have been using a walking stick to get around for a while now but can occasionally walk a few steps without it, say from one room to another.

On Boxing day I caught my foot in the hem of my dressing gown and went down like a nine-pin. I mostly fell on my bad hip side bruising my lip and eye and, as it turned out badly hurting a couple of ribs.

Well done if you're still with me

After a few days I noticed my hip was feeling much better, to the point I haven't needed my stick for days now and I have no pain at all in the hip (ribs are still sore though) What could have happened, I'm very thankful the pain has gone but puzzled as to why. Any ideas?

Not a Doctor, but have you been taking pain killers for pain in ribs? this also might be helping with hip, just a thought

Yes I'm on tramadol for my hip.

Bump please.

I agree it's probably just the tramadol. Good guesswork on Telesales' part.
Less likely is the rib pain distracting your body from the hip pain. The gate control theory. E.g. Sometimes people might pinch themselves to try and distract from a pain elsewhere. But the tramadol is by far the most likely. Unfortunately you will probably find your hip pain comes back when you stop the strong painkillers.

Thank you. The problem is I've been on Tramadol for months with only moderate lessening of my hip pain. Why would it suddenly have this effect?

My theory is less medical textbook and more woo. When you tripped, you somehow realigned your musculoskeletal system. So if the pain in your hip was partly caused by your spine etc. being out of kilter, the pain has now reduced because the pressure on your hip has reduced. A bit like how an osteopath works when they crunch your bones.

A less woo interpretation of Queens theory would be that you are carrying yourself slightly differently after the fall probably to take account of the rib pain and that is taking pressure off your hip and causing less pain which along with the painkillers is now less noticeable. It doesn't mean your hip is 'fixed' just that it's hurting a bit less.
I actually found walking with sticks caused me more long term pain than without (although they did give me more confidence that I wasn't going to fall ) as I find that I walk differently with them so they cause pain in different areas over a long term use and I also have RA in both wrists / arms (actually just about everywhere ) so sticks whilst solving some issues bring their own problems for me. I found that my RA in my left hip is worse due to the way I do things with my son & had to have an operation on it when he was wee to relieve some of the difficulties I had with it but it is still worse even tho with RA the pain is supposed to be equal.
Sorry rambled a bit off topic there
Sorry to hear you need a new hip but glad you are going through a period of some relief even if it's not the best way of going about it

I don't know if this has any relevance and I don't know the answer but my mum hurt her knee quite badly a while ago and some time afterwards fell over badly onto it and her knee is fixed now. She doesn't know why and I'm not sure she's bothered, she's just pleased she's not in pain anymore.
Whatever the reason, I hope things start to improve for you and 2012 is a better year.

Thank you I'm glad to be out of pain for however long it continues, it feels strange but very welcome, having been in pain for so long I'm amazed at how positive I feel for the first time since diagnosis and surgery