Osteoporosis Hip Pain

What is osteoporosis hip pain, and how is it treated?

Topic at a Glance

Osteoporosis weakens the bones and can lead to chronic hip pain, fractures, and difficulty with mobility.
Hip fractures are one of the most serious complications of osteoporosis and may result in long-term pain and loss of independence.
Transient osteoporosis of the hip is a temporary condition that causes sudden hip pain and difficulty with weight-bearing activities.
Treatment may include medication, physical therapy, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and activity modifications to reduce pain and fracture risk.

Osteoporosis Hip Pain

If you’re one of the 54 million Americans who have osteoporosis or low bone density, you have an increased risk of bone fractures and chronic pain.

Half of American women and a quarter of men over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. This widespread disease most often affects your hips, wrist, and spine.

Can Osteoporosis Cause Hip Pain?

Yes. Osteoporosis can affect the femoral head and the pelvic bones, comprising your hip joint. This can make movement and weight-bearing painful for this ball-and-socket joint.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent cause of hip pain and hip fractures. In fact, hip fractures are by far the most debilitating and painful of all osteoporosis-related breaks. Most people who have osteoporosis-related hip fractures live with chronic pain, a noticeable limp, and end up needing a walker or other walking aid to relieve weight-bearing.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes progressive bone loss. This is sometimes confused with osteopenia, which is characterized by low mineral density of the bones.

Osteoporosis develops gradually, and as you lose bone density, your bones become porous and weak, negatively affecting your bone health. The bone mass loss increases your fracture risk and can cause deformity and severe pain.

Your hip joints are vulnerable to age-related osteoporosis, which is sometimes called wear-and-tear arthritis.

What is Hip Transient Osteoporosis?

Despite sharing a similar name, transient osteoporosis is very different from age-related osteoporosis, which is often painless in its early stages.

Hip transient osteoporosis is a rare form of the disease that causes temporarily weakened bone in the upper part of the femur. It causes a sudden onset of pain that’s worse when you walk or participate in other weight-bearing activities. While gentle hip movements don’t trigger pain in the early stages of the disease, extreme motions cause pain from day one.

Transient osteoporosis is usually progressive, eventually causing debilitating hip pain and increasing your risk of hip fractures. The good news is that transient osteoporosis resolves within 6-12 months, your bone strength returns, and your painful symptoms gradually subside.

What Causes Osteoporosis of the Hip?

Your age and family history influence your risk of age-related osteoporosis. Additionally, a diet with insufficient calcium and vitamin D can contribute to your risk of the disease.

Medical conditions, including endocrine disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, kidney disease, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, are additional risk factors for osteoporosis.

Medical researchers haven’t found a specific cause for transient osteoporosis. Researchers think that the temporary bone loss could be due to the following reasons:

Problems with your blood vessels
Hormonal imbalances
Abnormal mechanical stresses

What Are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis of the Hip?

Age-related osteoporosis can develop for years without causing any symptoms. Often, the first sign of hip osteoporosis is a fracture in the hip bone from doing something as commonplace as leaning out of your car window to get a parking ticket. On the other hand, transient osteoporosis causes sudden and severe pain that intensifies with weight-bearing exercise, and your pain subsides with rest.

Transient osteoporosis symptoms intensify over weeks or months and eventually become debilitating. Patients often develop a noticeable limp and need a walking aid until their condition subsides.

Bone marrow edema is another sign of transient osteoporosis. Bone marrow is the spongy material inside the hollows of long bones that produces blood cells. Bone marrow edema occurs when this tissue is inflamed and full of fluid.

What Are the Treatment Options for Osteoporosis of the Hip?

The team of orthopedic surgeons at OrthoNeuro in Columbus, Ohio, provides thorough exams and testing, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, X-rays, and bone density scans to diagnose age-related and transient osteoporosis.

Common age-related osteoporosis may improve with estrogen hormone therapy, selective estrogen receptor modulators, calcitonin, and bisphosphonates. Your doctor could also prescribe calcium and vitamin D supplements, as well as dietary changes.

Physical therapy can help build strength and flexibility in the muscles supporting and stabilizing your hip. You may have weight-bearing restrictions if you have transient osteoporosis.

In this case, you may opt for water exercises and therapeutic movements with assistive devices. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help relieve pain.

Make an Appointment with an OrthoNeuro Hip Specialist Today!

If you have been suffering from symptoms of osteoporosis, hip pain, schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified orthopedic hip specialists at one of our convenient locations throughout Greater Columbus.

We will evaluate your unique lifestyle and goals to determine which type of treatment is best for you. Best of all, most patients can be seen within 24 hours of making an appointment.

Related Services

FAQs About Osteoporosis Hip Pain

Can osteoporosis cause hip pain?

Yes. Osteoporosis can weaken the bones of the hip joint, leading to pain, reduced mobility, and an increased risk of fractures.

What is transient osteoporosis of the hip?

Transient osteoporosis is a temporary condition that causes sudden hip pain and bone weakness in the upper femur. Symptoms often worsen with walking or weight-bearing activities but usually improve within 6–12 months.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis in the hip?

Symptoms may include hip pain, stiffness, difficulty walking, a limp, reduced mobility, or fractures that occur after minor injuries or falls.

How is osteoporosis of the hip diagnosed?

Doctors may use imaging tests such as X-rays, MRI scans, and bone density scans. They will also perform a physical examination and consider your medical history.

What treatments are available for osteoporosis hip pain?

Treatment options may include medications, calcium and vitamin D supplements, physical therapy, weight-bearing modifications, pain-relieving medications, and lifestyle changes to support bone health.

Hip Specialists

IF YOU HAVE SEVERE OR PERSISTENT HIP PAIN THAT INTERFERES WITH YOUR LIFE, CALL ORTHONEURO OR SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION ONLINE TODAY. OUR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE-ART DIAGNOSIS AND PERSONALIZED TREATMENT.