About the hip joint

The hip is a type of ball and socket joint between the pelvis and the femurs.  It supports your body weight when standing, walking, and running.  It is susceptible to injury due to physical exertion, contact sports, hard falls, age, and heavy stress beyond the normal range of motion.  Mobility can also be affected by debilitating arthritis that can make normal activities like walking and bending extremely difficult. 

While the pain may seem to be originating from the hip, it may manifest itself in the thigh or groin area.  In some cases, the pain you experience may actually reflect a back problem that radiates pain to the surrounding area.

Video: Understanding Hip Pain

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that causes swelling and pain, and limits the range of motion in your joints.  It is the most common type of arthritis and is typically found in older adults, although it can occur at any age.  The joints usually affected are those that experience repetitive motion and stress such as, the knees, hips, hands, fingers, and spine.  This disease causes the degeneration of the cartilage that acts as a shock absorber for your joints.  This tissue surrounds the ends of the bones that form the joint.  If the cartilage is lost or damaged for any reason, the bones will rub together which can cause permanent joint damage.  The primary causes of osteoarthritis are age, obesity, and direct injury to the joint.

What is trochanteric bursitis?

If you experience pain when you attempt to climb stairs or get up from a chair, you may be suffering from trochanteric bursitis.  There is a fluid-filled sac between bones and tendons that reduces the friction generated when there is joint movement.  As a result of age, injury, arthritis, gout, and other factors, the joint may develop acute or chronic inflammation.  It is often found in the major joints such as the knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips.  This can make any body movement involving the use of the arms and legs very painful.  The pain is exacerbated when the stress is significantly elevated by activities such as running, climbing stairs, and raising your entire body weight from a chair or bed.

How to relieve sacroiliac joint pain

The sacroiliac joint connects the pelvis to the sacrum, the triangular bone between the two hip bones at the base of the spine.  It is the key shock absorber between the upper body and the legs.  If this joint becomes inflamed, it can cause radiating pain and weakness in the lower back, legs, thighs, and buttocks.  The diagnosis usually involves the exclusion of other possible causes such as a lumbar spinal problem.  Surgery is rarely prescribed for this condition as there are other more conservative options available.  These include targeted physical therapy, chiropractic care, epidural injections, nerve blocking agents, and pain management drugs.  Before selecting any of these options, it's important that you obtain a proper diagnosis to ensure that you are treating the root cause of your symptoms.  In many cases the pain will go away with no treatment other than proper rest, so unless the pain is chronic, your best option may be to simply avoid whatever activity may have aggravated the problem.

Are there drugs, substances, or foods that can induce joint pain?

There are many drugs and substances that can cause joint pain in certain people.  A few of the more well-known ones are:  Accure, Ambien, Avonex, Cerebyx, Crestor, Enbrel, Flomax, Herceptin, Interferon, Lipitor, Metoprolol, Nicoderm, Omeprazole, Plavix, Ranitidine, Tagamet, Zantac, and Zyban.  Since this list is not all-inclusive, it's wise to check with your doctor or pharmacist regarding the potential side-effects of any drug or supplement that you may decide to take.

Many people suffering from arthritis believe that avoiding nightshade vegetables may help relieve their symptoms.  This stems from an increased sensitivity that most people may not even be aware of until they are inflicted with the disease.  Foods included in this family include potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, ground cherries, and red and green peppers.  Some people also believe that eliminating these food groups from their diet reduces or eliminates their pain symptoms:  dairy products, cabbage, sugar substitutes, gluten, and yeast.  The effect of all of these varies from one individual to another, so only your personal experience will determine if you have a reaction or not.

Beyond this type of sensitivity, an allergic reaction to some foods will initiate a response by the body's immune system.  This can cause damage to the intestine's ability to absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition.  Intestinal inflammation can activate a series of nerve impulses that can lead to pain in the lower back and pelvic area.  If the intestine is damaged sufficiently to leak, this can set off a further immune response that may spread throughout the body.  Antibodies that end up in the joints may cause inflammation as they attack the substances that triggered the response.  The end result may be aches and pains that are traceable to the foods that caused the initial reaction.

When to seek help

Video: Non-surgical options for hip pain

Pain is the most obvious symptom that you are experiencing a problem with your hip.  Other indications include joint deformity, swelling, signs of infection, difficulty walking normally, limping, and the inability to bend over.  If your pain persists while resting, during the night, or beyond a few days, a doctor should be consulted to develop a full diagnosis and pain management program. 

Self-prevention tips and treatments for hip pain

1. Warm up and stretch before exercising, and cool down when completed
2. Keep your hips level when walking and running; avoid uneven surfaces
3. Maintain proper weight for your body type and height
4. Wear pads when appropriate for certain sports
5. Alter your living environment wherever possible to eliminate falls
6. Ice and heat therapy
7. Cortisone injections may reduce inflammation
8. Acupuncture therapy
9. Physical therapy and exercising to strengthen the hip muscles and increase mobility
10. Pain medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and prescription NSAIDs (e.g. Celebrex)
11. Natural remedies such as wintergreen, eucalyptus, and camphor oils
12. Avoid physical exertion that irritates the affected area and intensifies the pain
13. Sleep on the side not exhibiting pain and place a pillow between your legs
14. Adjust your diet and nutritional supplements to increase bone density
15. Rest when necessary to allow the joints to recuperate
16. Consult your doctor about other options, including hip replacement surgery