There are several main causes of hip pain. Hip joint pain is most often felt in the groin area, with weight bearing activity, but can also refer pain to the buttock, low back and thigh. Patients will typically report pain with transitioning from sitting to standing, as well as walking. On exam, they exhibit reduced and painful range of motion of the hip. A plain x-ray is sufficient to observe narrowing of the hip joint, along with varying degrees of spur and bone cyst formation.

For the purpose of an injection in the hip joint, we believe that the pain is coming from degenerative joint disease. Also done under “real time” x-ray guidance, a needle is directed toward the hip joint, and once confirmed with contrast, a mixture of cortisone and anesthetic are injected. If pain is reduced be greater than 50%, especially with weight bearing activity such as standing and walking, this may indicate that the hip joint is indeed the source of pain. This is how a hip injection can be both diagnostic and as well as therapeutic.