I have been suffering from a very painful
condition affecting my inner hip (or
groin) area. I finally went to the
doctor two days ago. They took x-rays
however the doctor could not see any type
of fracture and he remarked that he wasn't
very good at detecting arthritis and
wanted to wait until the he got the
radiologist report before he would suggest
a diagnosis of arthritis as opposed to
bursitis. I was given a presciption for
naprosyn and sent home to wait for the
radiologist report in the mail.
I have been doing some research, trying to
find information about hip problems,
injuries, and conditions. I believe that
I discovered the name for this condition
that I have, except that I do not fall
into either of the two categories of
patients with this condition, however I am
experiencing every single symptom of this
condition. It is called, "transient
osteoporosis of the hip.
I am a 47 year old female who is not
pregnant and I am experiencing the
following symptoms which match this above
condition exactly:
1. Sudden onset of pain, typically in
the front of the thigh, the side of the
hip, the buttocks or the groin.
2. No previous accident or injury to the
joint that would trigger pain.
3. Limited motion; pain intensifies with
turning movements.
4. Pain intensifies with weight bearing
and may lessen with rest.
5. Pain gradually increases over a
period of weeks or month and may be so
intense that it is disabling.
6. A change in gait as the patient tries
to protect the joint and ease the pain.
The following is the only description I
can find about this condition:
"osteoporosis is generally a progressive
and painless condition. But one type of
osteoporosis is both reversible and
painful. Because it isn’t permanent and
is usually most obvious in the hip joint,
this condition is called transient
osteoporosis of the hip.
Who’s at risk?
Women in the late stages of pregnancy
(after the sixth month)
middle-aged men (between 40 and 70 years
old)
a diagnosis of transient osteoporosis of
the hip is usually made by eliminating
other possible causes of hip pain, such as
a muscle injury or stress fracture. Your
doctor will ask you whether you can
remember any injury to the joint. You may
also be asked to do certain
range-of-motion tests to replicate the
pain. Because x-rays may not show bone
loss until the condition is well-advanced,
your physician may request an mri
(magnetic resonance image) or bone scan to
confirm the diagnosis. If you are
pregnant, your physician may elect to
delay any imaging studies until the last
stages of your pregnancy, or even until
after the delivery.
Treatment
this condition generally resolves by
itself over 6 to 12 months. Treatment
focuses on preventing any damage while
bones are weakened by osteoporosis. If
you are pregnant, this condition increases
your risk of a hip fracture.
Your physician may prescribe a mild pain
reliever.
Using crutches, a cane, or other walking
aids will help relieve the stress of
weight bearing on the joint.
To help maintain strength and flexibility
in the muscles, your physician may also
recommend a series of flexibility and
range-of-motion exercises that you can do
as the pain subsides. Aquatic exercises
may be helpful not only because they ease
movement, but also because they relieve
weight bearing. "
why couldn't a middle aged woman, such as
myself, have this condition that
apparently is known only to affect middle
aged men or women in their third trimester
of pregnancy?
Again, the symptoms of this condition are
the exact symptoms I am experiencing.
How do I convince my doctor that I think I
have this medical condition?
Any input is appreciated.
thanks,
julie
