Fibromyalgia is a complex condition known for its widespread effects on the body. Those who live with it experience a range of symptoms, including aching joints, chronic fatigue, and cognitive difficulties often called “brain fog.”
While these symptoms tend to be low-grade and widespread, fibromyalgia can sometimes concentrate its impact on specific points in the body, leading to intense, localized discomfort. One of the most common areas for this focused pain is the hips.
Experiencing significant hip pain can be debilitating, but it’s important to understand the root cause before starting any treatment. If you have an official fibromyalgia diagnosis, the pain is likely a part of your condition. However, if you haven’t been diagnosed, persistent hip pain might point to a similar yet distinct condition that requires a completely different approach to treatment.
Treating hip pain with fibromyalgia
The underlying condition of fibromyalgia is central sensitization, a process by which the central nervous system’s signals become amplified, making you more sensitive to pain and more easily overstimulated.
This heightened sensitivity can make certain positions or movements, like sitting for long periods or lying on your side at night, almost unbearable, especially during a flare-up. The pain can feel deep within the joint, sharp, or like a constant, dull ache.
Because fibromyalgia is a systemic condition, treatment often involves a combination of approaches aimed at managing overall symptoms. Many people have found relief from joint pain, including hip pain, through prescription medication or a combination of methods such as:
- Low-impact exercise: Gentle movement is one of the most effective ways to manage fibromyalgia pain. Activities like swimming, water aerobics, yoga, tai chi, and walking can help improve flexibility, strengthen the muscles supporting the hip joint, and release endorphins, which are natural pain relievers.
- Heat and cold therapy: Applying heat can help relax sore muscles around the hip and improve blood flow. Conversely, using a cold pack can reduce inflammation and numb the area, providing temporary relief from sharp pain.
- Mindfulness and stress reduction: Stress is a major trigger for fibromyalgia flare-ups. Practices like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness can help calm the nervous system and reduce the perception of pain.
- Dry needling: Some individuals find that this acupuncture-like treatment helps alleviate fibromyalgia pain. Dry needling involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to alleviate trigger points of tension.
Other causes of hip pain
If you’re experiencing hip pain but haven’t received a clinical diagnosis for fibromyalgia, it’s possible that another condition is the cause. Having joint pain and fatigue at the same time doesn’t automatically mean it’s fibromyalgia; many other issues can cause similar symptoms, especially as we age.
Other common causes of hip pain that appears gradually and may overlap with symptoms of fatigue include:
- Arthritis: Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause significant hip pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursae—small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints—can cause sharp pain around the hip.
- Tendonitis: Inflammation or irritation of the tendons around the hip can lead to pain, especially with movement.
Polymyalgia rheumatica
One condition that is often confused with fibromyalgia is polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). PMR is an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle pain and stiffness, particularly in the shoulders, neck, and hips. Like fibromyalgia, it can cause fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell. However, there are key differences.
PMR typically affects adults over 50, and the pain and stiffness are usually worse in the morning. While fibromyalgia pain can be widespread and fluctuate, PMR pain is more consistently located in the major muscle groups. Most importantly, PMR is an inflammatory condition that responds well to a specific treatment plan, which is different from the “if it helps, it helps” approach used for self-treating fibromyalgia.
Treating polymyalgia hip pain
Unlike fibromyalgia, which is a condition of the nervous system, polymyalgia rheumatica is treated by addressing the underlying inflammation of your muscles and connective tissues.
The primary treatment for PMR is a low dose of corticosteroids, such as prednisone. Patients often experience rapid and significant relief from pain and stiffness within days of starting treatment.
In addition to medication, most doctors recommend physical therapy for helping to keep or improve strength, range of motion, and general mobility in the hips and any other affected joints.
Because the appropriate treatment for PMR is so different from that of fibromyalgia, getting an accurate diagnosis from a healthcare professional is essential. A doctor can use blood tests to check for inflammatory markers, which are typically elevated in PMR but normal in fibromyalgia, to help distinguish between the two.
Find relief at Continuum Wellness
Whether your hip pain is caused by fibromyalgia, polymyalgia, or some other chronic condition, you don’t have to navigate the discomfort alone. Living with chronic pain can be physically and emotionally draining, but finding the right support and treatment plan can make a world of difference.
The team at Continuum Wellness is dedicated to helping you find the root cause of your pain. We take a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment, working with primary care providers and specialists to ensure you’re making good progress toward your goals.
Start taking control of your discomfort by calling our clinic or requesting an appointment online today!