Hip Bursitis
What is bursitis of the hip? What are the symptoms? How do you get diagnosed? And how do you treat hip bursitis? Alex Dodds, hip surgeon for Cheltenham and Gloucestershire, explains.
What is bursitis?
Our joints contain small fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that act as ‘cushions’. They help reduce friction, ensuring bone and tissue can glide smoothly together. You’ll find bursae in every large joint, including the hip.
Bursitis affects the bursae, causing the fluid sacs to become inflamed.
What are the symptoms of hip bursitis?
There are several bursae in the hip. Symptoms (and the intensity of symptoms) will vary depending on which bursae are affected. You may feel pain around the groin, on the inner side of the hip or on the outer thigh. Pain can be a dull ache, but it can also be a sharp, shooting pain.
You may also notice redness and some swelling and, depending on the location of the affected bursa, bursitis may make movement uncomfortable.
What causes hip bursitis?
Most of the bursitis patients Alex sees at his Gloucestershire hip clinic will develop the condition through injury or overuse. Arthritis, diabetes and thyroid disease may also increase the likelihood of developing it.
Infection can also cause bursitis.
Can I prevent bursitis of the hip?
You can certainly take steps to minimise the risk of developing it. These include:
- If you carry out repetitive tasks that affect the joints particularly susceptible to bursitis (the hip, knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles), take regular breaks.
- Warm up before exercise, but do keep exercising regularly if you can to help strengthen the muscles around the hip.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight to reduce pressure on your joints.
- Try to practise good posture when standing, sitting and especially when lifting heavy loads, so you don’t place undue pressure on your hip.
- If activities cause pain in the hip, stop and seek medical advice.
How do you diagnose bursitis of the hip?
Book an appointment at Alex’s Cheltenham hip surgery and he may be able to identify inflamed bursae through physical examination, particularly if the bursae are close to the surface of the skin.
He may use an MRI scan to view bursae which cannot easily be detected through physical examination.
An X-ray, although unable to detect bursae, may be valuable in eliminating other potential causes of pain.
Alex may also request a blood test or a test of the fluid within the inflamed bursae if he suspects infection.
How do you treat hip bursitis?
Bursitis doesn’t usually require medical treatment. With over-the-counter pain relief and rest, most cases should begin to improve quickly and symptoms should disappear in 6-10 weeks.
Will my hip bursitis require surgery?
Alex only occasionally needs to perform surgery to treat hip bursitis in Cheltenham, Gloucester and The Cotswolds. Where non-surgical measures have proved ineffective, he may drain the fluid from a bursa in a simple procedure called a bursectomy. Even more rarely, inflamed bursae may need surgical removal.
When should I seek medical attention?
Talk to Alex if rest and pain relief have no effect, or if your symptoms worsen.
If you notice a bulge, lump or swelling at the affected area, or if you develop a fever or chills, contact your GP or call 111.
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Call Chrissie Holmyard 01242 246549 at Nuffield Health, Cheltenham.
