Deb,
Everything I have found on hip pain to this point leads me to the same conclusions that I am sure you, your son and your son's doctor have already discussed.
- Since he has "only" had this for a few months, and happens after sleeping a few hours, could it be as simple as him needing "realignment" during his sleep with a different pillow and/or mattress (or, mattress pad)?
- Many people feel excess stress in their shoulders, neck, back..and yes...even their hip. I have read numerous success stories that say the patient received relaxation therapy and stress management, and have felt great relief in their hip. They have achieved this with acupuncture, yoga (sorry...the yoga thing again!), mindful meditation, and other avenues. Even changing simple routines before bedtime could provide relief, as if he is stressed/tense before going to bed at night, this could contribute to poor sleeping.
- Other people have seen a physical therapist if they feel it is more muscular; a chiropractor can help "adjust" not only bones and ligaments, but the overall body
- Arthritis is a common cause for hip pain, usually seen in older patients, but it not out of the question for younger people as well.
- Overuse injury is the last possible scenario that I can come up with at this point, as it can take the body 6 months to fully heal. An "injury" does not have to be something traumatic, but just aggravating enough that he can not seem to get relief from the pulled muscle, tendon, ligament, etc. An overuse injury could also include a small fracture, but you mentioned his Xrays came out normal.
How do you feel about this information...anything new? Would your son be open to seeing an acupuncturist, chiropractor or other "CAM" (complementary and alternative medicine) practitioner?
Is his only trigger for hip pain sleeping for a few hours? Does he have any other triggers to the pain? If not, I would suggest altering the sleeping environment (including his routine before, during and after) to see if that provides relief. Something as simple as changing a pillow, adding a pillow between the knees to promote better sleeping posture, relaxation before bedtime, etc, could help.
Since he is 21, I'm not sure if he is living at home, in an apartment or other? I could also imagine that he may want to look at what he is doing that is repetitive..possibly before bedtime..that he may think is hip pain due to sleep, but is actually something he is doing before hand (sitting in one position at school/work/computer right before he sleeps/naps, for instance).
Does he experience any other joint, muscular or other pain? I am not sure if any dietary changes would help with pain that is specifically in one part of the body, and has only been occurring for a few months, but a Registered Dietitian is not out of the question, either, as possible health care professionals to talk with.
Lastly, there are a few common complaints with hip pain that include:
- IT band (iliotibial band) pain
- Sciatic nerve pain/inflammation
Has your doctor mentioned either of these (they have distinct symptoms and characteristics, so I assume these have already been ruled out).
Please let me know if any of these suggestions help, and we can continue finding possible solutions.
Comment Reply
Deb,
Everything I have found on hip pain to this point leads me to the same conclusions that I am sure you, your son and your son's doctor have already discussed.
- Since he has "only" had this for a few months, and happens after sleeping a few hours, could it be as simple as him needing "realignment" during his sleep with a different pillow and/or mattress (or, mattress pad)?
- Many people feel excess stress in their shoulders, neck, back..and yes...even their hip. I have read numerous success stories that say the patient received relaxation therapy and stress management, and have felt great relief in their hip. They have achieved this with acupuncture, yoga (sorry...the yoga thing again!), mindful meditation, and other avenues. Even changing simple routines before bedtime could provide relief, as if he is stressed/tense before going to bed at night, this could contribute to poor sleeping.
- Other people have seen a physical therapist if they feel it is more muscular; a chiropractor can help "adjust" not only bones and ligaments, but the overall body
- Arthritis is a common cause for hip pain, usually seen in older patients, but it not out of the question for younger people as well.
- Overuse injury is the last possible scenario that I can come up with at this point, as it can take the body 6 months to fully heal. An "injury" does not have to be something traumatic, but just aggravating enough that he can not seem to get relief from the pulled muscle, tendon, ligament, etc. An overuse injury could also include a small fracture, but you mentioned his Xrays came out normal.
How do you feel about this information...anything new? Would your son be open to seeing an acupuncturist, chiropractor or other "CAM" (complementary and alternative medicine) practitioner?
Is his only trigger for hip pain sleeping for a few hours? Does he have any other triggers to the pain? If not, I would suggest altering the sleeping environment (including his routine before, during and after) to see if that provides relief. Something as simple as changing a pillow, adding a pillow between the knees to promote better sleeping posture, relaxation before bedtime, etc, could help.
Since he is 21, I'm not sure if he is living at home, in an apartment or other? I could also imagine that he may want to look at what he is doing that is repetitive..possibly before bedtime..that he may think is hip pain due to sleep, but is actually something he is doing before hand (sitting in one position at school/work/computer right before he sleeps/naps, for instance).
Does he experience any other joint, muscular or other pain? I am not sure if any dietary changes would help with pain that is specifically in one part of the body, and has only been occurring for a few months, but a Registered Dietitian is not out of the question, either, as possible health care professionals to talk with.
Lastly, there are a few common complaints with hip pain that include:
- IT band (iliotibial band) pain
- Sciatic nerve pain/inflammation
Has your doctor mentioned either of these (they have distinct symptoms and characteristics, so I assume these have already been ruled out).
Please let me know if any of these suggestions help, and we can continue finding possible solutions.
January 17, 2010 - 7:51pmThis Comment
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