When Is It Time to See a Doctor for Hip Pain?

The hip is the body’s largest ball-and-socket joint. The hip joint bears a lot of the body’s weight and enables us to move smoothly and fluidly when we walk and run. Because we use the hip for so much movement, it’s susceptible to damage, degeneration and injury.

There are multiple injuries and conditions that could lead to hip pain. Unfortunately, too many people delay seeking medical care for pain, even when it lasts longer than a few days. Some hip conditions that cause pain could continue to progress and worsen without treatment, which is why we encourage you to see a doctor if you’re experiencing acute or chronic hip pain and loss of movement. Keep reading to learn more.
What Conditions Cause Hip Pain?
Pain stemming from a hip condition may be felt in multiple areas, including the buttock, thigh, groin and outer hip. Damage or injury to the joint usually causes pain in the inner thigh and groin or on the outer hip directly over the hip bone.

Traumatic incidents (like falls and car accidents), overuse, repetitive movements and underlying medical conditions can all cause hip pain. The following are some of the most common hip conditions that cause pain:

1.) Fracture. Hip fractures are a common injury among older adults. As we age, our bones become brittle and weaker, and even a minor fall or accident could result in a fracture.

2.) Stress fracture. Stress fractures are thin cracks that develop in the bone from overuse. Stress fractures are common among young athletes who perform high-impact activities like running or dancing.

3.) Inflammation. Overuse of the tendons and ligaments that surround the hip joint cause inflammation to develop. Overuse injuries like bursitis, IT band syndrome and tendinitis are common among athletes who participate in high-endurance sports and people who work in physically demanding jobs. Bursitis develops when the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joint become inflamed and irritated. Tendinitis develops when the surrounding tendons become inflamed and irritated. And IT band syndrome develops when the iliotibial band that runs down the outer leg from the pelvis to the shinbone becomes tight, inflamed and rubs painfully against the hip and thigh bone.

4.) Labral tear. The labrum is a ring of tough cartilage that seals the ball of the hip bone to the socket and cushions the joint. Repetitive movement causes the labrum to wear down, fray and tear.

5.) Osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis) is a condition that causes bone tissue death due to lack of adequate blood supply to the bone. Blood vessels may be damaged or blocked from injuries like a hip fracture or dislocation, or from long-term use of corticosteroids. This condition commonly occurs in the hip and may cause the bone and joint to degenerate and collapse.

6.) Arthritis. Arthritis is a leading cause of hip pain. Osteoarthritis develops when natural wear and tear on the joint with age causes the smooth, protective articular cartilage covering the ends of bones to fray and wear down. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that damages and weakens the cartilage, underlying bone and connective tissues of the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that develops when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues and causes inflammation in the lining of the hip joint. Like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis damages and weakens the entire joint.

When Is It Time to See a Doctor?

The first sign that it’s time to see a doctor for hip pain is if the pain continues for more than a few days and isn’t resolved by rest or activity modifications. Make an appointment with your provider if you’re experiencing persistent pain accompanied by the following symptoms:

Stiffness (joint stiffness early in the morning and after long periods of inactivity may be a sign of arthritis)
Swelling, redness or warmth around the joint
Loss of range of motion
Pain that worsens with activity
Hip pain at night that interferes with sleep
Inability to bear weight on the joint
A feeling that the joint is locking, catching or clicking during movement
Walking with a limp due to pain

How Is Hip Pain Treated?

Treatment for hip pain depends on the condition or injury that’s causing pain. Nonoperative and operative methods are available, and your doctor will probably begin by prescribing a course of nonoperative treatments. Conservative measures include:

Resting and avoiding or modifying activities that aggravate the pain.
Alternating application of cold compresses to reduce pain and swelling with hot compresses to soothe and loosen tight muscles
Taking over-the-counter analgesics (pain relievers) and anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling
Undergoing physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding muscles, correct imbalances and improve balance, flexibility and range of motion
Stretching daily and before exercising to loosen tight muscles and tendons

Hip pain caused by exercise, an acute injury or overuse usually responds well to conservative treatments and resolves within a few days to weeks.

Hip pain caused by arthritis is chronic. The conservative treatments listed above can help manage pain and slow the progression of degeneration, but they can’t treat the underlying damage.

When Is Surgery Necessary and What Are the Risks?

Your doctor may recommend surgery if you’re having significant pain that affects your ability to walk, climb stairs and perform daily activities. Total hip replacement is the most common procedure to treat a degenerated joint from arthritis. During replacement surgery, your joint will be removed and replaced with an artificial one.

There are a few downsides to surgery. The first is that surgery may cause damage to surrounding muscles, nerves and tissues. The second is that hip replacement surgeries require rehabilitation afterward to restore function and movement. Recovery and rehabilitation may take several weeks and every individual recovery process is different. You may have to miss work for a period of time until you can walk and drive again. The third downside is that even with Medicare or private insurance, replacement surgeries may incur several thousand dollars of out-of-pocket costs. And a final downside is that artificial joints wear out after a certain number of years, meaning you may need to undergo a second surgery in the future.
iO-Core Treats Chronic Joint Pain
If you’re experiencing chronic pain and loss of movement from arthritis or another degenerative condition, then the iO-Core™ procedure may be a viable treatment option for you. iO-Core™ is a minimally invasive procedure that combines orthopedics and biologics to treat degenerating cartilage and underlying bone and tissue damage caused by arthritis.

Treating the underlying damage and not just the surface layer of cartilage has shown better results over “standard of care” methods in decreasing pain and improving mobility for many patients. Many people who were told they needed a total joint replacement surgery have found long-term pain relief from iO-Core™ instead.

When Is It Time to See a Doctor for Hip Pain?