What Are the Symptoms of Hip Bursitis?

Bursae are tiny sacs filled with fluid, located in joints throughout your whole body. With a position between bones and soft tissue, their main purpose is to cushion the joints and help reduce friction. 

The hip is one of the largest and strongest joints in your body. Our hips give us stability and flexibility, but they also sustain a lot of pressure daily. That can result in an array of injuries and hip conditions. 

Hip bursitis is one of the most common culprits of hip pain. Read on to discover what hip bursitis is, how to recognize the symptoms, what your treatment may look like, and how to find a hip pain doctor in the Woodlands, Texas, area.

What Is Hip Bursitis?

Bursitis is a condition where your bursae become inflamed. Hip bursitis causes inflammation of the bursae in the hip and can affect two major ones. The trochanteric bursa is located on the tubercle of the thigh bone, where it makes a joint with the hip bone. Inflammation of this bursa is more common, and people often use terms hip and trochanteric bursitis interchangeably.

However, bursitis can also affect the iliopsoas bursa, located on the inside of the hip, in the groin area. When this bursa becomes inflamed, groin pain is a common symptom.

What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Hip Bursitis?

Since you are reading about hip bursitis, there is a good chance you suffer from hip pain. That’s the most common symptom of this condition, but it isn’t the only one. 

The symptoms of hip bursitis are:

• Hip on the outside of the hip
• Groin pain
• Pain that radiates through the thighs and buttocks
• Pain that becomes worse during repetitive motions
• Pain that occurs when getting up from a chair or exiting your car
• Pain while climbing the stairs
• Hip tenderness
• Pain at the maximum range of motion

When hip bursitis first develops, hip pain is usually sharp and intense. It typically starts in the hip area and extends into the outer thigh. With time, the pain usually spreads to other regions and becomes duller. 

People with bursitis often feel more pain at night because they lie on the affected hip, which makes the symptoms worse. In addition, the pain can become more intense during activities like walking, jogging, squatting, or stair climbing. You may even feel a sharp sensation when you get up after sitting for a while.

These are all the symptoms of trochanteric bursitis, which is a more prevalent version of this hip condition. If you suffer from iliopsoas bursitis, you may also experience groin pain, stiffness, and tightness.

How Do Doctors Treat Bursitis?

Your doctor may recommend surgical or non-surgical treatment after diagnosing you with hip bursitis. Non-surgical options include activity modification, physical therapy, medication, assistive devices, and steroid injections.

If all conservative treatments fail to manage your hip bursitis symptoms, your doctor can recommend surgery. Keep in mind that this is rarely the case, as non-surgical approaches are usually effective.

Hip Pain Doctor in Woodlands, Texas

Dr. Edward Nash is a hip pain doctor in Woodlands, Texas, who helps his patients overcome hip bursitis and other pain-causing conditions at Progressive Pain and Rehabilitation. Dr. Nash and his team use innovative treatments to eliminate the root cause of your pain and help you improve your life.

Click on the button below to schedule an appointment with Dr. Nash, and discover if hip bursitis is the culprit of your hip pain, and how to overcome it.