Whether you are a weekend warrior, a professional athlete, or simply aging through your retirement years, hip pain may arrive to spoil the fun.
Hip pain comes in various forms. It can be aching, sharp, or burning. More severe conditions are likely if you have a fracture or your joints are infected. Rest, ice, and over the counter medications may alleviate the discomfort and have you back moving again for some minor causes for hip pain.
Finding a Solution
The hip anatomy comprises a joint that looks like a ball-in-a-socket. This joint is one of the strongest and most stable in the body. Since it plays such an essential role in weight-bearing and motion, it is susceptible to overuse, which can lead to inflammation and pain. Diagnosis of hip pain is not straightforward since there can be many causes, and there are different areas from where the pain resonates. Some of the most common causes of hip pain are easier to diagnose than others. Discuss the intensity and frequency of the pain with your doctor, and pinpoint where it hurts. Once you narrow down the reasons for your pain, you will learn some of the more common causes of hip pain.
Bursitis
If the pain is to the side of your hip, thigh, or buttocks, the answer is possibly bursitis. The bursa is a pillow-like fluid sac that cushions the tendons and muscles from rubbing directly against the bone. When the pouch is inflamed, you can feel anterior hip pain that radiates to the thigh or buttocks areas. Iliopsoas bursitis is common amongst runners and soccer players.
Hamstring Injuries
While hamstring injuries are often associated with pain behind the thigh, you may have symptoms in the hip if the injury is higher up in the muscle body. The hamstrings comprise three muscles that run down the back of the thigh, and pain commences if the muscle fibers tear. Small micro-tears happen with quick twists or pulls to the muscle that could occur when playing sports for example, like tennis or baseball. If the tear occurs around the hip joint, then you can feel it around the back of your hip.
Osteoarthritis
This daily, dull pain in the hip occurs when your joints are stiff or swollen due to inflammation or
breakdown of the cartilage. The cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that frays and degenerates as you age. Osteoarthritis also causes deterioration in the connective tissues that hold the joint together and attach the muscle to the bone. Eventually, the space between the hip joint and the bones of the hip narrows until you could have bone rubbing against bone.
Tendonitis
The tendons are the cords that connect the muscle to the bone. If you partake in specific
activities that repeat a movement over and again, tendonitis can occur. Soccer players that are
always kicking the ball are at a higher risk for this pain. As they repeat the movement, the over-
used tendon develops minor tears that could lead to muscular imbalances in the hip.
Next Steps
Call your doctor immediately if your pain is intense or requires immediate treatment. For less acute injuries, try icing the area where the pain originates as this will decrease the inflammation, as will over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. Resting may increase your chances of a quicker recovery.
There are various reasons you develop hip pain, and the only way to know what is causing your
discomfort is to visit our office in person or via a telemedicine appointment. Landa Spine & Orthopedic Center is available to answer your questions and be an ear to your concerns. We are also the best at interpreting whether your pain requires more attention, for example, physical therapy, joint aspirations or injections, or surgery. We want the best for you.