What Are the Causes of Burning Hip Pain?
Introduction
Your hip attaches your leg to your torso, and the head of your thigh bone swivels in the socket of your pelvic bones. While some pain can be associated with the joint of your hip bone, there are several structures around your hip that can also be the root of your problems with burning hip pain.
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Bursitis
Bursitis in your hip can occur when the bursae become inflamed, and can cause burning hip pain. They become inflamed due to a muscle strain or soft tissue injury. Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that lubricate the areas between tendons, muscles, and bones.
Sciatica
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Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve which runs through the piriformis muscle in the buttock becomes irritated. This can cause burning pain in the back of the hip.
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Iliotibial Band Syndrome
The Illiotibial band is the tendon that connects the hip to the knee joint in order to provide stability. Illiotibial Band Syndrome happens when this tendon becomes inflamed and causes a burning pain in the hip and or knee.
Osteoarthritis
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Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage between the ball of the hip joint and the socket is eroded and then bone rubs against bone. This causes burning pain in the hip any time you walk or move in such a way that you are using the hip joint.
Infective Arthritis
Infective arthritis happens when the hip joint becomes infected. This infection can in turn cause a burning painful sensation that feels very like osteoarthritis, but it is because of the infection rather than bone rubbing on bone due to deteriorated cartilage.
Chronic Infective Arthritis
Chronic Infective Arthritis occurs when there is a delay in treating an acute arthritis that destroys bone and cartilage. This type of arthritis is most common in children and can lead to permanent disability.
Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head
Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head occurs when the bone tissue at the head of the femur dies and loses its blood supply. The bone tissue then becomes weak and over time can collapse causing a burning pain in the hip.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures in the hip are not that common, but they do happen. A stress fracture is caused by repeated stress that is less than the amount of stress that would be needed to fracture the bone in one loading. This type of fracture is common in runners.
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References
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. (n.d.). Paget's Disease. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/pagets-disease-of-bone/
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. (n.d.) Metastatic Bone Disease. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/metastatic-bone-disease/
- American College of Rheumatology. (2019). Osteonecrosis. https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Osteonecrosis
- Ferguson JL, Turner SP. Bone Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment Principles. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Aug 15;98(4):205-13. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0815/p205.html
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. (n.d.). Paget's Disease.
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. (n.d.) Metastatic Bone Disease.
- American College of Rheumatology. (2019). Osteonecrosis.
- Cohen A, Drake MT. (2017). Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of osteomalacia. Snyder PJ, ed. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: UpToDate.
- Ferguson JL, Turner SP. Bone Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment Principles. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Aug 15;98(4):205-13.