Hip Joint Pain: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

What is hip joint pain?

As you age, hip joint pain becomes a common complaint of your life. However, pain due to aging and natural wear & tear of the hip joint is common, but sometimes, even at a young age such pain may arise following any injury, poor posture, weak bones, or joint disorder.

The hip joint is mainly made up of a ball and socket. It is the area where your femur (thigh bone) adjoins the pelvis. Whenever you sit, stand, walk, or run, it involves the use and eventually the wear & tear of your hip joint. But to prevent such joint damage, there exists an articular cartilage around the ball and socket which further through its protective layer, called synovium, releases a fluid that keeps the joints naturally lubricated so that you can move your hip joint with ease.

In case, any damage happens to the articular cartilage, the individuals may start to experience hip joint pain. Besides that arthritis, sports injury, aging, low bone density, and accompanying joint disorders may also contribute to hip joint discomfort and pain.

Treating hip joint pain in Ayurveda involves treating the actual root causes of the problem and awakening the natural strength of the hip joint. Countless patients who believed in Ayurvedic healing, are today no longer having any hip-related problems.

Causes of Hip Joint Pain

Pain in the hip joint may possibly arise due to multiple reasons. However, the most common hip pain causes are as mentioned below:

Arthritis: People who have arthritis or similar joint disorder experience hip and joint pain the most. The underlying reason includes that these conditions majorly affect the density and strength of your bones and make them inflamed and sore from both the inside and outside.
The most common types of arthritis that are responsible for causing hip pain are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Hip fracture: Both acute and chronic pain are possible in the case of a hip fracture. A hip fracture mainly arises in the upper region of the femur and is commonly observed among elderly folks. Hip fractures are mainly seen among individuals who have weak and brittle bones, have osteoporosis, or have had an accident or serious injury.
Bursitis: That’s a painful condition where the bursa sac, which is a small, fluid-filled sac that cushions and lubricates joints in the body, becomes inflamed and irritated. During bursitis, the patient may experience pain in their hip, lower back, buttocks, and areas associated with it. Patients who have bursitis even say that they feel hip pain when sitting, standing, and walking.
Muscle strain: The overuse of the muscles, ligaments, and associated tendons may result in sore hip joint and leg pain. You might have noticed that wherever you undergo any strenuous exercise or activity that involves excessive use of your hip, it eventually starts to pain.
Sciatica: Spreading from the lower back to the one leg involving the hip, thighs, and buttocks, the patients may experience pain in any region that is connected to the sciatic nerve. The condition is sometimes also known as a “pinched nerve” identified by a sore hip and lower back pain that travels through the lower back to one leg.
Injury/trauma: A sudden fall, any accident, injury, or trauma are also some of the common causes responsible for causing hip joint pain among individuals. In young adults such injuries eventually heal and hip pain fades but in an elderly age, such injuries/traumas take a longer period to get fine and the patients keep complaining that their hip hurts.
Pregnancy: Ache in the pelvic area and hip pain during pregnancy are very common among women. Such complications mainly arise because pregnancy hormones tend to make your ligaments relaxed and pelvic bones loosen so that your body can be prepared for childbirth.
Poor posture: Prolonged sitting, especially in the wrong posture, lying for hours, and improper sleeping position can also contribute to sore hip joints. However, as compared to other causes, hip pain due to inappropriate posture can be treated quite easily.

Hip Joint Pain Symptoms

The hip joint pain symptoms can vary from one individual to another. However, below are some common indications that are seen among patients with hip joint pain:

Throbbing pain: A shooting and intolerable pain in the hip joint is the most common complication and symptom involved. Such pain could be persisting or may come and go. In certain instances, this pain radiates through the hip to your lower back, buttocks, thighs, and legs.
Reduced range of motion: Movements of the hip joint become extremely difficult and the patient finds it quite difficult to perform even the routine chores. Sometimes, even rotating the leg may become a painful experience.
Tenderness: Hips and the areas associated such as the lower back, pelvic region, buttocks, thighs etc become stiff and tendered. They start to show sensitivity to pain when being touched, even slightly.
Limping: A limping gait can be defined as an abnormal walking pattern which is sometimes possible during a hip joint pain or dysfunction. People with a limping gait followed by hip pain often start to use walking aids like a cane or crutch on the painful side.
Popping Sound: Patients who have hip joint complications sometimes hear a popping and cracking sound from their hip whenever they bend, move, walk, or stand.
Deformity: In intense conditions, hip joint deformity can also be observed. Such deformity is often irreversible and can be mistaken for conditions such as hip dysplasia, ankylosing spondylitis, or snapping hip syndrome.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Hip Joint Pain

Treatment of hip joint pain in Ayurveda is a novel approach that has helped countless patients worldwide. It mainly incorporates the below-mentioned healing and natural measures:

Herbal healing: Ayurveda suggests the use of multiple wonderful herbs to initiate the natural healing of the hip joint as well as other associated joints, bones, muscles, and ligaments. Haldi, jatamansi, kava, ginger, garlic, devil’s claw, cinnamon, Chamomile, and passion flowers are some of the joint-friendly herbs that are mainly used in hip muscle pain Ayurvedic treatment.
Rest to recover: Rest is that restorative measure that is often suggested for hip joint pain treatment by experts. Proper resting allows your sore, inflamed, and injured joints/muscles to heal on their own and further prevent them from possible damage.
Gentle massage: The gentle massage of the affected areas of the hip and lower back can also help in reducing the pain, inflammation, and redness caused. For this purpose, mainly herbal and anti-inflammatory ointments such as cow’s ghee, mustard oil, sesame oil, almond oil, coconut oil, etc are used.
Yoga asanas: Although strenuous activities or hip joint pain exercises are not recommended for patients. But to enhance the mobility and flexibility of their joints, certain yoga asanas can be advised. Ardha matsyendrasana, balasana, baddha konasana, and gomukhasana are some of the best yoga postures that can be practiced to attain hip joint pain relief.
Dietary care: Also, focus on improving your diet. For healthy and strong bones, an anti-inflammatory, calcium, and other nutrients-enriched diet is considered ideal.

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Mrs. Seema

I was suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) from the past 10 years. I took western medicines for more than 8 years but got no relief. Then I got to know about Dr. Sharda Ayurveda and visited their Ludhiana clinic. They got my various blood investigation done and my RA was positive. In July 2019 I started their course of treatment.

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Myself Manjindar Kaur from Rupnagar. I was suffering from Asthma. I was totally dependent on inhalers and had breathing issues in winters. But after treatment from Dr. Sharda Ayurveda Ludhiana from Dr. Mukesh Sharda, I was fully satisfied with their treatment. Within 7 months of treatment.

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I was suffering from Knee Pain for many years. I took treatment from various hospitals but of no use. Then somebody advised me to take treatment from Dr. Sharda Ayurveda clinic and after taking treatment from there I was almost free from knee pain within 6 months. I have stop my medicines and feeling no pain.

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Faq's

What is the fastest way to relieve hip pain?

The application of the ice to the affected areas on your hip for around 10-15 minutes can ease your pain significantly. For this, the “RICE method” is often advised to the patients which mainly involves 4 simple steps, namely rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Why do I feel hip joint pain when walking?

Well, there could be multiple possible reasons such as overuse of the hip joint, wear and tear of joints, an unhealed injury, or the presence of any joint disorder like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.

What is the best exercise for hip pain?

Firstly, if your hip pain is severe or you have recently undergone any hip surgery, you are not advised for any strenuous exercise. But yes, if your pain is moderate or the doctor himself has advised you to do mild exercises then you can try the below-mentioned stretches/exercises:

Hip Rotator Stretch
Double hip rotations
Knee lifts
Hip circles
Cycling, jogging, or swimming

How to sleep with hip pain?

If you have hip joint pain and are unable to sleep due to it, then you should try the below-mentioned ways:

Try sitting on your back.
Sleep on your side and keep a pillow between your knees and ankles.
Avoid changing positions while sleeping.
Use a proper mattress to sleep that is neither too hard or not too soft.

How to sit when you have hip pain?

If you experience pain in hip while sitting, then you should consult a healthcare professional or joint specialist. Besides the consultation, you can try the below-mentioned ways that can help reduce the pain while you sit:

Maintain good posture and keep your spine straight
Avoid crossing your legs
Use a supportive chair to sit
Avoid sitting for hours in the same position

What are the causes of sudden hip joint pain without injury?

Well if you are having a sudden hip joint pain that is not due to any injury or accident, then there could be several possible causes behind it. Some of these are:

Bursitis hip or tendinitis
Presence of any type of Arthritis
Damage in the ligament of hip joint
Excessive movements of hip joint
Sciatica pain
Poor nerve supply of hip joint
Hip joint pain during pregnancy

How to cure hip pain naturally?

If you are interested in treating your hip pain naturally, then seeking Ayurvedic treatment can be the best option. It involves the use of certain home remedies, dietary alterations, yoga asanas, and Ayurvedic medicines for joint pain to treat the root cause of hip pain.

How do I know if my hip pain is serious?

In hip joint pain you will be unable to move your leg or hip, unable to bear the weight of the affected leg, you may have fever due to an infection on the affected part.

What are the best sleeping positions for hip pain while pregnant?

The hip joint is a type of movement joint that can frequently pain during pregnancy either due to hormonal changes or uterine contractions and may disturb your sleeping patterns. But below are some positions that can try for better sleep:

Sleep on one side
Use a pillow between your knees
Avoid back sleeping
Try maternity pillow
Keep a pillow behind your back for extra support

What are the symptoms of hip arthritis?

Hip arthritis is affected by inflammatory arthritis which is painful and stiff. Pain is worse in the morning or after sitting or resting for a while.

What type of food should be avoided in hip joint pain?

Processed food like chips, baked goods, fast food, omega 6 fatty acids are strictly avoided in hip joint pain.

What are the risk factors of hip replacement?

The most common risk of hip replacement is 4clot and infection. A clot that mostly occurs is called DVT (deep vein thrombosis) 1in which a blood clot develops in a vein deep within the body.

How can I increase my hip mobility?

Lie down on your back and bring your legs up then using a strap or band, keep one leg straight up while slowly lowering the other to the floor. Repeat 5 times on each leg once a day in the morning.

What can cause hip pain in a woman?

In women, hip pain may possibly arise due to many reasons such as pregnancy after-effects, hormonal imbalance, menopause, sciatica pain, osteoporosis, or fibrosis. Moreover, women indulge in household work comparatively more, and eventually, due to wear and tear of joints, they experience hip pain.

What is the first line of treatment for hip pain?

The first line of hip pain treatment mainly involves efforts to strengthen the hip muscles and improve flexibility by following easy measures such as cold-heat therapy, acupressure, rest, and some oral medications.