Hip pain

[LilRedWG]

I had pretty bad SPD when pregnant with DD, who is now 2.5 and have flare-ups every months for a week or so before and during my period, which I can cope with, but I now have a constant ache in my hip which is driving me crazy.

If I sit for too long I stiffen and hobble around like an old lady. It wakes me several times a night, no matter what position I'm in or how many pillows I have supporting my knees and back. The pain is right in the joint and is a constant burning type dull achy thing (technical terminology ;))

Is this a left over from my SPD or is it the onset of arthritis (my Mum is riddled with OA and RA and it terrifies me).

I'm seeing my GP in a month or so for a review of various things so will mention then, but just wondered if anyone has any wonder tips in the meantime.

Thanks.

it could be a combination of several things.
the SPD could still be lingering as tendons can take years to return to normal as they have no specific blood supply to help repair themselves. as your mum has OA and RA you may have a tendency to have it too.
oestrogen and calcium in women are linked too. it is why post menopausal women are more prone to osteo porosis as oestrogen protects calcium deposition and extraction and so that may explain the link with pain and periods.

the first thing you really need to do is go to your GP. ask for a blood calcium test and a generalised mineral test (serum 20 as you want the minerals in the serum rather than the red blood cells). a bone mineral scan would be of use but I bet your GP will be loathe to order one at the moment.
you should ask for a rhuematoid factor test and an ESR (sed rate) test. also for good measure a CPK and c reactive protein test.
I tend to reccommned taking a hyalauronic acid supplement for tendon and joint problems but would suggest you get tested first as if its a bone plate problem HA will have no effect. I would suggest you see your GP sooner rather than later as apart from painkillers theres not a lot else I can suggest without knowing what the cause is.

Thanks both. Am I correct in guessing you are a doctor Misi?

Herbie - I saw a surgeon over a year or so ago. He xrayed me, said no sepreation and discharged me, so don't think doc will go that way again.

no LilRedWG am a herbalist although I have studied modern medicine too. why I suggest what I did is to get the doc to follow a logical course. start with the simple stuff and it should give them an idea to follow. I liken it to planting a seed in the mind of modern practitioners!!
the tests will either show that overall there is little to worry about and all you need is to strengthen the tendons if they are still loose and weak. or it will show that further investigation is needed to look at possible OA and RA conditions. I would imagine that it is a combo of these two. it may be that the loose and weak tendons have caused some wearing damage to your hip joint as your hip is moving around too much in its socket (this is likely if the pain is only in one hip and not both). what I would hope to see is that the RF and ESR come back normal and your blood calcium is slightly elevated or slightly depleted which would be the best scenario regards to not having OA or RA!!

Thanks.