Hip pain is medically referred to as coxalgia. But not all hip pain is the same. The reasons for a painful hip can be very different. In order to be able to treat the cause, the doctor must carry out a thorough diagnosis.
Here you will find further information as well as selected specialists and centers for hip pain.
The hip joint is involved in all movements between the spine, trunk and legs. It is therefore hardly surprising that incorrect loading and overloading are among the most common causes of hip pain.
Pretty much everyone has suffered from hip pain to a greater or lesser extent at some point in their lives. Anyone who has experienced severe pain knows how much it can affect their everyday life.
When searching for the causes, a differentiated clarification is important, as hip pain can be caused by various factors. Of course, the possible form of therapy also depends on this.
In old age, hip pain is often the result of wear and tear(osteoarthritis). As the hip joint is subjected to intensive strain throughout life, it is particularly affected by wear and tear. As a rule, signs of wear only become apparent from midlife onwards. However, this is not necessarily the case. Depending on the individual's physical condition and lifestyle, wear and tear in the hip joint can also become noticeable much earlier, for example after an accident or serious injury to the hip at a young age.
Sometimes hip pain can also be a symptom of an inflammatory disease, e.g. rheumatism. Patients usually also suffer from pain in other joints (e.g. the fingers) and often report morning stiffness in the hands. A feeling of fatigue and fever are also sometimes accompanying symptoms.
Occasionally, however, it is also possible that the hip joint "reacts" due to another illness that has nothing to do with the joints. This can occur, for example, a few weeks after an infection (gastrointestinal, flu, viral, etc.); according to current medical knowledge, this is referred to as reactive arthritis.
In addition, metabolic diseases or blood disorders such as gout or iron storage disease can also affect the function of the hip joint.
Overuse injuries also lead to pain in the hip area, for example when a bursa is inflamed.
Hip pain can severely impair everyday life © freeograph | AdobeStock
However, athletes in particular also experience pain in the muscle-tendon area. If, for example, the hip flexor is strained, the pain may radiate into the hip. Conversely, abnormal hips can also cause pain in the legs or groin area. Diseases such as femoral head necrosis also cause hip pain in advanced stages. Congenital diseases such as hip dysplasia can also cause pain in the hip joint.
The following causes can lead to pain in the hip:
Hip pain can be just as varied as the causes of these problems. A basic distinction is made between load-dependent pain and pain that occurs at rest.
If the pain is only noticeable during activity, it is often a sharp, sudden or gradual pain.
Pain at rest can often be dull.
There are of course diagnoses - for example accidents with fractures or dislocations - that can be made very quickly.
As hip pain can have various causes, a careful diagnosis is extremely important. This begins with taking the patient's medical history (anamnesis). To do this, the patient reports in detail on current and past complaints. The pain is also localized and its intensity determined. It is already possible for an experienced orthopaedic surgeon to form initial suspicions and rule out potential causes.
The medical history is followed by a comprehensive physical examination. The focus here is naturally on the hip joint, but the spine and knees are also examined.
In addition, various movement tests can be helpful for diagnosis. These are used by orthopaedists and sports physicians to differentiate between various clinical pictures.
In addition to a consultation and a detailed examination, the use of imaging techniques is also useful depending on the symptoms. Important information about the condition of the hip joint is provided by
The treatment depends on the underlying cause of the hip pain.
If, for example, it is a muscular problem or incorrect loading, professional physiotherapy can help. The therapist carries out a gait analysis, for example, or eliminates any muscular imbalances with targeted training.
After accidents or other injuries with cartilage damage or bone involvement, surgical treatment often follows. Here too, physiotherapy can then help to reduce or permanently manage the pain.
If metabolic disorders or inflammatory processes are present, appropriate medication is used.
If the patient suffers from gout, for example, anti-inflammatory preparations can be considered for treatment. Ibuprofen or diclofenac are prescribed particularly frequently. Cold applications can also provide relief. In addition, patients suffering from gout must also adjust their diet to reduce flare-ups and the associated pain.
Hip surgeryis considered the treatment of choice when conservative treatments no longer help. Thanks to advances in modern medicine, for example, arthroscopic hip resurfacing(arthroscopy) can be used to remove inflamed joint mucosa or reduce excess bone that leads to the phenomenon of impingement (FAI).
The use of an artificial hip joint should only be considered after conservative treatment has been exhausted. You should also use the option of a second opinion at a center that specializes in such procedures ("maximum care endoprosthesis center", database at: endoMap - database for certified endoprosthetics centers according to EndoCert).
Minimally invasive surgical procedures, in which no muscle groups need to be severed ("micro-hip"), are particularly gentle. The acetabulum and hip stem of the artificial hip joint should be aligned with each other in such a way that an impingement-free range of motion is guaranteed in everyday life ("lock-and-key surgery technique"). Precise digital surgical planning and intraoperative control of the trial components using fluoroscopy enables precise reconstruction of the hip anatomy.
The following treatment methods can be used for hip pain:
Doctors from different specialties come together to treat hip pain:
Orthopaedists are the first port of call for problems with cartilage, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
In the case of metabolic diseases such as gout, both internists and rheumatologists can be consulted.
Occasionally, hernias are also the cause of pain in the hip area; in this case, surgeons are the doctors of choice. Here too, the doctor will discuss a suitable therapy with the patient after studying the images and clinical examinations.
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