Why Does Your Hip Hurt and How Can You Get Rid of the Pain?

Does sitting for too long make your hips hurt so badly? Did you sleep on your side last night and are now experiencing a throbbing pain on your right hip? Do you have a hard time bending over or squatting because of the intense aching around your thighs?

Hip pain is a problem that can strike anyone. However, it is more common in older people and can be caused by a variety of things. It can be brought about by problems within your hip joint, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or other soft tissues in the hip area. Sometimes, it can also arise due to certain diseases and medical conditions, such as bone infection or injury.

What are the common causes of hip pain?

Your hip pain may be caused by a wide variety of problems, such as:

Bursitis

This is a medical condition in which your bursae, which are fluid-filled sacs that serve as cushions between your bones, muscles, joints, and tendons, become inflamed due to an injury, infection, or other health problems. Its usual symptoms are sharp pains that can last over two weeks, redness or swelling in the affected area, and fever.

Tendinitis

This problem occurs if you overuse or injure a tendon, which is a tissue that acts as a connector between your bones and muscles. Among its most common symptoms are intense pain that gets much worse if you try to move, redness, and swelling.

Osteoarthritis

This is the most common type of arthritis that affects several millions of people around the world. It is characterized as a wearing down of the protective cartilage that supports your bones over time. Its usual symptoms include joint pains or stiffness during or after movement, tenderness in the joints, and swelling.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This is a chronic inflammatory disease that happens when your immune system attacks your tissues by mistake, causing various symptoms, such as swelling and stiffness in the joints, fever, appetite loss, and fatigue.

Hip dislocation

This is characterized as a disruption of the joint that is situated between your pelvis and femur (or thigh bone), i.e. the head of your femur is forced out of the pelvis socket because of a strong force, such as if you get into a car accident or if you fall from a significant height. It requires immediate medical attention as it is quite painful and may cause nerve damage.

Hip fracture

This occurs if the upper part of your femur (or thigh bone) suffers a break for variety reasons, such as a fall or a direct blow to your hip. Its symptoms include pain in the outer upper thigh, groin, and trouble rotating or flexing the hip.

Sacroiliitis

This problem affects the sacroiliac joints, which is that point where your pelvis and lower spine meet. It can be caused by an injury, pregnancy, arthritis, or infection, and bring about symptoms like pain in the lower back or the buttocks.

Bone cancer

This type of cancer can strike any bone in your body, but it more commonly strikes the pelvis and the bones in the legs and arms. It causes various symptoms, such as bone pain, tenderness and swelling in and around the affected region, fatigue, and fracture-prone bones.

Osteoporosis

This is a medical condition that causes your bones to become brittle and weak, increasing your risk of fractures. Among its most common symptoms are back pain, stooped posture, and bone fractures.

Meralgia paresthetica

This problem occurs when the nerve that facilitates sensations in your thigh is compressed, causing a burning pain, numbness, or tingling in your upper thigh and around your hip. It is usually caused by wearing tight clothing, weight gain, obesity, local trauma, or diabetes.

What can you do to relieve hip pain?

If your hip pain is so intense or caused by an injury, you have to go to the emergency room as soon as possible. You can call an ambulance or ask a family or friend to take you to a medical facility to receive urgent care right away.

On the other hand, if your hip pain is somewhat minor, you can do some self-care to reduce the pain and discomfort. Below are some home remedy tips for hip pain:

Rest

Avoid or minimize movement. Try not to use your hip so much by bending, squatting, sitting for too long, or sleeping on the affected side.

Apply heat or ice

Take a warm shower or bath to reduce the tension in the muscles around your hip area. You may also place an ice pack on the affected area.

Take pain relievers

There are many over-the-counter pain medications that you can take to lower the intensity of your hip pain. Some recommended ones are ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen sodium.

Do some stretching exercises

There is a variety of stretching exercises that you can do to relieve hip pain. Just remember to not force yourself and listen to your body. Stop right away if these movements are aggravating the pain.

• • Butterfly stretch

You do this by sitting on the floor, with your legs bent and your knees falling out to the sides, and the soles of your feet together and touching each other. Hold your heels together and pull them as close to your body as you can. As you do this, slowly lean forward to stretch your upper body. Stay in that position for 30 seconds. Go back to starting position and repeat.

• • Leg stretch

You do this by standing straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Then, swing your right leg from side to side like a pendulum. Try to be as stable as possible, avoiding twisting your upper body. Repeat 10 times, then switch legs.

• • Hip and lower back stretch

You do this by lying flat on your back on the floor, bending your knees, and bringing them toward your chest. Pull your knees as close to your body as possible. Hold that position for 30 seconds. Go back to starting position and repeat.