Five ways to find relief from hip pain

Pain from areas around the hip and even inside the abdomen can show up as pain in the hip. So can problems with the spine or knees. When pain from one area shows up in another, that’s called “referred pain,” and a lot of hip pain is referred.

Here are some self-care measures you can use to relieve hip pain and guidelines about when you should seek medical care.

What you should do about hip pain

If it’s not from a fracture or a serious condition, most hip pain gets better with self-care. If the pain is not sudden or severe, try these steps:

• Rest and keep weight off your hip for a while. Avoid direct pressure on the hip such as bending, sitting or lying on that side.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve).
• Apply cold packs to the hip for periods of 15 minutes several times a day to reduce swelling and pain.
• Engage in low impact exercises like walking or swimming, stretching and resistance training to help with chronic hip pain. When you exercise, try a warm bath or shower to help the muscles stretch.
• Lose those extra pounds. Losing even 5 to 10 pounds can reduce hip stress and pain.

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When to see a doctor

If none of the self-care treatments above gives you relief, see a health care professional. A primary care doctor is a good place to start, since there are many problems that could be related to your pain. Your primary care doctor may be able to identify the cause of your pain. Or they can refer you to the kind of specialist most likely to help you.

You should see a doctor right away if you fall or your hip gives way suddenly and it hurts to move or stand on the leg – it might be a hip fracture. Pain that shoots down the leg might mean a ruptured disk in the spine. See your doctor if the pain is very bad or gets worse.

If you have any questions about joint pain, talk to your doctor. If pain remains chronic, pain management may be an option.

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