Telling The Difference Between Hip And Lower Back Pain

Second only to the common cold, the next reason Americans miss work is lower back and hip pain. 80 to 90% of people develop debilitating back or hip pain at some point in their life, so you are not alone. You know you hurt, but what is the source?

What’s The Problem?

When you have pain in your low back, hip, or other places in your lower body, finding the source isn’t always easy to pinpoint. The hips and spine are located so closely together it’s easy to mistake back pain for hip pain, and vice versa. It is vital that your doctor identifies the source, so you will get the appropriate treatment.

When The Hip Is The Source Of Your Pain

If you have groin pain, it is likely to be coming from the hip. The hip joint is located behind the groin causing the groin pain, and sometimes it radiates down to the knee. Osteoarthritis is the main cause of hip joint pain.

Other signs the hip is the source include the following:

• The pain is over or around the hip joint
• Pain in buttocks, front of thighs, and knees
• Limping when walking
• Reduced range of motion in hips
• Pain gets worse with activity
• Begins as occasional discomfort, but becomes more regular

Signs It’s Your Spine

Pain above the waistline that travels down your body typically means it’s a low back problem. Degenerative conditions that affect the lumbar spine are herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis. These conditions irritate your low back nerves causing pain that starts down your leg, similar to sciatica. In addition, you will develop weakness, numbness, and reduced range of motion.

Find Out The Source

Make an appointment with Tennessee Valley Pain for a thorough examination at our office in Huntsville, AL to discover where your pain is originating. Once that is determined, you will get an outline of all possible treatment options. Medications, therapy, and non-surgical treatments are always recommended first.

Contact Tennessee Valley Pain at (256) 265-7246 for relief if you have pain in the lower part of your body and not sure if the pain stems from your lower back or hip.

Categorised in: News

This post was written by Tennessee Valley Pain Consultants