The hip joint is the largest weight-bearing joint in the body. It serves as a crucial connection point between the lower extremities and the trunk. When the hip joint experiences arthritis, injury, or mechanical stress, it can lead to hip, buttocks, leg, or low back pain. A hip joint injection can help alleviate pain and inflammation in the hip.
In This Article:
- What Are Hip Injections?
- Conditions Treated with Hip Joint Injections
- Corticosteroid Hip Injections
- How Long Do Hip Joint Injections Last?
- Novus Spine & Pain Center
- Hip Injection Resources
What Are Hip Injections?
A hip injection is a minimally invasive procedure that injects medicine into the joint where the leg joins the pelvis to help relieve pain in the hip joint. The type of medicine will vary based on the specific cause of the pain. In general, the injection consists of a time-release, numbing medication that helps reduce inflammation which may provide long-term pain relief. In addition to numbing medicines, other types of injections can help with hip joint pain management.
Hip injections can be helpful not only for pain management but as a diagnostic tool also. The injection can help confirm (or deny) that the hip joint is the source of pain. For example, if the patient experiences complete pain relief while the hip joint is numb, the joint is likely the source of the pain.
Conditions Treated with Hip Joint Injections
Hip injections can help with hip-related pain management caused by several conditions. Hip joint pain can result from overuse of the joint, an injury, or an inflammatory disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis).
The most common conditions causing hip pain include:
- Arthritis.
- Inflammation of the hip joint.
- Infection.
- A viral infection (such as mononucleosis).
- A herniated disc (sciatica).
- Bursitis.
- Congenital defects.
- Osteoporosis (the most common cause of hip pain in women over 50 years old).
- Poor diet, especially one low in protein.
- Obesity.
- Poor posture.
- Previous injuries.
Corticosteroid Hip Injections
The hip injection is a common procedure that can be performed in the doctor’s office under local anesthesia. It involves injecting medication directly into the hip joint. The doctor uses fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray) to ensure proper injection placement and avoid nerve injury.
A corticosteroid (often called “steroids”) hip joint injection is commonly used to treat arthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis. Hip joint injections are also used in treating osteoarthritis, a condition that involves damage and degradation of the hip joints. It can also be beneficial for patients with hip pain caused by mechanical stress or a joint injury.
Corticosteroids are manufactured drugs that closely resemble cortisol, a hormone the adrenal glands produce naturally. These steroids are different from the male hormone-related steroid compounds that some athletes may abuse. The benefits are to help reduce joint inflammation, decrease pain, and help increase function.
Although it is an effective way to decrease pain and improve function, steroids generally do not cure the cause of the pain.
How Long Do Hip Joint Injections Last?
The amount of time the pain relief lasts from a hip injection is different for every patient. Sometimes there is pain relief for several months, after which the pain returns. The amount of pain relief depends upon various factors, including the type of pain and the amount of muscle relaxant used in the injection.
Novus Spine & Pain Center
Novus Spine & Pain Center is in Lakeland, Florida, and treats patients with chronic pain with numerous therapies, including hip injections. By using a comprehensive approach and cutting edge therapies, we work together with patients to restore function and regain an active lifestyle while minimizing the need for opiates.
For your convenience, you may schedule an appointment online, request a call back, or call our office at 863-583-4445.
Hip Injection Resources
Hip Joint Injections for Pain Relief (Spine-Health)
Cortisone shots (Mayo Clinic)
Joint Injections and Aspirations (Cedars Sinai)
Lasting Improvements For Hip Treatment (University of Chicago Medicine)
Steroid Injections (Cleveland Clinic)
Therapeutic Injections for Osteoarthritis of the Hip (NYU Langone Health)
Iliopsoas Tendonitis and Snapping Hip (UC Sand Diego Health)
Hip Injection Image Gallery (Novus Spine & Pain Center)