What Causes Severe Hip Pain While Lying?

Posted on Fri, 11 Apr 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 11 Apr 2014 Answered on

Mon, 28 Apr 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I have severe hip pain when I lie on my left hip to the extent that I have to get off of it. The pain runs down the side into my knee and then crosses to run down the front of my shin bone. I can feel some swelling in my hip and have a muscle spasm at the top of my leg where it connects to the pelvis at times. If I kneel on the floor on that knee I also get the same severe pain in my knee and down my left shin bone. And it will come off and on during the day and night.

Answered by Dr. Mukesh Chugh (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Hip joint arthritis; get x-ray done Detailed Answer: Hello Thanks for writing After going through your suffering, the most likely cause seems to be the arthritis of left hip and knee joint. This may be confirmed by physical examination and x ray especially of hip joint. The pain going up to knee is called referred pain and it is because of disease in the hip joint. Any movement at hip causes increase in pain and to reduce the movement the muscles around hip go into spasm, the body’s protective mechanism. The left leg may be shorter because of collapse of femur head. This collapse may have occurred due to reduced blood supply to head of femur that is AVN (avascular necrosis). In the follow up query please send the x ray picture along with any blood report’s especially blood sugar level. My advice would be discussing the above said issues with your local doctor and get x ray done. To reduce pain you may take Aceclofenac along with Tab. Tums and muscle relaxant along with the following measures- 1. If the pain is severe, you need bed rest till the pain resolves. 2. While resting, keep a pillow under your knees if it doesn't bother you. 3. Avoid lifting heavy objects. 4. Avoid exercises in times of pain. 5. Improvise your posture while sitting. Physiotherapy helps in reducing the pain. I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query. Take care. Regards Dr.chugh, Orthopaedic surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Mukesh Chugh (34 minutes later)

I have been diagnosed in past several years with bursitis in that same knee(it was golf ball size) but subsided on it's own as I cannot take steroids(Cushings syndrome) or anti inflammatories(reason I haven't been to doc...can't really take anything). Can bursitis move into your hip from your knee??? Would Vitamin D or calcium help any of this??? One more question.....for the past two-three years, I also have a very very tender to touch spot on bone under left breast. I can follow it out with my fingers and two ribs in there are very tender to touch all the way out and going up under arm pit. I was diagnosed in my 20s with costochondritis there. Do you think that is what that is now or arthritis??????Rubbing coconut oil and saturating it into that area seems to diminish the pain until the coconut oil needs replenishing. Any more natural remedies you could suggest????

Answered by Dr. Mukesh Chugh (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: Chest pain need's further investigation Detailed Answer: Hi It’s good to see you. After going through your reply, bursitis is a localised inflammatory swelling and it does not spread .For the normal healthy bones Vitamin D and calcium beside other minerals are must. Keeping the age and medical history into consideration, it is must to find out the cause of tender rib beside the benign cause like arthritis and osteochondritis. You may get chest x ray and CT scan done by visiting a centre where it can be done. To reduce chest pain you may use rib belt along with hot water fomentation. This belt which has width of 4-5 inches encircles the chest like a ring, giving compression and minimising chest movement. You may use this belt up to 18-20 hours a day. Natural pain killer of use are- 1.Turmeric, green tea, ginger, XXXXXXX Out of these Turmeric is best. Look for turmeric in standardized capsules. 2.Fish oil –to have best effect take it along with turmeric or ginger. But first check with your doctor to be sure those combinations are safe for you. 3 Low dose of vitamin D. Hope this information suffices. Take care and I shall be glad to answer any further query. Regards Dr.chugh

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D