Hip Pain

What is a hip pain?

Hip pain or Coxalgia is pain caused by disorders of the hip joint and the tissue around the hip joint.

What is the prevalent cause of Hip pain?

Hip pain can have many causes, the most common being bursitis or inflammation of the tendon and hip arthrosis. Hip arthrosis is mainly found in the older population generally over 50’s. Other causes of hip arthrosis and pain are: birth defects, certain sports and accidents causing hip trauma. Although being overweight has no connection with the development of hip arthrosis it will increase the existing hip arthrosis condition due to the higher pressure on the joints. The development of bursitis of the hip has a clear connection with long term posture issues and is this way related to already existing osteoarthritis of the knee or already existing hip arthrosis and back pain.

What are the most common complaints and Symptoms?

Most of the time, people with hip problems may experience the radiating pain at the front and side of the thigh to the knee and may be accompanied by groin complaints, usually provoked by stress. In addition, the patient complains about morning stiffness that disappears within an hour after getting up. In case of bursitis of the hip, the pain is indicated above the bone of the hip on the inside of the upper leg and sometimes radiates the knee and ankle. The most common complaint is at nighttime when they lie on the affected hip, this gives also an indication of which side is most affected

How is the diagnosis made?

Hip pain is generally not a single item: as the hip is a central location and stabilising part of our body, it is connected to a lot of different body parts, in a lot of diverse ways. To come to the right diagnosis of hip pain examination of the knee, lower back and pelvis and knee should always be performed at the initial doctors or specialists visit. Because patients mainly come with groin complaints, examination of the groin is equally important. A Neurological examination must exclude a herniated disc or any nerve related problems. In addition, the SI joint must be properly examined. Other causes are tumors, bone fractures, hip head defects and infections. In the event of bursa inflammation of the hip, local pressure on the bursa will show a painful spot where the tendon attaches to the bone or joint.

Do other studies have to be done with me?

Diagnostic research on other non-physical factors will be decided by your practitioner based on his examination, the questionnaires you might have completed and the overall risk profile:·

Blood tests in suspected systemic conditions such as rheumatism.·
X-rays ·
ultrasound ·
MRI scans·
A bone scan when a tumor is suspected·
Exploratory surgery

What are the treatment options?

Conventional medicine:Based on the cause of your pain, and the outcome of the examinations and test previously discussed, a physical treatment plan will be proposed by your doctor or specialist. Based on the results of the pain questionnaires you have completed. This can be medication based, or they might propose surgery, hip replacement etc. Very often physiotherapy will be added to the treatment or recovery plan.

Non-physical treatments

If there are any abnormalities with your pain questionnaires, your pain specialist will propose you one of the following non-physical treatments: