Hip Pain: Causes
Pain in the hip is often caused by underlying issues with the hip and the surrounding tissues.In many cases, the cause of these disorders is overload due to unilateral, repetitive movements and / or heavy work, or in the current times also by sitting to long…Inflammation and injuries are caused by overload or by using untrained or tightened mucles without the required training or stretching.Other forms of hip pain are more of a trauma origin: breaks, fisures or bruises due to falls, accidents or the like. Another cause can be an infection. Not all infections are due do exterior wounds and can casuse an inflamation inside a joint.
Below we are discussing ‘a selection’ from the many disorders that cause hip complaints:
Bursitis
The most common cause of pain in the hip. Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, the fluid filled tissue protecting the outer ends of the tendons and ligaments. Often through overloading, a lot of (incorrect) lifting, pushing or pulling.The bursa is located between the muscle and the bone. The bursa is swollen and gives a pressing, nagging pain.The medical name is bursitis trochanterica.
Snapping hip
With snapping hip syndrome you hear a small click in the hip when moving. The tendons around the hip are thickened by longer term overloading them.It is very common among young people who exercise intensively.A snapping hip generally is caused a bursitis of the iliopsa muscle, an inflammation of the hip joint, or the iliopsa muscle or tendon itself.
Tendonose
An inflammation in the tendons; an overloaded of the attachment of the tendon at the pelvic edge.
Hip osteoarthritis
Hip arthrosis is a form of rheumatism (inflammation due to damaged cartilage). It can occur at any age.In hip arthritis there is wear of the cartilage in the hip joint. In addition to hip pain you can also have pain in groin or thight. This occurs more often in overweight and obese people as the cartilage gets more compressed and overloaded.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bone structure loses it strength due to porosity, it generally occurs at an older age. Skinny people and people that had food shortages are more prone to get this. Osteoporosis means ‘bone loss’.In the case of bone loss, you are more likely to break your hip in the event of a fall.In some cases the bone gets so fragile it breaks first and than the person falls. This breakage can cause large internal bleeding.
Osteonecrosis of the hip
This happens when the head of the femur collapses because the tissue of the surrounding bone has died due to loss of blood supply.
Hip dislocation
Hip ball joint shoots out of the socket. As the hip joint is quite good protected and a strong joint, this generally only happens in accidents with high speed or force. Most of the time there will be associated injuries like torn tendons and broken bones. Urgent surgery is generally required.
Hip dysplasia
Your ligaments are not working properly or stretched giving the hip joint too much movement (dysplasia = displacement)
Cyst in the hip joint
A cyst is a closed cavity with air or moisture. Cysts can develop slowly but also quickly and can form an obstuction or pressure point in or around the hip.
Trochanter pain syndrome
This is a typical pain on the outside of the hip. The pain gets worse when you walk or lie on your hip. There may be different conditions causing this such as bursitis.
Iliopsoas syndrome
Pain occurs at the front of the hip; the groin area.In the case of Iliopsoas syndrome the bursa or tendon of the iliopsoas muscle is affected.
Upper and lower cross syndrome
You can also suffer from too weak or too tight hip muscles.An imbalance in the muscles (shortening and weakening of the muscles) by unilateral movements or too little movement can cause pain in the hip.You can suffer from the so-called upper cross syndrome (imbalance in the upper body) or just the cross-cross syndrome (imbalance in the lower body).
Problems with your hip belts
The hip ligaments that strengthen the joints and keep them in place can become damaged or weak, and can cause pain in the outside of the hip.
Broken hip
This is especially common in the elderly, often osteoporosis. The bone just below the hip bone is usually the broken part.
Sciatica (Ischias)
Also called sciatica. This is generally caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back area, which radiates down to the lower body area. You can suffer from pain, numbness, tingling and a burning sensation in your hip, buttock and lower back.
Lumbar disc herniation
Damage to the inter
vertebral disc; the nerve is pinched.
Piriformis syndrome
This is a back condition in which the pain passes through the nerves to your buttocks and hips.
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome / pelvic instability
Pain in pelvis, abdomen and genitals.Hip instability or pelvic instability (symphisiolysis) also falls under pelvic pain.This causes hip pain on the side of your hips, your lower abdomen, your pubic bone, and your groin. You may feel that you are constantly going through your legs.A tilted pelvis due a leg length difference can be the cause of this disease.Statistics teach us that during pregnancyalmost half of the women suffer from some sort of pelvic instability as the pregnancy hormones soften the ligaments to allow for extra movement and room during birth.
Scoliosis
A skew of the spine. Can also cause an angled hip and can cause pain in the hip as a result.
Coxitus fugax
Temporary inflammation of the hip joint. The hip joint is irritated and fluid can accumulate in the joint.It mainly occurs in young children and usually disappears within 1-2 weeks.
