Paincare Florida

Hip Pain

PAIN CONDITION

Hip Pain: Causes, Treatment & Pain Relief

Hip pain is described as pain experienced in or around the hip joint.[1] Sometimes, hip pain has a simple explanation, such as overuse or strain. With home care, minor hip pain can resolve within days.[2] But what about long-term hip discomfort and pain that won’t subside and interferes with daily activities?
Understanding hip pain, its causes and treatment options is essential for effective pain management.

About Hip Joint Pain

Hip pain, or hip joint pain, occurs when there’s discomfort in or around the hip joint. This pain can stem from various sources, including the hip joint (ball and socket), bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons around the hip, groin, thigh or buttocks.[3] While hip pain is common among older adults due to wear and tear, anyone can experience it, especially if you’re active in sports or have a physically demanding job.[4]
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that allows you to stand, walk, run, jump, and so much more.[4] Hip joints are durable and able to withstand heavy wear and tear due to cartilage within the joint, which helps your hips move smoothly, but despite its durable structure, hips can still be damaged by age, use, disease, injury or accident.

Hip Pain Symptoms

Hip pain can be the hip itself or pain radiating from surrounding areas.
Depending on the condition or cause of your hip pain, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
  • Pain that comes and goes [5]
  • Persistent dull aching [5]
  • Intense, sharp pain [5]
  • Pain and stiffness after inactivity [5]
  • Difficulty getting in or out of vehicles [5]
  • Thigh pain [4]
  • In or around hip joint pain [2]
  • Pain deep within the hip joint [2]
  • Groin pain [4]
  • Buttocks pain [4]
  • Lower back pain [2]
  • Stiffness [6]
  • Weakness [6]
  • Pain worsens with movement [7]
  • Swelling [7]
  • Bruising [7]
  • Severe, sudden pain (following a fall or injury requires immediate medical care) [7]
  • Nighttime-only hip pain [8]

Hip Joint Pain Causes

One of the common causes of hip pain is arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis. [2] Common hip problems include hip flexor strains, iliotibial band syndrome, hip labral tears, fractures and dislocations. [2] Conditions that cause chronic hip pain are trochanteric pain syndrome, piriformis syndrome and snapping hip.[9] Injuries can harm or damage your hip joint, whether from overuse, sports activities, or traumatic events like falls or car accidents. [2]

Some patients may suffer from structural abnormalities like dysplasia or hip impingement, often diagnosed in childhood but painful later in life.[2]

Pain Management Treatments

Treating hip pain starts with understanding what’s causing it. Home remedies like rest, ice packs, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories may reduce swelling and ease discomfort if your pain is mild or just started.[1] Physical therapy, gentle stretching or low-impact exercises can also improve mobility.[1]
For more persistent or severe pain, prescription medications, occupational therapy, or corticosteroid injections may offer relief and reduce inflammation. Addressing conditions like arthritis will be critical to long-term hip pain relief. Regardless of the cause, a referral to a pain management specialist may be your next option if conventional treatment fails to provide relief.
Pain management specialists can provide advanced treatments for chronic hip pain to keep you moving comfortably. Non-surgical options may include nerve blocks, joint injections, steroid injections, hyaluronic acid (HA) injections or regenerative therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which help promote healing in the affected areas. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary to repair or replace the hip joint.[7]

When to Consult a Hip Pain Care Specialist

If your hip pain lingers more than a few weeks or worsens to the point it’s affecting your ability to walk, sit or sleep, you must see a hip pain specialist. Home remedies and medications may not keep intense hip pain at bay.
Your pain physician can evaluate your symptoms and perform diagnostic testing, like X-rays or MRIs, to find the cause of your hip problems. Whether it’s arthritis, bursitis or more complex issues like a labral tear, you’ll receive comprehensive care to reduce your pain, heal your condition and increase your quality of life.
With advanced pain management options not available to other healthcare providers, your pain care team will work to prevent your pain from worsening and reduce the risk of long-term complications, getting you back to your everyday activities sooner.

Resources:

  1. Blake K. Everything You Need to Know About Hip Pain. Healthline [Internet]. Published October 15, 2015. Updated March 14, 2023. Accessed September 06, 2023. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/hip-pain 
  2. Hip Pain: Causes, Common Conditions & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21118-hip-pain 
  3. Hip pain – Symptoms. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/hip-pain/basics/definition/sym-20050684 
  4. Torres-Burtka A, Watson S. Hip Pain: Causes and Treatment. WebMD. Published June 08, 2010. Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/hip-pain-causes-and-treatment 
  5. Funiciello M. Hip Pain and Arthritis. Arthritis-health. Updated August 12, 2011. Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from: https://www.arthritis-health.com/types/general/hip-pain-and-arthritis 
  6. Hip problems. NHS Inform [Internet] Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/self-management-advice/hip-problems 
  7. Hip pain in adults. NHS UK [Internet]. Published October 18, 2017. Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hip-pain/ 
  8. Hip Pain at Night?. Arthritis Foundation [Internet]. Accessed September 06, 2024. Available from: https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/causes-and-treatments-for-nighttime-hip-pain 
  9. Ahuja V, Thapa D, Patial S, Chander A, Ahuja A. Chronic hip pain in adults: Current knowledge and future prospective. Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology [Internet]. 2020;36(4):450. Accessed September 06, 2024.doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/joacp.joacp_170_19 Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8022067/
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