Constant hip pain often stems from arthritis (especially osteoarthritis), bursitis (inflamed hip bursa), or tendon issues, but can also be due to referred pain from your back, muscle strain, labral tears, or even poor posture/overuse. Because it's chronic, a doctor's visit is key for proper diagnosis, but common culprits involve joint wear-and-tear, inflammation from repetitive stress (like running/sitting), or underlying structural problems like impingement.
Occasional aches and pains after exercise are normal. But if your hip pain is constant, dull, or sharp, and lasts for more than a few weeks, it's time to get it checked out. Persistent pain could indicate a number of issues, including arthritis, muscle strain, tendonitis, or even a hip impingement.
Red flags for hip pain needing urgent attention include sudden, severe pain after injury, inability to bear weight, significant swelling/redness/warmth, night pain disrupting sleep, fever, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, neurological symptoms (weakness/numbness), or a history of cancer, as these can signal serious issues like fractures, infections, or malignancy, requiring prompt medical evaluation beyond typical muscle soreness.
Common Symptoms of Hip Bursitis
How to get rid of hip pain quickly
With hip arthritis, the pain is mainly felt in the groin, and occasionally in the outer thigh and upper buttock area. Pain can get worse after standing or walking for long periods of time or after a period of rest (waking up in the morning). Stiffness in the hip makes it difficult to move the hip or rotate the leg.
You might need surgery to repair a hip fracture or structural issue. Hip arthroscopy is the most common type of surgery to treat most causes of hip pain. Your surgeon will make a few small incisions (cuts) in the skin of your hip, and then insert a special tool called an arthroscope into your hip joint.
Bursitis pain is usually sharp and worsens with pressure on the affected side, like lying down. Arthritis pain often comes with stiffness and reduced mobility, especially after rest or inactivity.
Hip bursitis complications
If left untreated, chronic hip bursitis can lead to a permanent loss of hip movement as a result of calcium deposit build-up in the soft tissues.
“Sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your knees, can help align your hips and reduce pain,” says Dr. Shekhman. Adjusting your position is one of the easiest ways to sleep with hip pain and minimize pressure on the joint overnight.
Some conditions behind chronic hip pain include hip fracture, arthritis, trochanteric bursitis, and avascular necrosis. If you experience pain or discomfort in your hip, seek immediate medical assistance. You can book an appointment with us by contacting us on our website.
In this section
Referred pain in the hip is usually due to damage to the lumbar spine or muscle in the lower back. If nerves become damaged in the lumbar spine, this may cause pain in the hip and groin area.
People with trauma, stress or mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression often suffer physical symptoms as well. In all of this, there may be one common link: the hips. Neuroscience indicates that the hips are a potential storage vessel for emotions.
Dr. Gökhan Meriç stated that there is research that vitamin D is particularly associated with joint pain and osteoarthritis (calcification) and continued his words as follows: "Some studies show that low vitamin D levels may cause increased joint and muscle pain.
Osteoarthritis: Hip pain associated with osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis caused by wear and tear, usually begins to develop at a slow pace. At first, this pain might be mild and only affect one hip, but it typically ends up affecting both hips and causing considerable pain.
Let's talk about three of the most common conditions that are confused with hip bursitis.
Bursa Drainage and Removal
In the first procedure, the surgeon makes an incision in the skin over the affected area and drains the excess fluid from the bursa. If the bursa is severely damaged, the surgeon may remove the entire inflamed sac. The incision is closed with stitches.
If you have bursitis, the swollen bursae will show up on an MRI. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: This special ultrasound uses sound waves to show fluid in swollen bursae.
People may experience some or all of these symptoms including:
To diagnose hip bursitis, the doctor will perform a comprehensive physical examination, looking for tenderness in the area of the point of the hip. They may also perform additional tests, such as X-rays, bone scans, and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, to rule out other possible injuries or conditions.
The one-leg rise test (Fig. 1) assesses the total number of repetitions an individual can perform from sitting to standing on one leg, on a chair with a height of 48 cm and performed without a time limit.
Injuries
For the best hip pain treatment, start with your Primary Care Physician or a Physiatrist (Physical Medicine & Rehab) for non-surgical options, but see an Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in hips for diagnosis and potential surgery, or a Sports Medicine Specialist for activity-related issues, often working with a Physical Therapist for rehab.
Corticosteroid Injection
Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medications that may provide pain relief when injected directly into the hip joint. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation, which is part of the body's immune system response and causes pain and swelling.