Medically Reviewed by David M. Woodbury, MD

Most of us try to avoid seeing the doctor as long as possible when it comes to aches and pains. But there does come a point when you should see the doctor. McLeod Orthopedic Specialist David Woodbury, MD describes what happens when you see a specialist for hip pain.

Here are highlights from Dr. Woodbury’s remarks:

In general, there are a lot of sources for hip pain. So the question is: “Do I have arthritis? If not, what is the cause of my hip pain?”

A proper exam starts with a good history being taken by your medical provider along with a physical examination. Some of the history questions that we ask are:

• How and when did the pain start?
• If you’ve had the pain before, how was it treated?
• What kinds of activities tend to aggravate the pain?
• What activities relieve the pain?

Always make sure your doctor does a good physical examination before telling you what your diagnosis is.

There’s usually tenderness to the touch to the hip. Weakness in the muscles. And pain with range of motion with the hip.

A good hip exam requires that you lie down on the table and be examined in the supine (flat) position to make an accurate diagnosis.

Certainly, X-rays are the most useful diagnostic tools for degenerative joint disease in the hip, particularly osteoarthritis. Yet, sometimes we need blood tests to rule out inflammatory arthritis or systemic inflammatory disease that can cause joint disease in the hip. CT Scans can occasionally be helpful if there is any evidence of lesions on your X-rays raising suspicions of other causes of pain in the hip or the pelvis. If the X-rays don’t tell the whole story, an MRI can help rule out osteonecrosis, which is a degenerative disorder of the bone itself.

So what does the typical X-ray look like? In a good joint, you should be able to see some clear space between the ball of the femoral head and the socket. On a bad joint, where the hip is degenerated and the bone is sclerotic, the bone is hardened and white. And there’s no more joint space left there.

You may also find these articles helpful:

The Direct Anterior Approach to Hip Joint Replacement

Reasons You Need a Total Joint Replacement

Total Hip Joint Replacement: The Basics You Need to Know

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