Pain around hips. Hip Pain: Comprehensive Guide to Causes, Treatments, and When to Seek Medical Attention
What are the common causes of hip pain. How is hip pain diagnosed and treated. When should you seek immediate medical help for hip pain. What are the long-term implications of untreated hip conditions.
Understanding the Anatomy of Hip Pain
Hip pain is a broad term encompassing discomfort in or around the hip joint. Interestingly, the pain may not always be localized to the hip itself but can radiate to the groin or thigh. This complexity in pain presentation often makes diagnosis challenging, requiring a thorough understanding of hip anatomy and potential underlying causes.
The Hip Joint: A Marvel of Biomechanics
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint, where the head of the femur (thighbone) fits into the acetabulum (hip socket) of the pelvis. This design allows for a wide range of motion while supporting the body’s weight. Surrounding this joint are various structures, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bursae, all of which can be potential sources of pain when compromised.
Common Causes of Acute Hip Pain
Acute hip pain often develops suddenly and can be quite intense. While there are numerous potential causes, some are more prevalent than others.
Inflamed Tendons: The Most Frequent Culprit
Tendonitis, or inflammation of the tendons, is the most common cause of acute hip pain. This condition typically results from overexertion or repetitive motions. While tendonitis can be extremely painful, it usually resolves within a few days with proper rest and care.
Can tendonitis be prevented? In many cases, yes. Proper warm-up before exercise, gradual increase in activity intensity, and maintaining good overall fitness can help reduce the risk of tendon inflammation.
Hip Fractures: A Serious Concern
Hip fractures, while less common than tendonitis, are a serious cause of acute hip pain, especially in older adults and those with osteoporosis. These fractures cause sudden, severe pain and require immediate medical attention.
What are the complications of hip fractures? Potential complications include blood clots in the leg, which can be life-threatening if they travel to the lungs. Additionally, hip fractures often necessitate surgery and extensive physical therapy for recovery.
Chronic Hip Pain: Long-term Causes and Implications
Chronic hip pain persists over an extended period and can significantly impact quality of life. Understanding the underlying causes is crucial for effective management and treatment.
Arthritis: The Leading Cause of Chronic Hip Pain
Arthritis is the most prevalent cause of long-term hip pain. It can manifest in various forms, each with its unique characteristics and implications:
- Osteoarthritis (OA): Often age-related, OA results from the gradual wear and tear of joint cartilage.
- Traumatic Arthritis: Develops following a joint injury, such as a fracture.
- Infectious Arthritis: Caused by an infection in the joint, leading to cartilage destruction.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): An autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks the joints.
How does osteoarthritis differ from rheumatoid arthritis? While both cause joint pain and stiffness, OA is typically a result of mechanical wear and tear, affecting one side of the body. RA, on the other hand, is an autoimmune condition that often affects joints symmetrically on both sides of the body.
Trochanteric Bursitis: A Common but Often Overlooked Cause
Trochanteric bursitis occurs when the bursa, a fluid-filled sac near the hip joint, becomes inflamed. This condition is significantly more common in women than in men and can result from various factors, including hip injury, overuse, or posture problems.
How is trochanteric bursitis treated? Treatment often involves a combination of rest, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and in some cases, corticosteroid injections. Addressing underlying posture or gait issues is also crucial for long-term management.
Less Common but Significant Hip Conditions
While less frequent, certain hip conditions can cause significant pain and require specialized treatment approaches.
Snapping Hip Syndrome: More Than Just a Sound
Snapping hip syndrome, characterized by a snapping sound or sensation in the hip, is particularly common among dancers and athletes. While often painless, it can cause discomfort in some cases.
Is snapping hip syndrome always benign? Not necessarily. When accompanied by pain, it may indicate a cartilage tear or the presence of loose bodies in the hip joint, requiring medical evaluation.
Osteonecrosis: When Blood Flow Becomes an Issue
Osteonecrosis, also known as avascular necrosis, occurs when blood supply to the bone is compromised. This condition can lead to bone collapse and eventual joint destruction if left untreated.
What are the risk factors for osteonecrosis? While the exact cause isn’t always clear, risk factors include joint injury, heavy steroid use, excessive alcohol consumption, and certain cancer treatments. However, in many cases, the underlying cause remains undetermined.
Diagnosing Hip Pain: A Multifaceted Approach
Accurate diagnosis of hip pain often requires a combination of clinical examination, patient history, and advanced imaging techniques.
The Importance of a Thorough Clinical Examination
During a clinical examination, your doctor will assess your hip’s range of motion, observe your gait, and compare the affected hip to the healthy one. They may ask you to walk or perform specific movements to evaluate how the joint functions under stress.
Advanced Imaging Techniques in Hip Pain Diagnosis
Imaging tests play a crucial role in diagnosing the underlying cause of hip pain. These may include:
- X-rays: To visualize bone structure and detect fractures or arthritis
- CT Scans: For detailed cross-sectional images of the hip joint
- MRI Scans: To evaluate soft tissues, including cartilage, tendons, and ligaments
- Ultrasounds: Useful for assessing soft tissue inflammation and fluid accumulation
How do these imaging techniques complement each other? Each imaging modality provides unique information. While X-rays are excellent for bone evaluation, MRI scans offer superior soft tissue visualization. CT scans can provide detailed 3D reconstructions, useful for surgical planning. Ultrasounds offer real-time imaging and are particularly helpful in guiding injections or aspirations.
Treatment Approaches for Hip Pain
The treatment of hip pain varies significantly depending on the underlying cause, severity of symptoms, and individual patient factors.
Conservative Management: The First Line of Defense
For many hip conditions, especially those related to overuse or minor injuries, conservative management is often the initial approach. This may include:
- Rest and activity modification
- Physical therapy to improve strength and flexibility
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief
- Ice or heat therapy
- Weight management to reduce stress on the joint
How long should conservative treatment be tried before considering other options? This varies depending on the condition and individual response. Generally, if there’s no significant improvement after 4-6 weeks of consistent conservative treatment, further evaluation and alternative treatments may be considered.
Interventional Treatments: When Conservative Measures Fail
For more severe or persistent hip pain, interventional treatments may be necessary. These can include:
- Corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation
- Hyaluronic acid injections for osteoarthritis
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for certain tendon or cartilage injuries
- Radiofrequency ablation for nerve-related pain
Are these interventional treatments suitable for everyone? No, the appropriateness of these treatments depends on the specific diagnosis, overall health of the patient, and potential risks and benefits. A thorough discussion with a healthcare provider is essential before proceeding with any interventional treatment.
Surgical Interventions: When All Else Fails
In some cases, surgery may be the most appropriate treatment option. This is particularly true for severe arthritis, certain fractures, or conditions that haven’t responded to conservative measures. Surgical options may include:
- Hip arthroscopy for labral tears or loose bodies
- Osteotomy to realign the joint
- Partial or total hip replacement
What factors determine the need for hip replacement surgery? The decision to proceed with hip replacement is based on several factors, including the severity of pain, impact on daily activities, extent of joint damage, age, overall health, and response to other treatments. It’s a significant decision that requires careful consideration and discussion with an orthopedic specialist.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
While many causes of hip pain can be managed with conservative treatment, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention.
Red Flags: Signs of Serious Underlying Conditions
Seek immediate medical help if you experience any of the following:
- Sudden, severe hip pain
- Inability to bear weight on the affected leg
- Visible deformity of the hip joint
- Signs of infection (fever, redness, warmth around the joint)
- Severe swelling or bruising
- Numbness or tingling in the leg
Why is prompt attention crucial for these symptoms? These signs may indicate serious conditions such as fractures, joint infections (septic arthritis), or vascular problems that require immediate intervention to prevent long-term complications or even life-threatening situations.
The Importance of Early Intervention in Chronic Conditions
Even for less acute symptoms, seeking medical attention for persistent hip pain is crucial. Early diagnosis and treatment of conditions like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can significantly slow disease progression and improve long-term outcomes.
How does early intervention impact the course of arthritis? Early treatment can help preserve joint function, reduce pain, and potentially delay or prevent the need for more invasive treatments like joint replacement surgery. It also allows for the implementation of lifestyle modifications and targeted therapies that can significantly improve quality of life.
Living with Hip Pain: Lifestyle Modifications and Coping Strategies
For many individuals, managing hip pain becomes an ongoing process that extends beyond medical treatments. Implementing lifestyle modifications and developing effective coping strategies can significantly improve quality of life and functional capacity.
Exercise and Physical Activity: Finding the Right Balance
Regular exercise is crucial for maintaining joint health, but it’s essential to find activities that don’t exacerbate hip pain. Low-impact exercises such as swimming, cycling, or using an elliptical machine can help maintain fitness without putting excessive stress on the hip joint.
How can you determine which exercises are safe for your condition? Working with a physical therapist or exercise physiologist can help develop a tailored exercise program that addresses your specific needs and limitations. They can also teach proper techniques to minimize joint stress during daily activities.
Weight Management: Reducing Joint Stress
Maintaining a healthy weight is particularly important for individuals with hip pain. Excess weight puts additional stress on weight-bearing joints, potentially exacerbating pain and accelerating joint degeneration.
What impact does weight loss have on hip pain? Even modest weight loss can significantly reduce stress on the hip joint. Studies have shown that losing just 5-10% of body weight can lead to meaningful improvements in pain and function for individuals with osteoarthritis.
Assistive Devices: Enhancing Mobility and Independence
For some individuals, using assistive devices can significantly improve mobility and reduce hip pain. These may include:
- Canes or walking sticks
- Walkers
- Raised toilet seats
- Shower chairs
- Long-handled reachers or grabbers
How do you choose the right assistive device? The choice of assistive device depends on your specific needs, level of mobility, and the tasks you need to perform. A occupational therapist can assess your needs and recommend appropriate devices, as well as teach you how to use them effectively and safely.
Pain Management Techniques: Beyond Medication
While medications play a role in pain management, incorporating non-pharmacological techniques can provide additional relief and reduce reliance on drugs. These may include:
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Relaxation techniques
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
Are these alternative therapies effective for hip pain? While individual responses vary, many people find these techniques helpful in managing pain and improving overall well-being. It’s important to discuss any alternative therapies with your healthcare provider to ensure they’re safe and appropriate for your condition.
Causes, Treatments, and When to Seek Help
Hip pain is the general term for pain in or around the hip joint. It isn’t always felt in the hip itself but may instead be felt in the groin or thigh.
Read on to learn about the causes of hip pain and how it’s diagnosed and treated.
Certain injuries or conditions can cause hip pain.
Inflamed tendons
The most common cause of acute hip pain is inflamed tendons, or tendonitis. This is often due to too much exercise. This condition can be very painful, but it usually heals within a few days.
Arthritis
The most common cause of long-term hip pain is arthritis. Arthritis can cause pain, stiff and tender joints, and difficulty walking. There are various types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) can be the result of age-related wearing down of the cartilage that surrounds the joints.
- Trauma to a joint, like a fracture, may cause traumatic arthritis like osteoarthritis.
- Infectious arthritis is due to an infection in the joint causing the destruction of cartilage.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is due to the body’s immune system launching an attack on the joints. This type of arthritis may eventually destroy joint cartilage and bones.
Osteoarthritis is much more common than rheumatoid arthritis.
Trochanteric bursitis
Another possible cause of hip pain is trochanteric bursitis. This condition occurs when the bursa, which is a liquid-filled sac near the hip joint, becomes inflamed.
A number of factors can cause trochanteric bursitis, including hip injury, overuse of the joints or posture problems.
Other conditions such as RA can also cause hip pain. This condition is much more common in women than in men.
Hip fractures
Hip fractures are common in older adults and in those who have osteoporosis, which is a weakening of the bones due to age or other factors.
Hip fractures cause very sudden, severe hip pain, and they require immediate medical attention. There are complications that can arise from a fractured hip, such as a blood clot in the leg.
A hip fracture usually requires surgery to be corrected. You’ll most likely need to have physical therapy to recover.
There are other, less common conditions that can cause hip pain. These include snapping hip syndrome and osteonecrosis, or avascular necrosis.
Snapping hip syndrome
Snapping hip syndrome, which most commonly occurs in dancers or athletes, is characterized by a snapping sound or feeling in the hip.
This snapping may occur when you’re walking or getting up out of a chair, for example. The condition is usually painless, but can cause pain in some cases.
Snapping hip with pain is usually a sign of cartilage tear or fragments of material in the hip.
Osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis, or avascular necrosis, occurs when blood doesn’t reach the bones, either temporarily or permanently. This can lead to the loss of the supporting bone.
In this condition, the cartilage is normal initially but will eventually collapse as it progresses. Eventually, bones may break or crumple. It’s not always clear what causes osteonecrosis.
Joint injury, heavy use of steroid medications or alcohol, and cancer treatments may put you at greater risk for this condition. But in many cases, the cause is never determined.
Contact your doctor if you have hip pain that lasts longer than a few days. They can come up with a plan to manage pain and treat your condition.
However, you should contact your doctor immediately if the hip is bleeding or you can see exposed bone or muscle, a popping noise occurs, or you can’t bear weight.
Also, seek immediate help if your hip joint appears deformed or is swollen, or if you have severe pain.
Prompt medical attention is necessary for hip pain accompanied by any of the following:
- swelling
- tenderness
- soreness
- warmth
- redness
These may be signs of serious conditions, including septic arthritis, which is a joint infection. If it’s left untreated, septic arthritis can lead to deformed joints and osteoarthritis.
If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.
For pain that could be related to a condition such as arthritis, your doctor will ask you a range of questions, including:
- Is the pain worse at a time of day?
- Does it affect your ability to walk?
- When did your symptoms first appear?
You may need to walk around to let your doctor observe the joint in motion. They’ll measure the motion in the normal and abnormal hip and compare the two.
To diagnose arthritis, your doctor will perform fluid and imaging tests. Fluid tests involve taking samples of blood, urine, and joint fluid for testing in a laboratory. Imaging tests may include:
- X-rays
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- ultrasounds
Imaging tests will provide your doctor with detailed views of your bones, cartilage, and other tissues.
The treatment of hip pain depends on the cause. For exercise-related pain, rest is usually enough to allow the hip to heal. This type of pain is typically gone within a few days.
If you have arthritis, your doctor will prescribe medications to relieve pain and stiffness.
Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who can offer further advice and a physical therapist who can show you how to do exercises to help keep the joint mobile.
For injuries, treatment typically involves bed rest and medications, such as naproxen (Aleve), to relieve swelling and pain.
Hip fractures, malformation of the hip, and some injuries may require surgical intervention to repair or replace the hip. In hip replacement surgery, a surgeon replaces the damaged hip joint with an artificial one.
Although hip replacement surgery will take some physical therapy to get used to the new joint, this is a common surgery that’s most often successful.
Alternative therapies
Some holistic therapies can provide relief from hip pain. Make sure you discuss treatment options with your doctor before undergoing any alternative treatment.
Possible holistic therapies include seeing a chiropractor for an adjustment or having acupuncture. This involves the temporary placement of very small needles into key body areas to promote healing.
After you know the cause of your hip pain and treat the pain correctly, you can successfully manage it.
For very minor injuries and exercise-related accidents, no treatment may be necessary and your hip may soon return to normal.
However, for more serious conditions, such as arthritis, fractures, and necrosis, the symptoms are likely to worsen until you receive treatment. Talk to your doctor so they can help you with a treatment plan.
Causes, Treatments, and When to Seek Help
Hip pain is the general term for pain in or around the hip joint. It isn’t always felt in the hip itself but may instead be felt in the groin or thigh.
Read on to learn about the causes of hip pain and how it’s diagnosed and treated.
Certain injuries or conditions can cause hip pain.
Inflamed tendons
The most common cause of acute hip pain is inflamed tendons, or tendonitis. This is often due to too much exercise. This condition can be very painful, but it usually heals within a few days.
Arthritis
The most common cause of long-term hip pain is arthritis. Arthritis can cause pain, stiff and tender joints, and difficulty walking. There are various types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) can be the result of age-related wearing down of the cartilage that surrounds the joints.
- Trauma to a joint, like a fracture, may cause traumatic arthritis like osteoarthritis.
- Infectious arthritis is due to an infection in the joint causing the destruction of cartilage.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is due to the body’s immune system launching an attack on the joints. This type of arthritis may eventually destroy joint cartilage and bones.
Osteoarthritis is much more common than rheumatoid arthritis.
Trochanteric bursitis
Another possible cause of hip pain is trochanteric bursitis. This condition occurs when the bursa, which is a liquid-filled sac near the hip joint, becomes inflamed.
A number of factors can cause trochanteric bursitis, including hip injury, overuse of the joints or posture problems.
Other conditions such as RA can also cause hip pain. This condition is much more common in women than in men.
Hip fractures
Hip fractures are common in older adults and in those who have osteoporosis, which is a weakening of the bones due to age or other factors.
Hip fractures cause very sudden, severe hip pain, and they require immediate medical attention. There are complications that can arise from a fractured hip, such as a blood clot in the leg.
A hip fracture usually requires surgery to be corrected. You’ll most likely need to have physical therapy to recover.
There are other, less common conditions that can cause hip pain. These include snapping hip syndrome and osteonecrosis, or avascular necrosis.
Snapping hip syndrome
Snapping hip syndrome, which most commonly occurs in dancers or athletes, is characterized by a snapping sound or feeling in the hip.
This snapping may occur when you’re walking or getting up out of a chair, for example. The condition is usually painless, but can cause pain in some cases.
Snapping hip with pain is usually a sign of cartilage tear or fragments of material in the hip.
Osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis, or avascular necrosis, occurs when blood doesn’t reach the bones, either temporarily or permanently. This can lead to the loss of the supporting bone.
In this condition, the cartilage is normal initially but will eventually collapse as it progresses. Eventually, bones may break or crumple. It’s not always clear what causes osteonecrosis.
Joint injury, heavy use of steroid medications or alcohol, and cancer treatments may put you at greater risk for this condition. But in many cases, the cause is never determined.
Contact your doctor if you have hip pain that lasts longer than a few days. They can come up with a plan to manage pain and treat your condition.
However, you should contact your doctor immediately if the hip is bleeding or you can see exposed bone or muscle, a popping noise occurs, or you can’t bear weight.
Also, seek immediate help if your hip joint appears deformed or is swollen, or if you have severe pain.
Prompt medical attention is necessary for hip pain accompanied by any of the following:
- swelling
- tenderness
- soreness
- warmth
- redness
These may be signs of serious conditions, including septic arthritis, which is a joint infection. If it’s left untreated, septic arthritis can lead to deformed joints and osteoarthritis.
If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.
For pain that could be related to a condition such as arthritis, your doctor will ask you a range of questions, including:
- Is the pain worse at a time of day?
- Does it affect your ability to walk?
- When did your symptoms first appear?
You may need to walk around to let your doctor observe the joint in motion. They’ll measure the motion in the normal and abnormal hip and compare the two.
To diagnose arthritis, your doctor will perform fluid and imaging tests. Fluid tests involve taking samples of blood, urine, and joint fluid for testing in a laboratory. Imaging tests may include:
- X-rays
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- ultrasounds
Imaging tests will provide your doctor with detailed views of your bones, cartilage, and other tissues.
The treatment of hip pain depends on the cause. For exercise-related pain, rest is usually enough to allow the hip to heal. This type of pain is typically gone within a few days.
If you have arthritis, your doctor will prescribe medications to relieve pain and stiffness.
Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who can offer further advice and a physical therapist who can show you how to do exercises to help keep the joint mobile.
For injuries, treatment typically involves bed rest and medications, such as naproxen (Aleve), to relieve swelling and pain.
Hip fractures, malformation of the hip, and some injuries may require surgical intervention to repair or replace the hip. In hip replacement surgery, a surgeon replaces the damaged hip joint with an artificial one.
Although hip replacement surgery will take some physical therapy to get used to the new joint, this is a common surgery that’s most often successful.
Alternative therapies
Some holistic therapies can provide relief from hip pain. Make sure you discuss treatment options with your doctor before undergoing any alternative treatment.
Possible holistic therapies include seeing a chiropractor for an adjustment or having acupuncture. This involves the temporary placement of very small needles into key body areas to promote healing.
After you know the cause of your hip pain and treat the pain correctly, you can successfully manage it.
For very minor injuries and exercise-related accidents, no treatment may be necessary and your hip may soon return to normal.
However, for more serious conditions, such as arthritis, fractures, and necrosis, the symptoms are likely to worsen until you receive treatment. Talk to your doctor so they can help you with a treatment plan.
All about hip pinched pain
What needs to be done to diagnose and treat pain in paresthetic meralgia? To solve this problem, the first step for the patient is to make an appointment with a neurologist. After the initial examination, the doctor may prescribe additional tests:
- electromyography
- nerve conduction test
- MRI or CT
Paresthetic meralgia (Roth-Bernhardt disease, Roth syndrome) is a condition characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain on the outer thigh. These symptoms are caused by compression of the nerve that provides tactile sensation to the skin covering the thigh. Tight clothing, obesity or weight gain, and pregnancy are common causes of the disease. However, paresthetic meralgia can also be caused by local trauma or disease such as diabetes. In most cases, symptoms can be relieved with conservative measures, such as wearing looser clothing. In severe cases, treatment may include medication to relieve discomfort or, in rare cases, surgery.
Symptoms of pinched nerves in the thigh area
Paresthetic meralgia may cause the following symptoms in the outer thigh area:
- numbness
- burning pain
- increased sensitivity and pain even with light touch
- in some cases – a decrease in sensitivity.
Causes of Roth syndrome
The disease occurs when the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is compressed and pinched. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve only affects sensation and does not affect the ability to use leg muscles. In most patients, this nerve passes through the groin to the upper thigh without problems. But when the disease occurs, the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve enters a narrow area – often under the inguinal ligament, which runs along the groin from the abdomen to the upper thigh. Common causes of this tightness are any condition or condition that increases pressure on the groin, including:
- tight clothing such as belts, corsets and tight trousers
- obesity or weight gain
- wearing a heavy tool belt
- pregnancy
- accumulation of fluid in the abdomen causing increased pressure
- scar tissue near the inguinal ligament due to trauma or surgery
For example, nerve injury, which may be caused by diabetes or injury during surgery, can also cause paresthetic meralgia.
Risk factors
The following factors may increase the risk of paresthetic meralgia:
- Being overweight or obese may increase pressure on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
- pregnancy. The growing belly puts additional pressure on the groin through which the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve passes
- diabetes. Nerve injury associated with diabetes
- age. Patients between the ages of 30 and 60 are at higher risk.
How a doctor diagnoses a pinched nerve
In most cases, a neurologist can make a diagnosis based on the medical history and physical examination. The sensitivity of the affected hip is examined. Additional testing, including strength and reflex testing, may be done to rule out other causes of symptoms. To rule out other conditions, such as a nerve root problem or femoral neuropathy, the following procedures are prescribed:
visualization. Although no specific x-ray changes are found in meralgia, imaging of the hip and pelvis may be helpful in ruling out other causes. Computed tomography or MRI may be ordered if a tumor is suspected as the underlying cause of symptoms
electromyography. The test measures the electrical impulses produced in the muscles in order to diagnose muscle and nerve disorders. A thin needle electrode is inserted into the muscle to record electrical activity. Test results are normal for paresthetic meralgia, but this procedure may be required to rule out other disorders when the diagnosis is unclear
nerve conduction study. Electrodes are placed on the patient’s skin in order to stimulate the nerve with a gentle electrical impulse. An electrical impulse helps diagnose damaged nerves. A comparison of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve can be made on each side.
nerve block. Pain relief achieved by injecting anesthesia into the femoral nerve may confirm the presence of meralgia. The injection is performed under ultrasound guidance.
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Scientific sources:
- Sargautite R. Psychological aspects of pain assessment in a rheumatological clinic. In: Topical Issues in the Study of the Mechanisms of Homeostasis. Tez. rep. scientific conf. Kaunas; 1983, pp. 214-215.
- Kholin A.B. Magnetic resonance imaging in diseases of the central nervous system.// Hippocrates L999. Part III. S. 139-181.
- Leparsky E.A., Kitaev V.V. New technique of KT and MRI examination of the spine – DynaWell ™// Radiology – Practice. 2004. No. 1. С. 37-38.
- Novikov V.P. X-ray diagnostics of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine after its injury. //Bulletin of radiology. 1982, No. 3, pp. 13-17.
- Kinzersky A.Yu. Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine // Abstract of the thesis. doc. medical sciences. Chelyabinsk. 1999.24 s.
Useful information
Arthritis of the spine
What should be done to diagnose and treat spinal arthritis? To solve this problem, the first step for the patient is to make an appointment with a neurologist, vertebrologist. After the initial examination, the doctor may prescribe additional studies:
MRI of the spine
CT scan of the spine
read more +
Back injury
What should be done to diagnose and treat back injuries? To solve this problem, the first step for the patient is to make an appointment with a neurologist, vertebrologist. After the initial examination, the doctor may prescribe additional studies:
MRI of the spine
CT scan of the spine
read more +
spine fracture
What should be done to diagnose and treat a spinal fracture? To solve this problem, the first step for the patient is to make an appointment with a traumatologist. After the initial examination, the doctor may prescribe additional studies:
Consultation with a surgeon
CT scan of the spine
MRI of the spine
read more +
Hip pain, causes and treatment
Hip pain occurs at any age for a variety of reasons. In young people, it signals acute injuries or wear and tear, especially in athletes and extreme sports enthusiasts. In adults after 45-60 years, discomfort is manifested in osteoarthritis, and in old age – with severe osteoporosis and injuries. Sometimes pain in the hip area can be caused by diseases and injuries in other parts of the body, such as the knees or the lumbar spine.
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Causes of pain in the hips
Doctors identify the following causes of pain in the hips:
- bursitis – inflammation of the synovial sac in acute or chronic form;
- Bechterew’s disease – a rheumatic disease that affects the spine and causes degenerative bone changes and pain that radiates to the hips and leg;
- arthrosis of the hip joint – a pathology in which the hip joint gradually wears out, causing pain and crunching;
- inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
- neuritis of the femoral nerve – occurs during pregnancy, in people with diabetes and in those who constantly wear tight clothes;
- femoral or inguinal hernia;
- inflammation of the femoral tendons – a disease often diagnosed in menopausal women and which is accompanied by pain and soft tissue injuries;
- piriformis syndrome – occurs with diseases of the spine, severe stress or heavy lifting, which leads to pain in the lumbar and gluteal region;
- fibromyalgia is an extra-articular pathology that causes muscle pain, cramps, insomnia and chronic fatigue;
- bacterial or viral infections of the hip joint;
- sickle cell anemia – chronic hemolytic anemia in which red blood cells donate their oxygen and take on an elongated crescent shape;
- Femoral head necrosis is a severe pathology accompanied by degenerative-dystrophic bone changes and structural disorders;
- benign or malignant tumors.
Avascular necrosis of the femoral neck may occur in people who take corticosteroids for a long time. Then the blood supply to the femoral neck is disrupted, it weakens, which causes pain.
Fibromyalgia causes muscle spasms, cramps, pain in various muscle groups and increased fatigue in the patient.
Article checked
Kuchenkov A.V.
Orthopedist • Traumatologist • Surgeon • Phlebologist • Sports doctor • experience 25 years
Publication date: March 24, 2021
Check date: January 15, 2023
Article content
Symptoms ation. If a fracture is suspected, he directs the patient for an x-ray of the hip joint. To detect inflammation in the joints or surrounding tissues, additional research methods will be required – ultrasound and computed tomography. Blood and urine tests are also needed. Sometimes pain in the femur requires invasive procedures such as arthroscopy and biopsy.
To diagnose the causes of pain in the hips, specialists from the CMRT clinic network use the following methods:
Where to see a doctor
See a traumatologist or surgeon after an injury. If the pain is not related to injury, make an appointment with an orthopedist.
Treating hip pain
Hip pain is usually treated with medications to relieve inflammation and pain. The medical course of treatment is supplemented with physiotherapeutic procedures – massage, physiotherapy exercises and warming up. To reduce pain, special joint fixators can be used. In severe cases, surgery will be required. During the operation, the damaged joint will be replaced.
If your hip and knee are hurting due to overexertion of the muscles, then it is useful to take a contrast shower, drink more clean water and massage regularly. After a hard day, it is recommended to lie down for at least 40 minutes, slightly raising your legs. If there are spider veins on the skin, it is necessary to lubricate the lower limbs with a cream or gel with a cooling effect.
If a patient is diagnosed with bursitis, treatment includes anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drugs.