Sunday, February, 12, 2012

Hip pain

Table of Contents

  • Your hip pain is caused by a fall or other injury
  • Your hip is misshapen, badly bruised, or bleeding
  • You are unable to move your hip or bear any weight

Call your doctor if:

  • Your hip is still painful after 1 week of home treatment
  • You also have a fever or rash
  • You have sudden hip pain, plus sickle cell anemia or long-term steroid use
  • You have pain in both hips or other joints

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination, with careful attention to your hips, thighs, back, and gait.

To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your doctor will ask medical history questions, such as:

  • Do you have pain in one or both hips?
  • Do you have pain elsewhere like your lower back or thigh?
  • Do you have pain in other joints?
  • Did your pain begin suddenly, or slowly and mildly?
  • Did the pain begin after an injury, fall, or accident?
  • Does any particular activity make the pain worse?
  • Have you done anything to try to relieve the pain? If so, what helps?
  • Are you able to walk and bear weight?
  • What other medical problems do you have? Osteoporosis or other signs of bone loss? Sickle cell anemia?
  • Do you take any medications? If so, which ones? If on steroids, for how long have you been on them?

X-rays of the hip may be necessary.

Your doctor may tell you to take a higher dose of over-the-counter medication, or give you a prescription anti-inflammatory medication.

Surgical repair or hip replacement may be recommended for osteonecrosis. Hip replacement is necessary for hip fracture and severe arthritis. With current technology, an artificial hip should last at least 10 to 15 years. Expect recovery from surgery to take at least 6 weeks. Plates and screws may be used to fix fractures around the hip.

Complications can occur from surgery. A blood clot in the leg is the most common complication, which can lead to a blood clot in the lungs.


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Review Date: 07/10/2009
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; and C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)