Question
I have discomfort in my right hip. It is painful at night and now I am limping. I intend going to the doctor as soon as I can. Is it arthritis or disc trouble? It has been troubling me for 2-3 weeks but this week it has got worse.
Answer
I think you are right to see your GP. Your condition needs to be properly diagnosed. The problem could be in the hip or travelling to the hip from the lower back, a situation we refer to as referred pain. In other words the pain is travelling along a nerve pathway, away from the primary location of the problem. This usually happens with pressure on a nerve such as happens with a “slipped disc”. Arthritis of the hip is a possibility however there are other problems of the hip that do not involve bone damage. The capsule of the joint could be inflamed or there may be a problem in the muscles surrounding the hip joint.