Hip pain is a common reason for medical consultation among many patients. Young and old alike frequently turn to their doctor when their hip starts to hurt. The catch is that the hip is one of the most complex and deepest joints in the body. Bones, a capsule, cartilage, a multitude of ligaments and muscles: any of these elements, if damaged or not working properly, can cause pain, which is sometimes disabling.
To complicate matters further, conditions located away from the hip, such as back problems, sciatica, inguinal hernias, tumours or infections, can also cause pain in that area.
In other words, hip pain that is persistent or recurrent always calls for a visit to the doctor, as the key will be to identify its precise cause. The doctor will then take a detailed medical history and carry out a thorough clinical examination of the patient in order to lay the groundwork for the most accurate diagnosis possible.
The first step will therefore be to determine the exact location of the pain, whether it follows a mechanical pattern (linked to physical activity) or an inflammatory one (at night, on waking), any associated symptoms, and its impact on the patient's mood and daily activities. Depending on these findings, the doctor may also decide, to refine the diagnosis, to order an X-ray, which is the baseline examination capable of revealing a wide range of abnormalities, followed, if necessary, by a CT scan or an MRI.
By Charaf Abdessemed
