What Conditions are Associated with Hip Pain?

Severe pain in the hip may make it hard to walk or climb the stairs. Issues with muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones may all cause hip pain. Many diseases and conditions may also result in pain. Location of the pain in the hip often tells about the actual cause behind the pain.

In some cases, the person feels the pain while at rest and most often the pain vanishes after rest. In other cases, the pain worsens while moving the leg or hip. It is muscle injury and inflammation that result in pain, which increases with movement in this type of hip pain. Another type of hip pain is the one that increases with weight bearing activities, like standing and walking. Issues with the hip joint is the most common cause of this type of hip pain.

Some of the most common causes of hip pain include:

• Iliotibial band syndrome – This condition often results in snapping pain on the outer side of the hip and knee.
• Arthritis and lupus – Arthritic pain due to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is common in the morning, and gradually improves through the day. Lupus also results in severe hip pain.
• Inflammation – Inflammation of the sac present between the hip bones and the muscles of the thigh region is yet another reason. Inflammation of the tendon due to overuse or repeated strain may cause a shooting pain in the hip region.
• Infection – Infection of a joint or bone in the hip region may result in severe pain.
• Avascular necrosis – Reduced blood flow to the hip leads to stiffening of the joint and this may be often associated with knee and hip pain.
• Pinched nerve – Severe pressure or pinching on the sciatic nerve results in shooting pain that spreads from the lower back to the leg.
• Transient osteoporosis – This condition is more common in middle-aged men and pregnant women. Pain caused by this condition increases with weight-bearing activities.
• Bone cancer – Bone cancer or secondary cancer in the bones spread from other organs may also cause pain in the bones of the joint.
• Injury – Injury from sports activities, overuse, or running may also lead to unexplained hip pain.
• Dislocation – This occurs when the ball of the femur dislocates from the hipbone.
• Fractures – Broken thigh bone below the hip joint may lead to hip pain.