Treating Burning Hip Pain
If you tell your doctor you are experiencing burning hip pain, they will take a detailed medical history and perform a physical exam. A clinical examination may involve a gait assessment to see how you walk and various movements to measure your range of motion.
After the clinical exam is complete, you will be asked to get an image of the problem area, such as an x-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is especially helpful in diagnosing traumatic fractures, stress fractures, cartilage tears, and osteonecrosis of the femoral head, as well as detecting fluid buildup in the bursa or inflammation caused by nerve entrapments. Other imaging tests include:
CT Scans
Ultrasounds
Special x-rays with dye
Anterior, lateral, and posterior views of the hip are needed to make an accurate assessment. Images are especially helpful because they allow your doctor to get a better view of all the hip structures, including the bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, and surrounding tissues.
The combination of a detailed history, clinical examination, and imaging are used to make an accurate diagnosis. Multiple treatment modalities are then usually used to alleviate or eliminate burning sensation in the hip. Some basic treatments are:
Rest: Avoiding any activities that make the pain worse can reduce irritation and stress on the nerve, allowing it to heal.
Anti-Inflammatories: These can reduce swelling, which may take the pressure off of the nerve. Common brands include ibuprofen and naproxen. Treatment with OTC anti-inflammatories is often combined with ice.
Heat Pads and Cold Pads: Heat and cold pads are often used. It is recommended you alternate between the two, or use the one that brings the most relief.
Gentle stretches: This can relieve pressure on muscles or tendons that may be too tight.
Improving flexibility and strengthening your muscles: Stretching and strengthening your core muscles helps align the pelvis and support your spine, which takes pressure off the hips. Core exercises and stretching are helpful for many conditions, especially bursitis. Strengthening tight or weak muscles can reduce pain.
Practicing good posture: Believe it or not, small changes in your posture can go a long way in helping to alleviate your pain. A good first step is to evenly distribute your weight on both feet when sitting or standing and keeping your shoulders back and level.
Cortisone shots: Cortisone shots are intra-articular injections that can help relieve pain and inflammation. In some people, an ultrasound-guided cortisone injection is made directly into the hip joint, which provides temporary—and occasionally long-term—relief.
Hip arthroscopy: This surgical procedure is especially helpful in those with FAI. A surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a small camera—called an arthroscope—to view the hip. Once the damage is visualized, thin surgical tools can be used to repair the area.
DRG Stimulation Implant: The pelvic area contains multiple nerves. Traumatic injury to the pelvic region is another common cause of chronic pelvic pain due to nerve injury. The nerve pain that may develop from these injuries is often long-lasting and may heavily impair your quality of life. DRG Stimulation Therapy is a non-opioid technology specifically designed to help manage chronic nerve pain following a failed surgical procedure or trauma. It works by sending mild electrical pulses to the nerves responsible for the painful sensations. A DRG Stimulator could significantly reduce your pain.
Hip replacement: A hip replacement may be needed if symptoms impact one’s ability to perform their activities of daily living or if the joint space has become extremely deformed, causing unbearable pain. Open operations that required larger incisions were once the norm for hip replacement surgery, but now they are often performed via minimally invasive techniques, with some patients even leaving the hospital the same day.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture has been proven to relieve muscle tension, but it is rarely used alone for the treatment of burning hip pain. Acupuncture and other holistic therapies—like yoga and seeing a chiropractor—are often used as adjunct therapies and/or in addition to traditional treatments.
If you are experiencing chronic burning hip pain, talk to your doctor. you may need to be assessed by a specialist.