A Guide To Lower Back And Hip Pain
Millions of people suffer from lower back pain with hip pain each year. In many cases, this can be traced back to issues with your spine and posture.
From a herniated disc to pinched nerves and tight hip flexors, it can be a struggle to get answers!
Ready to get to the core of these pains? Parade Chiropractic has teamed up withPhysickle on a comprehensive guide that will help you understand your lumbar and hip pain.
For Your Convenience We’ve Divided These Causes Into Five Categories As Follows
- Low risk: This can be easily managed with over-the-counter medications or by avoiding the movement/stressor causing your pain.
- Low-medium risk: Usually managed as an outpatient by your doctor with prescription medication.
- Medium risk: May require a visit to your doctor or hospitalization. Prescription medication may be necessary.
- Medium-high risk: Hospitalization or urgent intervention. Although not life-threatening get help immediately of some kind.
- High risk: Serious and potentially lethal complications possible emergent intervention needed Intensive Care Unit care often needed.
Talk To Your Pharmacist/gp About Pain Relief
If your pain is having a significant impact on your day-to-day life, then it is important to get your pain under control. Conventional over-the-counter medications like paracetamol and ibuprofen can be extremely effective for joint pain when taken correctly. For further advice on how best to take these, you can always ask your local pharmacist who will be able to tailor advice to your situation. If you are finding that these medications are not giving you sufficient pain relief, then it would be appropriate to seek further advice from your GP, who may be able to prescribe an alternative.
Using ice to ease hot, swollen joints or heat for sore, stiff joints can also be extremely effective forms of pain relief.
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Know The Source Know The Solution: Treating Back Pain And Hip Pain
Once your pain is identified as truly originating in your hip or in your low back, your doctor will work with you to craft a treatment plan to address it. In many cases, this regimen will include medication to reduce inflammation and pain, and a specially designed physical therapy program to teach you movements, stretches, and physical activities to help alleviate symptoms and prevent them from returning. Depending on the nature of your pain, your doctor may also recommend lifestyle modifications to treat your pain. For both spine pain and hip pain, surgery is rarely necessary and viewed as a last-resort treatment option.
Jones HR, Burns TM, Aminoff MJ, Pomeroy SL. Pain. Chapter: Diagnosis of Low Back, Buttock, and Hip Pain. Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Spinal Cord and Peripheral Motor and Sensory Systems, Section 8, 201-224.
My Hip Hurts: Or Is It Back Pain? UPMC HealthBeat. https://share.upmc.com/2014/09/hip-hurts-back-pain/. Published September 8, 2014. Accessed July 8, 2019.
Nall R. What causes lower back and hip pain? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325433.php. Last reviewed June 10, 2019. Accessed July 8, 2019.
Oh, My Aching Back Or Is It My Hip? Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/oh-my-aching-back-or-is-it-my-hip/. Published August 25, 2015. Accessed July 8, 2019.
Management Solutions Based On Risk
The treatment and management solutions for chronic unilateral pain usually depend on the cause of the pain. It also depends on the intensity, extent, and severity of the pain. Based on the level of risk the condition has on your overall health, the pain management strategies recommended by a doctor can vary.
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Gluteal Muscle Tear Or Avulsion
The gluteus medius is a muscle that sits on the outside of the hip area. This muscle is used for standing upright and walking. When injured, these muscles will cause a limp. If these muscles are torn, it can cause severe pain when walking, sitting, or sleeping. Treatment usually involves rest, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery to repair the torn muscle, if no other treatments bring relief from pain.
What Is Your Opinion On Acupuncture If Surgery Is Not An Option
Back pain often has low success rates when it comes to surgery compared to buttocks pain that has high success rates. So if surgery is not an option for you, I think the answer is yes try everything else.
Everything else can range from physical therapy to acupuncture to chiropractic care to stem cell therapy. I have had patients respond to every version of therapy, and I have had patients respond to none of these options.
I would absolutely recommend trying acupuncture to see how much relief that provides you.
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Osteoarthritis Of The Hip
Age-related degeneration of the hip joint can cause pain in the lower back and stiffness in the hip.
Hip osteoarthritis causes stiffness and a significant decrease in the hips range of motion. This change can cause the hip to incline forward, disrupting the curvature of the lower spine. The inward curvature of the lower spine may become more pronounced, sometimes causing the lower spinal discs to bulge or herniate.12,13
This condition may over time cause degeneration of the spinal joints too, resulting in a more advanced problem called hip-spine syndrome.
Learn more about Hip Osteoarthritis on Arthritis-health.com
This list is not exhaustive of all possible causes of lower back and hip pain. If you experience pain and/or stiffness in your lower back and hip that does not resolve with self-care and affects your daily activities, talk to your doctor. A doctor can accurately diagnose the cause of your lower back problem and formulate a treatment plan for the underlying condition.
How To Tell The Difference Between Lower Back And Hip Pain
Approximately 80-90% of Americans struggle with back or hip pain at some point in their life. Many people struggle specifically with hip pain at night and wonder, Why do my hips hurt when I sleep? In fact, this kind of pain is the second most common reason for missing work aside from the common cold. At SPORT Orthopedics + Rehabilitation, we want to make sure you dont miss work just from being in pain. Call us today at and well get you back to your pain-free life.
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Relieving Hip Pain By Focusing On The Lower Back
When hip pain hit Stephen Rosen, PhD, an 87-year-old expert in cosmic radiation and nuclear astrophysics, he turned to Edward Adler, MD, Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Downtown and Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Adler performed an orthopedic physical examination, updated hip X-rays, and reviewed prior lumbar spine imaging, which indicated that Dr. Rosens hip and buttocks pain was actually coming from his lower back and not his hip joints. In October 2020, Dr. Adler ordered a new lumbar spine MRI and referred the patient to Amir Mahajer, DO, FAOCPMR, Assistant Professor of Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Mahajer specializes in Interventional Spine and Sports Medicine.
Dr. Mahajer approached Dr. Rosen by focusing on his background as a scientist. Dr. Mahajer was the first one who really talked to me about science, says Dr. Rosen. I know a little about the lower back from my own research, but Dr. Mahajer really knew how to explain it to me and tell me everything I needed to know. Dr. Rosen had already attempted conservative care with a home exercise program and over-the-counter medications with minimal relief.
To read more patient stories, click here.
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To Relieve Hip Pain Try Thesefirst:
- See your primary care doctor. He or she will likely prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to see if hip pain improves.
- Lose weight. Shedding extra pounds is critical in relieving hip pain. Losing weight often reduces symptoms to the point where surgery is not necessary, says Dr. Murray. It also increases your chances of a successful outcome if surgery is one day warranted.
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When Should I See My Doctor
You should talk to your doctor or physiotherapist about your hip pain immediately if:
- the pain is sudden or intense
- the result of an injury or a fall
- you cant move your hip or leg
- you cant put weight on the affected leg
- you notice swelling or bleeding
- you notice any sign of an infection, like a fever
If your child has pain in the hip, talk to your doctor.
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What Could Cause Lower Back And Hip Pain On One Side
One-sided back or hip pain is a common issue. Sometimes one-sided pain can indicate a non-skeletal, non-spinal, or non-muscular issue.
The most common causes of lower back pain on one side are tissue injuries from trauma, muscle strain, arthritis, kidney stones, or a kidney infection. If your one-sided pain is stemming from a non-muscular or non-skeletal issue like kidney stones or a kidney infection you will likely have painful urination, nausea, vomiting, and a fever.
However, one-sided hip pain often indicates tendinitis, bursitis, or tight muscles.
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Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome describes pain that is felt along the outer hip area. Causes include sports injury, muscle tears, and injury due to motor vehicle accidents. The pain is caused by a combination of inflammation in two distinct areas: the bursa of the hip and pain in the buttock . Pain may also be caused by tendinitis of the hip abductor muscles. Symptoms of greater trochanteric pain syndrome include hip pain at night lying on side, dislocated hip symptoms, and hip muscle weakness. Hip pain relief can be sought through anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and stretches for hip pain.
How Chiropractic Works For Hip And Back Pain
After a close look at your hip joint, lumbar spine, and posture, an accurate diagnosis will empower you to move forward with your health.
Chiropractic care can address the root cause of your lower back and hip pain by correcting restrictions in the spine, switching off tense muscles, and reducing inflammation.
In addition, chiropractors often provide education on proper posture and exercises to help prevent future back and hip issues.
Our passion is the health and longevity of the families that call Adelaide home.
There are numerous causes for lower back and hip pain, but with proper diagnosis and treatment, you can find relief and get back to living your life comfortably!
To learn more about these issues and how to treat them, head to our bookings page here, or call us on to schedule an appointment at Parade Chiropractic to see if we can help.
Dr Jason
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For Back Pain Problems Try Thesefirst:
- See your care primary doctor, and stay active. He or she will likely prescribe NSAIDs for two weeks. Meanwhile, stay active. Activity can and should be continued. Prolonged bed rest is bad advice, says Dr. DeMicco.
- Schedule physical therapy if needed after two weeks. If youre still in pain after two weeks, a physical therapist can show you exercises that can strengthen the muscles supporting your spine as well as back-friendly maneuvers.
- Lose weight, and quit tobacco. Maintaining your ideal weight will take the pressure off your spine. Its important to avoid tobacco products too. Nicotine impedes microcirculation, so your spine will degenerate at a faster rate, says Dr. DeMicco.
If the source of your pain is difficult to pinpoint, seek help from a hip or spine specialist. The specialist may order an injection of lidocaine, or they may perform diagnostic/therapeutic hip injection under fluoroscopy or ultrasound.
If the problem is the hip,this will numb the hip joint and relieve symptoms immediately. If the paindoes not improve, we know were barking up the wrong tree, says Dr. Murray.The same technique can rule out or confirm back pain.
Move Of The Month: Seated Pretzel
Stretches the buttocks, hips, and outer thighs.
Reps: 24
Hold: 1030 seconds
Starting position: Sit up straight in a chair and rest your left ankle on your right thigh above your knee. Place your hands on your thighs.
Movement: Keeping your spine neutral, slowly hinge forward from your hips until you feel a stretch in your left hip and buttock. Hold. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat with your right ankle on your left knee. This is one rep.
Tips and techniques: Keep your spine neutral, not rounded, and your chest lifted as you lean forward. Keep your shoulders down and back, away from your ears, as you stretch. For a deeper stretch, gently press down with the hand on your bent leg.
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What Are Some Reasons That Back Pain Is Significantly Worse At Night Or In The Morning
Back pain is often perceived as one general term, but in my world back pain can mean a thousand different things. So your specific pathology will play a significant role in what time of day your pain is at its peak. I think the hormonal shifts that wakes us up in the morning and then makes us more tired by the end of the day contributes to inflammation.
If the pain is waking you up in the middle of the night, that is more of a red flag and should be assessed earlier.
Arthritis And Hip Pain
Spinal osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthritis of the spine.
Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage that lines the joints degenerates or breaks down. As this material stiffens or breaks down, the additional wear and tear on the bones can cause inflammation, bone spurs, and pain.
Spinal osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage and discs in the lower region of the spine degenerate and fail to perform their function of acting as cushions for the joints. This degeneration and increased pressure on the joints can lead to inflammation, pain, and possibly pressure on the lumbar nerves.
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When The Spine Is The Likely Culprit
Most lower spine problems are caused by a herniated disk that presses on nerves in the spinal column. This produces the pain known as sciatica, which can be felt in the hip. You may have a herniated disk if pain:
- Is limited to your back, buttocks or hip.
- Shoots down your leg.
- Worsens with sitting or bending.
- Improves when standing or walking.
If you have night sweats, ahistory of cancer, or pain that is not relieved by lying down ,see your doctor the problem may be more serious.
Some people develop whatDr. DeMicco calls a double whammy problems in both the hip and lower back.Its not surprising, since both osteoarthritis and spinal changes are morecommon with each passing decade, he explains.
What Are The Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of SI pain start in the lower back and buttock, and may radiate to the lower hip, groin or upper thigh. While the pain is usually one sided, it can occur on both sides. Patients may also experience numbness or tingling in the leg or a feeling of weakness in the leg.
Symptoms may worsen with sitting, standing, sleeping, walking or climbing stairs. Often the SI joint is painful sitting or sleeping on the affected side. Some people have difficulty riding in a car or standing, sitting or walking too long. Pain can be worse with transitional movements , standing on one leg or climbing stairs.
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Radiating Lower Back Pain Quiz
Take a quiz to find out what’s causing your pain.
Severe pain always gets your attention and keeps it there, making you wonder if there is something worrisome that is wrong.
Back pain and outer hip pain area can be especially troublesome, causing you pain when you move, walk, and even when you sleep. Sciatic nerve pain is especially troubling, causing pain in the butt literally and shooting pain in the leg that begins in the mid buttock and runs down the back of the leg down to the ankle.
We’ve put together a handy guide that will help you pinpoint the exact cause of your pain and know how seriousor mild, your condition is and to know if you need to get help immediately or see a doctor at your convenience.
If you are concerned that the cause of your radiating back/hip/leg pain might be something serious, check the more serious possible causes of your pain below to see what doctors say about when to worry about radiating hip and back pain.
You can also consult our handy back pain quiz, which will help you use your symptoms to diagnose possible causes for your pain.
When To See A Specialist For Lower Back Pain
If youre experiencing lower back pain thats not responding to rest and self-care, its time to consider seeing a spine specialist.
A spine specialist will likely perform a physical exam as well as one or more imaging scans to diagnose the root cause of your lower back pain. Depending on your diagnosis, he or she will then design a treatment plan aimed at alleviating your pain and preventing it from disrupting the everyday activities you enjoy, says Dr. Palmer.
Next Steps:
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What Is Sacroiliac Joint Pain
The SI joints are located between the iliac bones and the sacrum, connecting the spine to the hips. The two joints provide support and stability, and play a major role in absorbing impact when walking and lifting. From the back, the SI joints are located below the waist where two dimples are visible.
Strong ligaments and muscles support the SI joints. There is a very small amount of motion in the joint for normal body flexibility. As we age our bones become arthritic and ligaments stiffen. When the cartilage wears down, the bones may rub together causing pain . The SI joint is a synovial joint filled with fluid. This type of joint has free nerve endings that can cause chronic pain if the joint degenerates or does not move properly.
Sacroiliac joint pain ranges from mild to severe depending on the extent and cause of injury. Acute SI joint pain occurs suddenly and usually heals within several days to weeks. Chronic SI joint pain persists for more than three months it may be felt all the time or worsen with certain activities.
Other terms for SI joint pain include: SI joint dysfunction, SI joint syndrome, SI joint strain and SI joint inflammation.