10/29/2025
Today I had the responsibility of informing a patient that they have avascular necrosis of both hips and will likely require bilateral hip replacement. The wild thing is that it is only their left hip that hurts, and it really only started to catch their attention about a month and a half ago. There was no significant trauma. They gradually began to experience sciatica like symptoms. By their own admission, they have a high pain tolerance and generally just tough things out to be able to continue working and going about their daily life.
Yes, this is a rare occurrence. However, it is also an example of why it is so important that we take a proactive approach to maintaining our health as best as we can, and do not simply "live with" pain or any other symptoms, whenever possible.
Could this have been prevented with a more proactive approach to health? Maybe. The truth is I cannot say with certainty. I think it would have been worth trying.