Has anyone solved hip tendiopathy in menopause?

[Honds]

I can't take HRT. Please don't make this a thing about am I sure, have I tried this or that HRT variation.

The outside of my left hip aches continuously day and night, which I gather is a fairly common menopause symptom. I've had it checked over and there's no sign of a fracture or osteoarthritis.

Is there anything that helps that isn't HRT?

Sleeping with a knee cushion has helped mine. It has a loop to secure it to one leg to keep it in place.

Have you been to a physio amongst all your checks? they're my first port of call - mostly cos we can self-refer, but they're actually really good at sorting out lots of things.

Yes, physio says the hip itself is in good working order.

Hi
I have similar to this (although not had an MRI - just opinions from different body work practitioners in last 10 years)
As you say, very common.
i am on low dose HRT which probably does help but the thing that makes the most difference is needling -
not sure what the proper name for it is but some physios, osteos and massage therapists do it. It’s really good at dealing with the tension caused by the weakness/inflammation/imbalance.

it’s different to acupuncture which is meridian based I think ( but also extremely effective for chronic pain).
the other things that might help is the right kind of exercises to strengthen the area around it (physio best for prescriptive exercise I’ve found).
how is your general level health and fitness?
are you able to get comfortable enough to sleep?
when mine is bad I decamp to our very squishy memory foam mattress in spare room (but too soft for wonky spine that needs a firm surface, so hip has to be bad!)
good luck with it,

I have heard that shockwave therapy can be very good for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome if that is what you have. I get intermittent pain in the outside of both hips and find it hard to identify any triggers, however if I walk too much, too regularly, that will aggravate it. Pilates can also do the same.Also, sleeping position, sometimes the hip pain will wake me up depending on how I am lying. I think weightlifting seems to help me but I never know if the pain has resolved itself for a bit anyway. It's a bit of a minefield!

For me it's swimming several times a week.

And sitting down as little as possible (including driving.)

Interesting to read about the shockwave therapy. I had this on Achilles tendon after years of flare ups after an injury and it sorted it out. Not sure I’d ever be able to run more than a bus dash but I can walk on it for miles now. Like you, my hip aches if I walk for more than an hour , which is annoying as I love a good hike.
it never occurred to me that shockwave could work on a hip. I’ve always just assumed live with it then surgery which is daft I know.
going to talk to my osteopath about it.

Yes swimming is my best form of general pain relief for joint and muscle pain.

Stretching the hip flexors, lunges or similar.

Interesting because it feels like it needs a good stretch but everything I've read says don't because it pulls the tendon against the hip bone.

Strengthen hip flexors, also knees and lower back /core.

Its all connected. Weakness in one place changed your gait and hence hip pain.

But you have to stick at it.

I was getting awful hip pain despite trying to stay pretty fit and relatively flexible.

What has helped is sleeping with a cushion between my knees, every night without fail. Hip flexor exercises and gentle circular hip rotation exercises (yoga) and a standing upright one...will try to find it ..

Yes, NHS physio gave me an exercise band and prescribed adduction/abduction and flex/ext, strengthening exercises. I was doubtful but the pain resolved completely within a month.

I bought a very expensive mattress and it has helped. I was previously being woken every hour by the pain

Are you sure it's not piriformis syndrome? I thought I had sciatica when I had this in my 40s. Stretches can help.

health.clevelandclinic.org/piriformis-syndrome-stretches-exercises

No it's not the piriformis, it's lower down on the side of my hip

A very fit gym friend has this, and physio/lots of exercise helped her, but please see a professional to get personalised advice. Don't just get some random stuff from the internet-work with a trainer or physio who knows what they're doing.

The biggest thing for me was forcing myself to not cross my legs under my desk. Its all but gone, even though the physio said it probably wouldn't

Yes, I've read that and have also noticed that even when I'm sat or laid with my feet up, I often cross my ankles.

Make sure your Vitamin D is in the right range as a big deficiency can cause bone/joint pain. Most people in the UK are moderately deficient over the winter months.