Hip arthritis

Norny

I have had bad dull ache pain in buttock area for 4 months. Went for physio etc and no improvement. Off work now as pain so bad walking with limp having to use a stick, can't get up stairs without leading with good side, getting in and out car difficult. Leg very weak, can't sleep on bad side. Had an mri scan, it showed had multi level spondylosis, stenosis L4&5 two bulging discs. It also showed high grade chondromalacia of both hips. The physio is saying the pain is referred from my back. Went to a consultant spine surgeon he said could be a bit of both hip and back. Getting a steroid injection in spine this week. My query is can you just have dull ache in buttock area and shooting pins down leg to knees with hip arthritis? The Gp has given me co codomol 15/30 and Ibuprofen. I am so fed up, am 58 and this has come as a shock as it is so debilitating.

noddingtonpete

Hello @Norny and welcome to the Community. We are friendly and supportive and I hope that will be your experience as well.

Have a look through the following to see if it sheds any light on it.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/back-pain/

Please let us know how you are getting on. I am sure others will have had similar experiences as well.

Best wishes

Peter

swimmer60

@Norny

Well, all I can say is I didn't. Primary pain, before it just got awful, was horrible pain in my groin and stiffness in my hip.

Norny

Thank you for coming back to me I am going to ask what grade it is when I go for injection this week. Seems to have deteriorated very quickly in so much pain. Hoping is my back rather than hip.

frogmorton

Best of luck with your injection @Norny

I very much hope it helps.

I must say so many people I have seen here over the years who have hip pain turns out to be their back or vice versa. Honestly I can't remember how many times.

Having said that it sounds as though you might have both by what the consultant said.

Take care

Toni x

Catfriend

In answer to Norny, I am 80, have arthritis in my right hip, confirmed by x-ray, which started as low back pain which then spread to buttock area and now I frequently get shooting pains down my thigh into my knee area. I rarely get actual groin pain. I find it hard to get in and out of cars, almost impossible to walk without a stick, preferably two, can only climb stairs leading with my 'good' leg, have difficulty sleeping on my side, even my 'good' side, as it leads to pain the other side after about ten minutes. I bought myself a rollator very recently, and find walking using that is much easier, although I have only been outside with it once as the weather has been so bad. I'm hoping to use it to build up strength and to go on the list for a hip replacement.

Norny

Thanks for your comments. I came on here to check what other people's symtoms where and to get advice on how to manage the symtoms, as I said the MRI showed a range of issues. Was not sure about getting an injection in my spine in case it is the hip. The consultant said it will be a process of elimation. If I dosent sort the pain may need to see a hip specialist, he is back and spine. I would have been quite active before walking, excercise bike etc. Afraid to do anything now incase it makes it worse. Walking any distance is so painful.

Norny

Had crotisone injection in spine L5 has made no difference with pain,so the pain must be coming from the arthritis in my hip. Going to ask GP to now refer me to a hip specialist. The meds I am on are dulling the pain but not taking it away. I am on ibuprofen, can't take naproxen. Also co codomol 15/200.

Is there any other pain relief which would be better? Are cortisone injection in hip long lasting? I can't walk now without a crutch.

Emmasknackeredjoints

@Norny the process of elimination is so long , im away to have hip steriod inj soon so i can let you know how it works for me if you like.

Ask for 30/500 cocodamol. Maybe something for nerve pain to. Your gp sounds little ridiculous on the pain ladder

Norny

Thanks for replying would be interested to know how you get on with your injection. Dr gave me 15/500s would not give me 30's said can be addictive have appointment this week going to ask for them. They gave me amtriptyline 10mg one per night.

Norny

Had crotisone injection in spine L5 has made no difference with pain,so the pain must be coming from the arthritis in my hip. Going to ask GP to now refer me to a hip specialist. The meds I am on are dulling the pain but not taking it away. I am on ibuprofen, can't take naproxen. Also co codomol 15/200.

Is there any other pain relief which would be better? Are cortisone injection in hip long lasting? I can't walk now without a crutch.

swimmer60

@Norny

I had a cortisone injection in my hip which did nothing at all as the deterioration had gone too far. I should've had an x-ray first which would've shown up the extent of the problem.

robertsj

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/718069#Comment_718069

I'm new on here.. but I have been reading your posts..I take a drug called etoricoxib.. I'm on 90mg with codeine 25mg 8 times a day, the pain is just dulled with these meds though unfortunately. I'm 58 and struggling to come to terms with how quick I've got to this stage.. its taken just under a year to go from moderate hip arthritis to advanced, with no cartridge to try and inject into... good luck at the doctors...

Norny

I am the same this pain started in January 23 lots of physio no improvements. Physio said couldn't be hip arthritis as good range of movement, had an xray and mri it showed that I had high grade chondromalacia in both hips but because I had bulging discs and spinal stenosis doc said to get spine injection first. I went to a back and spine consultant he said to try that first, as I said injection did not work. I would have thought with high grade chondromalicia that it would be hips. Going to ask GP to refer me to hip specialist. I had never heard of term chondromalacia!

Norny

Had crotisone injection in spine L5 has made no difference with pain,so the pain must be coming from the arthritis in my hip. Going to ask GP to now refer me to a hip specialist. The meds I am on are dulling the pain but not taking it away. I am on ibuprofen, can't take naproxen. Also co codomol 15/200.

Is there any other pain relief which would be better? Are cortisone injection in hip long lasting? I can't walk now without a crutch.

swimmer60

@robertsj

That's almost exactly what happened to me and others whose accounts I have read on here. The pain went from just about unmanageable to unbearable over two months and the x-ray showed that I too had no cartiledge..

Janlyn

@Norny as @swimmer60 says many of us on here have gone from manageable to unbearable pain in a short time. I really think you should talk to your GP about being referred to a hip specialist, it is so debilitating to live with constant pain.

Take care

Poppyjane

A belated welcome to @robertsj to the online community

We are so pleased to have your first post in support of @Norny . The onset of the disease often is rapid and extremely painful , it takes time to adjust both physically and mentally to changes that occur in our bodies. The support that we give each other in the community is very valuable in maintaining our morale as well as the exchange of useful information and tips on coping with the condition.

I don't know if you will have seen this link to pain management , you might find it helpful,

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/november/ways-to-help-manage-hip-pain/

There is a wide variety of chats and tips on the forum so do look round and join us again soon,

Best wishes

Poppyjane