What causes hip pain when sleeping? A variety of conditions can cause hip pain when sleeping. The most common causes are bursitis, osteoarthritis, sciatic-piriformis syndrome and tendonitis. Other causes include injury to your muscles or soft tissues, pregnancy, the position you sleep in and your bed or pillows.
Sleep with a pillow between your knees to reduce stress across your hips. Put one or more pillows under your knees. This can ease pain from sciatic-piriformis syndrome. Over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve) may help relieve your pain.
If you have hip pain only at night, odds are the culprit is your sleep position or mattress. Side sleepers are particularly prone to hip pain due to pressure on the hip joint. The opposite hip – the one you're not lying on – might hurt, too, if it strains forward.
That's because sleeping on the unaffected side allows the painful hip to shift forward (thanks to gravity), putting additional strain on the joint. A better option: Place a pillow between your knees. The pillow stabilizes your hips, keeping them in a more naturally aligned position that relieves joint strain.
Go to a hospital or get emergency help if: Your hip pain is acute and caused by a serious fall or other injury. Your leg is deformed, badly bruised, or bleeding. You are unable to move your hip or bear any weight on your leg.
Symptoms of bursitis of the hip
Symptoms include joint pain and tenderness. You may also see swelling and feel warmth around the affected area. The pain is often sharp in the first few days. It may be dull and achy later.
Back pain can often times be mistaken for hip pain since the hip joint is so close to the spine. Generally, hip and back pain can range from a dull ache to sharp pain. This can affect your mobility and everyday activities.
Symptoms of hip arthritis may include pain in or near the hip joint, stiffness, audible clicking sounds when moving the hip, and weakness. While hip arthritis is usually a chronic condition, there are treatments to help ease the symptoms and reduce further damage.
There are a few basic ways to know if you have hip bursitis or arthritis. If the pain you feel is sharp and severe before spreading out into an ache in the affected area, you may have hip bursitis. On the other hand, if your pain develops slower and is more painful in the morning, it may be hip arthritis.
Resting, applying ice or heat to the affected area, stretching and strengthening exercises, using over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and wearing supportive shoes are all effective methods for relieving hip pain.
Bursitis. One of the most common hip issues, bursitis is when the small sacs that cushion your hip joints become inflamed. If your pain tends to stay muted during the day and gets worse when you lie down on your hip, it may .
Try sleeping on your back
Sleeping on your back evenly distributes your weight and prevents any one joint from getting strained. That means it's beneficial for your hips. If you're not normally a back sleeper, it can be tricky to get used to this position. Try adding a pillow or bolster under your knees.
Bursitis occurs when the bursae become inflamed. Inflammation of the bursae causes pain from the hip that spreads down the side of the thigh. This sharp, intense pain may worsen at night.
Hip pain can affect anyone. Possible causes include muscle injury, osteoarthritis, and pelvic floor conditions. In females, it can also occur during pregnancy.
Sleep is a critical time for physical recuperation, but unfortunately, many sleepers find that their mattress contributes to pain in areas such as the hips. This often occurs with old mattresses that have worn out and no longer provide adequate support.
Diagnosis of hip bursitis
Your doctor might order imaging tests such as x-ray, MRIs, ultrasounds, or bone scans. Ultrasound and MRI specifically are used to confirm the diagnosis when the bursae are too deep for regular inspection.
To diagnose hip bursitis, the doctor will perform a comprehensive physical examination, looking for tenderness in the area of the point of the hip. They may also perform additional tests to rule out other possible injuries or conditions.
MRI scanning and ultrasound imaging can help doctors diagnose mild cases of osteoarthritis or identify soft tissue problems in the hip joint, such as a labral tear. A doctor may also use these tests to assess whether there is inflammation in the synovial membrane.
“Pain coming from the hip joint is most often due to hip arthritis (osteoarthritis). If the pain seems to be in the front of the thigh, including deep in the groin area, then this is an indication of hip joint pain and probably hip arthritis.” The pain may become worse with activity or with sudden pivoting movements.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common sources of hip pain, particularly in older adults. Arthritis can lead to inflammation of the hip joint and erosion of the cartilage that cushions your hip bones. In addition to the pain, arthritis can reduce range of motion and cause your hips to feel stiff.
The most common symptom of sciatica is lower back pain that extends through the hip and buttock and down one leg. The pain usually affects only one leg and may get worse when you sit, cough, or sneeze. The leg may also feel numb, weak, or tingly at times.
The sciatic nerve runs under the piriformis muscle, a flat, narrow muscle in the buttocks. If your piriformis muscle spasms or becomes tight and compresses an area of the nearby sciatic nerve, it may cause a burning or shooting pain in the back of the hip that may travel down the leg.