Why does my hip hurt all the time

@nanifree273

It would be good to get hip X-rays and pelvis/hip MRIs to check soft tissues and nerves/blood vessels.

How long have you had this pain? Did you do something to possible hurt yourself (bending/lifting/stretching to an extreme)? Have you tried icing/heat/warm soaks in epsom salt baths? Have you tried pain patches, roll-ons, Voltaren creams, etc. to see if it helps? Does taking NSAIDs/anti-inflammatory help at all?

Depending on what they see in your hips, you may also want to check your lumbar spine to see if compression is causing some of your hip pain. I have bilateral gluteal tendinopathy, bilateral hamstring tears, and lumbar stenosis/previous surgery and a new herniated disc at L2-L3 causing severe stenosis and extreme pain and weakness in my hips/hip flexors. I may need another lumbar surgery to address this. 😢

Do you mind sharing your age and whether you are in menopause?

Sorry for what you're going through with your hip.

It sounds like you've at least had X-rays and they have been negative for the usual hip problem - arthritis. It sounds like it's a problem with the muscles in the area, and an MRI is probably the next best step.

Pain originating in the hip joint usually manifests as pain in the groin, like a groin strain. I suffered through this for 9 months before finally seeing a Dr. of Physical Medicine (formerly Sports Drs, usually in orthopedics).

She had my chip xrayed, which revealed a bone-on-bone joint, and I had it replaced. Pain gone.

Seems like something else is going on with you. Check with an ortho doc anyway, and ask about getting an MRI approved.

Be well!

Joe

It’s really frustrating when you know something feels wrong but the tests keep coming back “normal.” The good news is that hip pain isn’t always caused by the hip joint itself — a lot of issues come from the soft tissues around it.

Yes, muscles, tendons, or even the bursa (the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the hip) can cause the exact kind of pain you’re describing. A few possibilities people commonly run into include:

Hip bursitis – often causes pain on the outer side of the hip, especially when lying on that side or walking.

Tendon problems (like gluteal tendinopathy) – can make lifting your leg, climbing stairs, or standing from a chair painful.

Muscle strain or imbalance – especially in the glutes, hip flexors, or lower back muscles.

Referred pain from the lower back or sacroiliac joint – it can feel exactly like hip pain even when the hip joint is fine.

An orthopedic specialist or a physical therapist is a great next step because they can assess movement, muscle strength, and soft-tissue structures — things imaging sometimes misses.

It’s good that you’re listening to your body and seeking answers. Many people only get the right diagnosis once someone looks beyond the bone and checks the surrounding tissues.

I personally have solved this issue by taking collagen peptides and extra Vitamin C. *Always* check with a medical professional before starting any supplements or medications.

I'm 84. My hip was killing me a couple of years ago. It turned out to be my back. A steroid injection stopped the pain and I haven't had any since. I had overworked it in the airport and then made the mstake of initially using heat on it that further inflamed it.

My outer hip hurts most of the time on one side. It also hurts when I sleep on my side. Turns out it’s bursitis and tight muscles, none of which shows on X-rays. Gone to physical therapy for stretching and strengthening. When pain flairs or when I need to sleep, first ice, then Motrin. I did not want to get steroid injection due to risk to further damage the joint.

You would benefit from a consult with a PM&R certified physician. That’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation also called physiatry. A physiatrist does not do surgery but has good diagnostic skills to diagnose the condition you describe. Do not rush into any surgery. Even if surgery is indicated, please get two opinions by docs in different practices. Good luck to you.

@heyjoe415 About to make this same journey and hoping for same success!

Thanks for sharing this Rae.

Many people, myself included, apply heat to achy joints and muscles. This is a huge, huge mistake no matter how good it feels initially. The heat draws blood into the area and this ultimately increases inflammation - and pain and swelling.

As a rule, I never use heat anywhere on my body for aches, stiffness, and pain. Always ice.

Joe

I wish you the best Sandra.

I've had both knees, right hip and left shoulder replaced. In every case, it eliminated the daily pain I was in. My last replacement surgery was for my left shoulder, four months ago. Recovery is going very well and life is much improved.

I wish you well on your journey! Please let me know how it goes!

Joe