Hip pain that is worse at night - help!

[vestastilly]

Can anyone help with my hip pain. I know I should probably see the GP but it’s hard to get an appointment at the moment. I broke my foot 3 years ago and since then have had an aching hip if I try to walk more than 5 miles. Since the beginning of last winter this has now progressed and any walking on uneven ground makes my hip ache. The pain seems to be inside the joint and not muscular. This has now progressed to keeping me awake at night and waking me up if I sleep on that side. I have tried ibuprofen and voltarol gel and nothing helps. Has anyone experienced anything similar and any tips for pain relief please?

Could you be in peri menopause? My hip pain has disappeared since I started HRT.

Yep sciatica. Weak hips and glutes. Google hip and glute exercises and do every day for a week and I guarantee your hip will feel better. There's nothing else for it!

You need to speak to your GP and have an MRI to rule out any damage to the hip. You cant keep self medicating

Can you afford to go to a private physio? If so, ask for recommendations. A good one is worth their weight in gold. Better to get a proper diagnosis and take it from there rather than do something which might cause further harm.

I had hip pain on a night when I had sciatica.

If I lay on that side, I had to roll my pelvis forward so that the opposite knee was touching the bed iyswim. Trying to lay in the usual side position created awful pressure pain. Even my husband lightly resting his hand on my waist used to 'drag' my hips back and make me want to kill him

I agree with others, sounds like sciatica. Strategically placed pillows may help - experiment! I can’t have my knees touching in a flare.

I will try some extra pillows tonight and see if it helps thank you. Hadn’t thought of sciatica and will look that up and try those excercises. Thank you all

@Wrongsideofhistorymyarse

Could you be in peri menopause? My hip pain has disappeared since I started HRT.

Same here!

Possibly could be peri menopause. Sadly I can’t have HRT.

I have osteoarthritis in my hip and it’s worse at night. I sleep with a pillow between my knees and take a couple of cocodamol.

My hip pain was worse at night. Long story short, I had a hip replacement in October.

Go to your GP and get checked out. It was a long process to get to the operation (2 years) via physio, a steroid injection (which didn’t work) and a synvisc injection (also didn’t work).

Speak to your pharmacist about an OTC containing Naproxen. They’re usually in menstrual pain relief. My GP prescribed a stronger version with something added to counter potential stomach issues.

I would ask for MRI. For the muscles it can be nice to roller on a tennis ball or massage ball.

@doadeer I have been using a sports massager that my mums physio recommend For her but it has had no affect at all.
@PaperMonster my mum has osteoarthritis in her spine so I know how awful that can be.

@vestastilly thanks. Have actually been for a steroid injection in it today - although it’s not been so bad lately other than at bedtime!!

Sounds like osteoarthritis, an x-ray would confirm. If it's mainly on the outside of your hip it could be a condition called trochanteric bursitis

Hmm it’s looking like I may have to join the queue for a gp appointment next week to see what they think. I will try all of the tips as well to see if I can get a nights sleep!

Personally I would bypass the go and try a private osteopath if that was affordable.
I went once with neck pain which was discovered to be the result of bad posture, stemming from a knee injury.

Also worth looking at whether you have a Labral tear: it's the cartilage around the hip joint and if your walking action has been distorted because of the broken foot it may have damaged the cartilage: pain inside the joint on walking and worse at night. Needs a CAT scan but my physio referred me for that after treatment for sinovitis didn't work.

Could be trochanteric bursitis. A fluid filled sac near the hip joint. I have this on my hip. It's fine during the day but it's very painful at night. I can't lie on it.
I've had physio and steroid injections. Both have helped

I've been doing glute activation exercises. Apparently my piriformis is too tight which is the cause of the deep cramping pain at the heart of my hip/buttock. I need to strengthen the glutes to allow the piriformis to relax.

Have a look at piriformis Syndrom, see if it rings a bell.

Obviously I'm a hip pain sufferer, not a physio or other HCP!

I had the pain you describe - worse at night also. GP thought it was Trochanteric Bursitis

She recommended:

Ibuprofen gel 5% up to three times a day
Paracetamol 500mg @ 4 times a day.

I followed her recommendations and the pain went very quickly and - touch wood, has not returned

Mine was much improved by physio (private). He told me to request an x-ray too via gp.

Telephone call with my GP booked for Wednesday. I am lucky enough to have private med with DH job so hoping that might speed things up.

I wish people would stick to talking in facts rather than guessing.

It doesn't need any type of scan before it's been assessed by a competent orthopaedic hip surgeon, or potentially a specialist MSK physiotherapist or ESP.

There are clearly insufficient details in the OP to have even a half chance of making the correct diagnosis here.

See your GP, ask for a referral to the MSK service, or directly to orthopaedics depending on what the local referral pathways are.

@FixTheBone thank you for your advice. I have spoken to my gp on the telephone and I am seeing them face to face tomorrow. It was quite strange though as the GP asked me what I was hoping for? Erm I am hoping to walk without pain and be able to sleep!