Five Signs You Have a Hip Bursitis

The joints of your body have tiny little fluid-filled sacs around them, and these sacs help to cushion your joint bones as they move. Unfortunately, however, you can develop issues with these sacs called bursa sacs, but luckily an orthopedist can help. Wondering if you have bursitis in your hip joint in particular? Here are five signs to look for:

1. Pain

The number one sign that you may have a bursitis with your hip bursa sacs is pain. On your hips, you have two bursa sacs, one on the outside of your hip and one on the inside near your groin. Recurrent pain, which may be shooting or dull, may be a sign of a bursa. Even if it is not a bursitis, the pain may herald other joint issues which an orthopedic doctor can also help you address.

2. One-Sided Pain

If you have pain in both of your hips, that is likely a stress injury or another issue. Typically, people don't have a bursitis on both sides of their body. As a result, you want to look for one-sided pain on either your left or right hip. Only in very rare cases are you likely to have a bursitis on both sides that starts at the exact same time.

3. Exacerbated by Everything

The issue with a hip bursitis is that it can be a lose-lose situation. If you spend time lying on the side that hurts or if you spend a lot of time sitting, both of those activities can exacerbate the pain from your bursitis. Similarly, walking or doing other physical activity can also exacerbate the pain. If you notice the pain getting worse with both rest and exercise, contact an orthopedic surgeon, and as you wait for your appointment, try to limit the activities that exacerbate it the most. For example, lay on the side that doesn't seem to have a bursitis.  

4. Unexplained Redness or Swollenness

In addition to pain, you may notice some physical symptoms of a bursitis. In general, you may see redness or swollenness around the area. If you haven't had a fall or any other reason that would explain redness in that area, the issue may be a bursitis.

5. Fever

Unfortunately, in some cases, a bursitis may become infected. This is a condition called a septic bursitis, and it needs immediate emergency attention. If you have the symptoms above combined with a fever and feelings of nausea, you need to contact a doctor immediately.

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