Hip Pain

What most people call the shoulder is really several joints that combine with tendons and muscles to allow a wide range of motion in the arm — from scratching your back to throwing the perfect pitch.

Mobility has its price, however. It may lead to increasing problems with instability or impingement of the soft tissue or bony structures in your shoulder, resulting in pain. You may feel pain only when you move your shoulder, or all of the time. The pain may be temporary or it may continue and require medical diagnosis and treatment.

Causes of Hip Pain

  • Sciatica

  • Hip Strain
    Occurs when one of the muscles supporting the hip joint is stretched beyond its limit or torn. Strains may be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the injury. A severe strain can limit your ability to move your hip.

  • Hip Bursitis
    Bursae, are small, jelly-like sacs that are located throughout the body, including around the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel. They contain a small amount of fluid, and are positioned between bones and soft tissues, acting as cushions to help reduce friction.

  • Iliopsoas Bursitis
    Another bursa — the iliopsoas bursa — is located on the inside (groin side) of the hip. When this bursa becomes inflamed, the condition is also sometimes referred to as hip bursitis, but the pain is located in the groin area. This condition is not as common as trochanteric bursitis, but is treated in a similar manner.

  • Hip Osteonecrosis 
    Osteonecrosis (also called avascular necrosis or aseptic necrosis) of the hip is a painful condition that occurs when the blood supply to the bone is disrupted. Because bone cells die without a blood supply, osteonecrosis can ultimately lead to destruction of the hip joint and arthritis.

Diagnostic Imaging for Hip Pain

In some case additional imaging may be needed to diagnose the cause of your shoulder pain. This may include:

  • X-rays
    These pictures will show any injuries to the bones that make up your hip joint.

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound
    These imaging studies create better pictures of soft tissues. It may help your doctor identify injuries to the ligaments and tendons surrounding your hip joint.

  • Computed tomography (CT) scan
    This tool combines x-rays with computer technology to produce a very detailed view of the bones in the hip area.

  • Electrical studies
    We may order a tests, such as the EMG (electromyogram), to evaluate nerve function.

  • Arthrogram
    During this x-ray study, dye is injected into the hip to better show the joint and its surrounding muscles and tendons.

  • Arthroscopy
    In this surgical procedure, your doctor looks inside the hip joint with a fiber-optic camera. Arthroscopy may show soft tissue injuries that are not apparent from the physical examination, x-rays, and other tests. In addition to helping find the cause of pain, arthroscopy may be used to correct the problem.

Treatments for Hip Pain

The key is to seek treatment from a specialist and obtain a primary diagnosis. Hip pain might be minor and easily ignored, or it can be excruciating to the point where it interferes with important daily activities, such as sleep. The pain might be short-lived, come and go, or become constant.

Treatment generally involves rest and altering your activity level. Physical therapy to improve strength and treatment with medications are all to be considered. Surgery may be required depending on the severity of the condition and your desired outcome.