Compassionately Treating Patients with Hip Pain

Hip pain is any pain in the hip joint, which is where the top of the leg meets the pelvis. Pain can occur on the front, back, inside, outside, or all around the hip area, and can also be sharp or dull, sudden, or slowly growing in intensity. You may feel it most of the time or it may come and go with certain activities (such as exercise).

At Dignity Health, we are proud to have teams of orthopedic specialists to treat patients with hip pain in the Bay Area.

Symptoms with Hip Pain 

You may also notice these symptoms paired with hip pain:

  • Clicking, snapping, catching or grating sensation in the hip
  • Fever and fatigue 
  • Hip swelling or redness
  • Pain and swelling in other joints, such as the knees, wrists and shoulders
  • Pain in the groin, buttocks or thigh
  • Pain that shoots down one side of the body from the buttock and down the leg
  • Snapping sound in the hip
  • Stiffness and difficulty moving the hip

See your doctor for ongoing hip pain, or if it keeps you from your normal activities.

What Causes Hip Pain 

Hip pain can be caused by a problem with the hip joint itself or the muscles, ligaments, tendons and other structures in and around the hip joint. 

These causes can include:

  • Arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout
  • Bursitis, swelling of the small sacs (bursae) that cushion the hip joint
  • Cancer, including certain blood cancers and bone cancer
  • Degenerative joint disease of the lower spine with nerve compression or sciatica
  • Infection in the hip bones, hip joint or throughout the body
  • Injury, such as hip fracture (broken hip) or hip dislocation due to a fall or other accident
  • Muscle strain from overuse with daily activities or while playing sports
  • Osteonecrosis of the hip, a breakdown of bone due to loss of blood supply to the hip
  • Tendinitis, inflammation of the tissues that connect muscles to the hip bone

Treating the Root of Your Hip Pain at Dignity Health 

A detailed description of your symptoms will help your doctor diagnose the underlying cause. Your doctor will additionally ask about your health history and perform a physical exam, pressing on and around your hip joint and other parts of your body.

You may need these tests to help with a diagnosis: 

  • Blood tests to measure blood cell counts and to look for inflammation or infection
  • Imaging tests, such as X-ray, CT scan and MRI
  • Joint aspiration, where your doctor withdraws joint fluid to look for infection or gout

Your doctor will discuss next steps with you and develop a treatment plan that may include rest and other care at home, physical therapy, medication and surgery to repair damage to the hip.

If you’re searching for dependable and effective treatment for hip pain in Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Redwood City, use our Find a Doctor tool to locate an orthopedic specialist near you.

Dignity Health is relied on for hip pain treatment by patients across the Bay Area.