3 Causes of Hip Pain

Your hip joint is a ball and socket joint, and it’s one of your largest joints. You might not think much about the mechanics of your hip — until it starts to hurt. Hip pain can severely limit your mobility and keep you from the activities you love.

At International Spine, Pain & Performance Center, our compassionate team of orthopedic specialists excels at diagnosing and treating hip pain. Whether you have a dull ache or a sharp, shooting pain, we want to help you feel better.

We encourage you to visit our Arlington, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. location if your hip hurts. In the meantime, keep reading to explore three potential causes of your hip pain and how we can treat them.

1. Sports injuries and overuse injuries

Although concussions, knee injuries, and sprained ankles are common sports injuries, they aren’t the only ones. Hip injuries can occur as a result of overuse or injury. Hip tendonitis and labral tears are two sports injuries that can cause pain in active individuals.

Tendinitis refers to the inflammation and irritation of tendons in your hip. This can cause pain, tenderness, and mild swelling. These symptoms of tendinitis can reduce your range of motion and increase the likelihood of fatigue during physical activity.

Labral tears, another sports injury that affects the hips, is a tear in the cartilage in your hip. In addition to pain, you’ll also notice a reduced range of motion.

2. Hip bursitis

Bursitis is another source of hip pain, and it develops when your bursae are inflamed. Your bursae are small, fluid-filled cushions near your joints. They help cushion your bones, muscles, and tendons and reduce friction so that your joints can move painlessly. However, as you age, your risk of developing bursitis increases. Bursitis can also develop due to overuse or after an injury (such as a fall).

Symptoms include:

Pain that is worse at night (especially if you lay on the affected hip)
Pain that intensifies when you get up after sitting
Tenderness
Swelling
Stiffness when moving your hip

In addition to your age, other risk factors for developing bursitis include diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Arthritis

Osteoarthritis in your hip is caused by wear-and-tear on your hip joint. As the cartilage wears away in your joint, it causes “bone-on-bone” pain. You might suspect your hip pain is related to arthritis if:

The pain develops slowly over time
The pain is worse in the morning (or after sitting for prolonged periods)
The discomfort flares up after vigorous physical activity
You also notice stiffness
Your hip locks up
Your pain intensifies during rainy weather

If you suspect you have arthritis (in your hip or another joint), you’re not alone. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that 92 million adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis in at least one joint.

What’s causing your hip pain?

Without a comprehensive exam and diagnostic imaging, it can be difficult to determine what exactly is causing your hip pain. The team at International Spine Pain & Performance Center customizes each treatment plan based on your specific symptoms, your health history, and the underlying cause of your hip pain.

We may recommend any combination of the following innovative treatments:

Stem cell therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
Anti-inflammatories
Physical therapy
Interventional pain management

In addition to the treatments we offer, you can implement healthy lifestyle habits to further support healthy hip joints. This includes regular exercise (including low-impact exercises), maintaining a healthy weight, and eating good-for-your-joints food.

Don’t let hip pain control your life. For expert care and innovative treatment methodologies, call one of our three locations or visit our website to get started today.