Hip Pain

What causes hip pain?

A traumatic accident can injure the hip, causing a fracture or dislocation. However, hip pain most often begins due to overuse (repetitive movements), degenerative diseases, muscle strains, and age-related changes.

The conditions that most often cause hip pain include:

• Muscle and ligament injuries
• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Hip labral tear
• Pinched nerves in your lower back
• Femoroacetabular impingement (irregularly shaped bones rub together)
• Sacroiliac joint syndrome (problems in the joint connecting the spine to your hip)
• Tight hip flexors (muscles that lift your leg, propel you forward, and stabilize the joint)
• Chondral injuries (damage to the articular cartilage covering the bones)

Buttock muscle injuries can also lead to hip pain because these muscles move your hips and provide stability when walking.

What symptoms accompany hip pain?

Hip pain may be the only symptom you experience. However, other symptoms frequently occur together with the pain, including:

• Joint stiffness
• Swelling or tenderness
• Limited hip movement
• Gait abnormalities
• Hip weakness
• Lower back pain
• Difficulty moving your leg
• Difficulty putting weight on the hip
• Grinding or clicking sensations in the joint

You may also find that the pain is worse when lying on the injured side.

How is hip pain diagnosed?

Dr. Ihn begins by learning about your medical history and the symptoms you are experiencing. Details about the onset, duration, location, and severity of your hip pain provide important diagnostic information.

Then, Dr. Ihn completes a comprehensive physical exam. He evaluates swelling, redness, and tenderness. He also assesses the hip’s range of motion and tests the muscle’s strength and stability.

Depending on the results of your exam, he may order X-rays, an ultrasound, or an MRI to get images of the hip and identify the cause of your pain.

How is hip pain treated?

A severe injury like a hip fracture or advanced joint damage due to arthritis may need surgery. However, in most cases, Dr. Ihn begins your hip pain treatment with non-surgical therapies.

These are a few examples of treatments for hip pain:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Heat therapy
• Activity limitation
• Assistive devices (cane or walker)
• Home exercise program
• Physical therapy
• Corticosteroid injections
• Hyaluronic acid injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections

Dr. Ihn customizes your care, ensuring you receive the treatments needed to target your unique hip problem.

Schedule an appointment today to learn the cause of your pain and receive treatment to ease your symptoms and restore strength and mobility. Call Hansel E. Ihn, MD, or request an appointment online today.