Hip pain: causes, symptoms and treatment

Hip pain is a discomfort or sense of pain around your hip joint.³ 

Hip joint pain can vary from a temporary annoyance to a bigger issue requiring attention from a healthcare provider.³

This can manifest in hip flexor pain, hip joint, or lower back pain.

• Surface pain: If you feel pain close to the surface above or around your hip, it may indicate an issue with your hip flexor muscles, surrounding tendons, or ligaments.³
• Deeper inside your hip joint: This may indicate pain from your bones or cartilage.³
• Radiating discomfort: Hip pain can occasionally move to other areas like your lower back and groin.³ This type of pain is called referred pain.⁴

Hip pain can be a symptom of other medical conditions, such as arthritis, bursitis, structural issues, or injuries to your hip.⁵ Hip injuries and pain are more common in athletes, such as dancers and gymnasts, who perform hip flexion and extension in various directions, placing stress on the hip.⁵

Other causes of hip pain include:

• Arthritis: Arthritis can cause inflamed and painful joints and can cause symptoms of swelling, discomfort, and pain.⁵
• Bursitis: Bursitis is a painful swelling in a small, fluid-filled sac called a bursa. Inflammation and swelling of the hip bursa can cause pain and discomfort.⁵
• Injuries: Hip pain can result from any injury that damages the parts of your hip joint or surrounding muscles.⁵

Experiencing hip pain at night can be detrimental to your sleep. Here is a breakdown of why your hips may hurt at night:

• Sleep position: Finding the right sleeping position can be crucial to avoiding hip pain during sleep.⁶ This can worsen existing issues, especially if you sleep on the same side as where you are experiencing pain.⁷
• Prolonged immobility: Long periods of immobility during sleep can lead to stiffness and discomfort.⁶ Sleeping with a pillow between your legs may temporarily relieve discomfort.⁶

The treatment for hip pain will depend on what is causing it. Your healthcare provider may suggest various treatments depending on the severity of your pain and its cause.⁸

Try to avoid activities (such as strenuous exercise) that make your hip pain worse.⁷ Opt for more comfortable shoes and try to avoid standing for long periods of time.⁷

Your healthcare provider may recommend taking medication.⁸

Topical analgesics, such as Biofreeze’s range of products, applied to the affected area can also help alleviate muscle and joint pain.⁹

Get in touch with your healthcare provider to see what treatment is best for you. You need to seek professional medical advice if:⁷

• Your hip discomfort persists
• You have a rash or fever
• You begin to limp and experience trouble with stairs and walking