Understanding of Best Hip Pain Treatments & Common Causes


Hip pain is common and can be caused by arthritis or sports injuries. Take a break from exercise and take over-the-counter painkillers to treat hip pain at home. If pain persists or worsens, other hip pain treatments like physiotherapy may be needed.

What's Hip Pain?

Hips can withstand repeated motion and wear. Its structure allows fluid movement as the body's largest ball-and-socket joint. A cushion of cartilage prevents friction as the hip bone moves in its socket when running.  Though durable, the hip joint isn't indestructible. Cartilaginous damage can occur with age and use. Overuse can damage hip muscles and tendons. Hip bones can break in falls or other injuries.

Hip Pain Causes

Many factors cause hip pain. If your hip hurts, it could be in your groin, your buttocks, or the inside of your hip. The following conditions often cause hip pain:

  • Osteoarthritis: It causes hip pain frequently, especially in older people. When you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage that cushions your hip bones gets hurt or worn down over time. This makes your hips hurt and feel stiff. Your hip may not move as freely as it used to.

  • Hip fractures: Bones that are weak and brittle with age make it more likely that someone will fall. Repetitive stress or this type of injury can fracture the hip. Repeatedly putting pressure on the bone, like during sports, can lead to a stress fracture. Sports people often get stress fractures. Discover hip fracture symptoms. 

  • Bursitis: Bones, muscles, and tendons have liquid-filled bursae. Bursae reduce tissue friction and inflamed bursae hurt. This usually results from repetitive hip-joint-irritating activities. 

  • Tendinitis: Tendons, which are thicker bands of tissue, connect bones to muscles. Tendonitis is tendon inflammation. Stress from overuse usually causes it. 

Tendon or muscle strain: Repeated activities can strain hip-supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Overuse can inflame them, causing pain and hip dysfunction. A hip flexor strain occurs where your thigh meets your hip. Best hip stretches for tight muscles.

  • Hip labral tear: The labrum, which lines the hip joint socket, tears. Your labrum cushions your hip joint and acts as a rubber seal or gasket to keep the ball on top of your thigh bone in your hip socket. Athletes and twisters are more likely to develop this issue.  

  • Sciatica: Each side of your buttock and hip has a sciatic nerve. Pinched nerves, also known as sciatica, may result in hip discomfort.

Other Hip Pain Causes

  • Cancer: Bone cancers can cause hip and other bone pain. Discover more about bone tumors.

  • Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis): It can affect other bones, hip avascular necrosis is most common. A hip fracture or dislocation, long-term prednisone use, and other factors can cause it.

  • Inflammatory arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis, which inflames the joint lining, can affect humans of any age. Hip pain and stiffness can result. Osteoarthritis causes hip pain more often than this arthritis.

  • Fibromyalgia: The muscles and tissues in and around your hip hurt from this ongoing condition.

Causes of Childhood Hip Pain

  • Injury like a labral tear or hip fracture. 

  • A structural hip condition such as hip dysplasia arises when the hip socket is excessively shallow.

  • In Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, the femoral head temporarily loses blood, causing bone breakdown.

  • A joint tissue and fluid infection, such as septic arthritis.

Hip Pain Care and Treatment in Dallas

Hip pain treatments depend on its cause. A doctor at our Dallas Pain Clinic will recommend treatments based on your pain severity and cause.

RICE Hip Pain Treatment 

RICE is one of the best hip injury treatments in Dallas

  • Rest: Avoid aggravating the injury by stopping the painful activity.

  • Ice: Use an ice pack or cold compress for 10–15 minutes per hour for the first day after your injury. Commence ice application every 3-4 hours following a 24-hour period. Encase the ice pack in a towel or washcloth to prevent direct skin contact.

  • Compression p: It reduces blood flow and swelling in your injured hip. Hip compression bandage or wrap. You can also wear compression shorts or pants to maintain hip pressure. 

  • Elevation: Lift your hips and lower body above your heart if possible. Use pillows, blankets, or cushions to support your leg. 

Hip Pain Medications

Your doctor may prescribe hip pain and other symptoms. For most people, pain relief for hip pain medicines like ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, and acetaminophen can be bought without a prescription. If you take these medicines for more than 10 days, you should talk to your hip pain doctor in Dallas.

Hip Surgery

Most hip pain sufferers don't need surgery. If the pain is severe and other hip pain relief treatments have failed, your doctor may recommend surgery. Hip fractures or structural issues may require surgery.  Most hip pain causes are treated with hip arthroscopy. After making a few small hip incisions, your hip surgeon in Dallas will insert an arthroscope into your hip joint.

You may need hip replacement. Your surgeon will implant a prosthesis in your hip. If hip pain and other symptoms impair standing, walking, and moving,pain management in Dallas may recommend a hip replacement. How long the recovery will take will be explained by your surgeon.

Physical Therapy

Hip pain treatments require physical therapy and a multidisciplinary team. Physical therapy helps identify hip pain causes and work with a team of doctors to create a comprehensive treatment plan. Rehabilitation has many benefits. It can be used as a non-invasive treatment option instead of surgery. Hip joints are deep and surrounded by nearly 30 muscles. 

Physical therapy is the best hip joint pain relief treatment that strengthens these muscles, increases flexibility, maintains joint range of motion, and reduces inflammation. Physical therapy cannot repair labral tears.  

If surgery is necessary, a preoperative physical therapy program can address most joint and muscle issues, improving outcomes. Surgery requires postoperative therapy to teach patients daily activities and guide recovery. Physical therapy is essential for hip pain management. 

Ultrasound-Guided Cortisone Injections for Hip Pain

Cortisone injections into the hip joint, guided by ultrasound, provide some of the best pain relief for hip pain. Using high-resolution ultrasound equipment, specialists can accurately target the affected area to maximize treatment effectiveness and minimize discomfort.

Patients experience pain relief at different times some feel improvement within 2–5 days, while others may take longer. If relief doesn’t occur within 10 days, further testing is recommended to explore alternative hip pain treatments in Dallas.

Ultrasound-Guided Psoas Tendon Injections

When a symptomatic psoas tendon outside the hip joint is suspected, ultrasound-guided injections are often prescribed. This condition can be challenging to diagnose, as inflammation in the psoas tendon may cause tears or compression of the labrum, leading to pain that mimics joint issues.

These injections specifically target pain outside the hip joint, so if the labrum is affected, additional diagnostic evaluation is advised to ensure accurate treatment.

Trochanteric Bursa Injections for Hip Bursitis

For patients with hip bursitis who haven’t improved with physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medication, trochanteric bursa injections may be recommended. A hip pain specialist in Dallas performs these injections to reduce inflammation around the bursa, relieving pain and improving movement in the hip area.

Conclusion

Hip pain often indicates many conditions. If at-home treatments haven't worked and your hip hurts enough to keep you from enjoying your favorite activities, see a hip pain specialist in Dallas.Your doctor at the Dallas Pain Clinic near me will diagnose hip pain and recommend treatments to get you back on your feet quickly.

FAQs: Hip Pain Causes and Treatments

What causes hip pain?

Hip pain can result from arthritis, fractures, tendonitis, bursitis, or muscle strain. Overuse, aging, and poor posture also contribute to joint inflammation and discomfort.

When should I see a doctor for hip pain?

If your pain lasts longer than a week, limits walking, or worsens despite rest, consult a hip pain doctor in Dallas. Persistent pain may indicate structural or joint issues.

Can hip pain heal without surgery?

Yes, many hip pain conditions improve with rest, physical therapy, and non-surgical treatments. Surgery is considered only when severe damage or fractures occur.

What is the RICE method for hip pain?

RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. This method reduces swelling, improves blood flow, and speeds recovery from mild hip injuries.

How does physical therapy help hip pain?

Physical therapy strengthens hip muscles, restores flexibility, and reduces inflammation. It’s one of the most effective non-invasive treatments for chronic hip pain relief.

Are injections helpful for hip pain relief?

Yes, cortisone or ultrasound-guided injections can relieve inflammation and pain. These injections are usually combined with physical therapy for better long-term results.

Can poor posture cause hip pain?

Yes, sitting slouched or standing unevenly can strain hip muscles and joints. Maintaining good posture reduces joint pressure and helps prevent recurring pain.

What are common hip pain conditions?

Osteoarthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, sciatica, and hip labral tears are frequent causes. Each affects the joint differently and may require targeted treatment.

Is surgery required for hip arthritis or fractures?

Surgery may be recommended if the joint is severely damaged or fractured. Common options include hip arthroscopy or hip replacement depending on the severity.

How can I prevent hip pain?

Maintain a healthy weight, stay active, stretch regularly, and avoid overexertion. Strengthening hip and core muscles helps protect the joint from injuries.

Rao K. Ali M.D.

Dr. Rao Ali, a board-certified pain management physician, leads the clinic, which specializes in nonsurgical treatment. The physician has experience in the emergency room as well as training in pain management and rehabilitation. As a personal physician, he works with each patient to develop a treatment plan that will minimize or eliminate their pain. Providing expert diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions, Pain Management In Dallas, PA provides a comprehensive range of services. These services include neck pain, back pain, hip and knee pain, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome, headaches, migraines, and many others.