Hip Pain
Hip pain is the general term for pain felt in or around the hip joint. It isn’t always felt in the hip itself but may instead be felt in the groin or thigh. The most common cause of acute hip pain is inflamed tendons or tendonitis. This is often due to too much exercise. This condition can be very painful, but it usually heals within a few days.
Arthritis
The most common cause of long-term hip pain is arthritis. Arthritis can cause pain, stiff and tender joints, and difficulty walking. There are various types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) can be the result of age-related wearing down of the cartilage that surrounds the joints.
- Trauma to a joint, like a fracture, may cause traumatic arthritis like osteoarthritis.
- Infectious arthritis is due to an infection in the joint causing the destruction of cartilage.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is due to the body’s immune system launching an attack on the joints. This type of arthritis may eventually destroy joint cartilage and bones.
Osteoarthritis is much more common than rheumatoid arthritis.
Trochanteric bursitis
Another possible cause of hip pain is trochanteric bursitis. This condition occurs when the bursa, which is a liquid-filled sac near the hip joint, becomes inflamed.
A number of factors can cause trochanteric bursitis, including hip injury, overuse of the joints or posture problems.
Other conditions such as RA can also cause hip pain. This condition is much more common in women than in men.
Hip fractures
Hip fractures are common in older adults and in those who have osteoporosis, which is a weakening of the bones due to age or other factors.
Hip fractures cause very sudden, severe hip pain, and they require immediate medical attention. There are complications that can arise from a fractured hip, such as a blood clot in the leg.
A hip fracture usually requires surgery to be corrected. You’ll most likely need to have physical therapy to recover.