On behalf of Biovail Corporation (manufacturer of ULTRAM® ER), PriCara®, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is voluntarily recalling certain lots of ULTRAM® ER. For more information,
click here.
About Chronic Pain
Chronic Osteoarthritis Pain
Chronic Hip Pain
If you experience discomfort in your groin, buttock or thigh when you wake up in the morning,
it may be the first sign of osteoarthritis of the hip. It's a type of pain that develops
gradually and can become chronic - flaring when you are active and lessening when you rest.
If you become less active to avoid the pain, the muscles controlling your joint can weaken, and
you may start to limp. As the disease worsens, morning stiffness and pain (at rest or at night)
can occur more frequently.
Pain as a result of rotating the hip while the knee is in full extension is the strongest
clinical indicator of osteoarthritis of the hip.
Some statistics:
According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine,
- "Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in the elderly, with nearly 200,000 total hip replacements performed annually."
- "Osteoarthritis of the hip is categorized as primary (idiopathic) or secondary (systemic or localized) disease."
- "Not all patients with radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the hip experience symptoms, such as pain."
Treatment
To help manage the pain of osteoarthritis of the hip without medication, your doctor may suggest:
- Self-help education classes
- Physical therapy (especially aquatic)
- Insoles
- Acupuncture
- Surgery
If your doctor determines that you do have chronic hip pain due to osteoarthritis, a wide range
of treatment options is available - including ULTRAM® ER. Together, you and your doctor should choose the course
of treatment that is right for you.
