Pinpointing the cause of your symptoms can help you get the most appropriate treatment.
AJ_Watt / Getty Images
1.
With this condition, your pain may be worse when walking or you may have stiffness after moving.
AJ_Watt / Getty Images
How Do I Know if My Hip Pain Is Muscle or Joint?
One exception is osteoarthritis, which is characterized by pain and stiffness in the joints after physical activity.
Bursitis takes place if bursa become infected or inflamed.
Pain from bursitis can be sharp in the first few days before leveling off to a dull ache.
Causes of bursitis include:
4.
Thelabrumis a key in of tough cartilage that stabilizes ball-and-socket joints (the hips and shoulder).
Causes of a hip labral tear include:
5.
The greater trochanter is a large knob on the lateral side of the thigh bone (femur).
Signs that your hip pain is sparked by GTPS include:
6.
Hip impingement happens when there is abnormal contact between the ball and socket of the hip joint.
This may be because of extra bone in the hip or a bone deformity.
Persons with hip impingement may experience:
7.
Sleeping Position
Hip pain at nightmay be triggered by your sleep position.
Sleeping on your left or right side can affect the body’s alignment and put stress on your joints.
It can also aggravate certain hip conditions, such as greater trochanter pain syndrome or osteoarthritis.
The firmness of your mattress may also contribute to hip pain.
There may also be tenderness in the injured area.
Stress fractures in the femoral neck may also be seen in long distance runners due to continuous overuse.
Endometriosis
Endometriosisis another possible cause of hip pain that radiates down the legs.
It is not as commonly mentioned but is also important to consider.
Be cautious and seek help from a medical professional if your pain is severe or impacting your day-to-day life.
For increased comfort, try sleeping on your back.
Staying engaged in low-impact exercise and accessible hobbies that bring you joy and meaning are also important.
Possible causes include sciatica, arthritis, bursitis, GTPS, labral tear, endometriosis, and more.
Treatment will depend on what is causing your hip pain so it’s important to get a proper diagnosis.
2014;19(2):65-78. doi: 10.1002/pri.1572
National Health Service.Hip pain.
Wilson JJ, Furukawa M.Evaluation of the patient with hip pain.afp.
2014;89(1):27-34.
PMID: 24444505
American Academy of Family Physicians.Bursitis of the hip.
Yale Medicine.Hip labral tear.
2017;67(663):479-480. doi: 10.3399%2Fbjgp17X693041
Penn Medicine.Hip impingement.
Chamberlain R.Hip pain in adults: evaluation and differential diagnosis.Am Fam Physician.
2021;103(2):81-89.
Arthritis Foundation.Hip pain at night?
Nationwide Children’s.Sports Medicine: Hip strain or sprain?
2017;88(4S):96-106. doi:10.23750/abm.v88i4-S.6800
Cedars-Sinai.Hip fracture.
2021;15(3):345-356. doi:10.1177/2049463720961413
NIH.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.How can I describe my pain to my health care provider?
National Health Service.Steroid injections.
Chamberlain R.Hip pain in adults: evaluation and differential diagnosis.afp.
2021;103(2):81-89.
PMID: 33448767
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Herniated disk in the lower back.