Understanding The Cause of Your Hip Pain
Hip pain is a common issue that affects all ages and walks of life from young to old, active and inactive patients. One of the most common “hip” pain complaints is not caused by pain from the hip joint itself, but other structures where tendons and muscles attach.
Patients with Trochanteric bursitis / Tendinitis present typically with pain along the outside of the hip which may be referred to in layman’s terms as the hip pointer. They complain of localized aching, sore pain, tender to touch, focused in this region and the gluteal area that is increased with laying on the affected side, going from sit to stand and when first starting to walk. Typically the pain improves as the person continues to walk after standing, but is described as most intense during the first few steps.
So what causes all of this trouble?
Pain in this area is caused by inflammation and weakness of the gluteal tendons that attach to the bone called the greater trochanter, also known as tendinitis/ tendinopathy of these areas. Inflammation to the tendons then causes fluid to accumulate in the bursa; these are small sacs that lie between the different tendons and serve as a cushion along the bony prominence. The bursa commonly contribute to pain by filling with fluid causing additional pain and inflammation to the area. Hence the term “Bursitis”.
How Is The Condition Treated?
The good news is there are multiple treatment options available the pain should resolve and you should be able to return to full activity! There are multiple approaches to treat Greater Trochanteric Tendinitis; traditional insurance covered treatment includes Physical Therapy to strengthen the gluteal muscles, and reduce strain on tendon attachments combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation to the area. More advanced orthobiologics techniques offered by CHARM include Platelet Rich Plasma injections where blood is drawn from a peripheral site, processed in our specialized lab to remove red blood cells, and then the platelets separated out are injected into the area of tendon/ ligament weakness. Injection of PRP induces an injury and healing response, that activates the healing cascade in the body at the area of injury; this includes increased blood flow to the tendon structure and recruitment of other chemical mediators to the area to encourage a healing response.