Identifying And Treating Causes Of Hips Hurt When Sleeping

hip hurt

hip hurt

Mai Delacruz

Mai Delacruz
Personal Fitness Trainer & Health Coach

Updated on 5/27/2023

When you have a hip hurt when sleeping, it might feel like it will be impossible to obtain a decent night's sleep. There may be a technique to fall asleep more quickly and remain asleep for a more extended period, and it might have something to do with the posture you sleep in or underlying health concern. Continue reading to obtain information on how you might find relief from the hip discomfort that keeps you up all night.

Overview

Hip discomfort that occurs throughout the night may cause you to wake up during the night or may make it practically hard for you to go asleep in the first place. The discomfort may be related to how you sleep, but it might also have been brought on by something else. For instance, because you don't move around much when you sleep, your joints expand, which can cause stiffness and pain the following day. Keep reading to learn more about what might be causing the discomfort in your hip that wakes you up at night and how you can treat this symptom and get a better night's sleep. A variety of factors can cause nighttime hip discomfort.

hip hurt

hip hurt

Several different situations can bring on hip pain at night. The most typical ones are as follows:

  • Osteoarthritis Bursitis Bursitis (OA)
  • Syndrome of tendonitis, sciatica, and piriformis . In addition, it may be brought on by your sleeping posture, the quality of your mattress or pillows, or even being pregnant. It's also conceivable that you have another issue, like lower back discomfort, contributing to the pain in your hip. This type of discomfort is known as referred pain.

Positions While You Sleep

If you wake up in the middle of the night complaining of hip discomfort, it's possible that the manner you're sleeping or your mattress is to blame. A bed that is either too soft or too firm can cause pressure points to get irritated, which can result in a painful hip. Improper sleeping positions can also cause pain. If you sleep on your side, try sleeping on the side that doesn't hurt, and put a cushion between your knees to keep your hips straight while you sleep. If you sleep on your back, try sleeping on your back. If you sleep on your side, try sleeping on the side that doesn't pain.

hip hurt

hip hurt

Bursitis There are little sacs filled with fluid around your hip bone and other joints. These sacs cushion the joint when it moves. Bursae is the name given to these sacs. When these sacs become inflamed, a condition known as bursitis can develop.

The following are possible symptoms:

  • You're experiencing discomfort on the outer side of your hip and upper thigh.
  • Pain begins as a stabbing sensation, making you shriek when the affected area is touched and then progresses into a dull ache later on.
  • Pain that is worse at night when you lie down or sleep on the affected hip Pain that is worse when you get up after sitting for an extended period, which may worsen when you take a long walk, climb a lot of stairs, or squat for some time Pain that is worse when you squat for some time
  • Bursitis sufferers don't experience any discomfort when they are standing.
  • Osteoarthritis of the hip, in addition to Other Forms of Arthritis

Even though osteoarthritis (OA) is the most frequent form of hip arthritis, other forms of the condition can also produce discomfort in the hips when one is sleeping. These kinds could include things like:

Hip Dips

Hip Dips

  • Arthritis rheumatoid of the knee (RA)
  • Arthritis caused by psoriasis
  • Arthritis due to infection
  • You can experience the following symptoms if you have hip arthritis:
  • Pain in your groin
  • You may also be experiencing pain in your buttocks, thighs, or knees.
  • The pain was more severe when it was raining, first thing in the morning, or after I had been sitting or resting for a long.
  • Having discomfort in your hips prevents you from sleeping.
  • The discomfort is experienced when stopping, getting out of a chair, or going for a short stroll.
  • Crepitus refers to a grinding sound that occurs in conjunction with movement. Other symptoms include your hip locking up or sticking.
  • Tendonitis of the Hip
  • The attachment of muscles to a bone is done by tendons, which makes movement possible. Tendonitis of the hip occurs when there is inflammation of the tendon that is located in the hip. Hip tendonitis can cause a variety of symptoms, some of which include the following:
  • A persistent and dull aching in the groin is made worse when you climb stairs or stand up.
  • If your hamstring tendon is also irritated, you may have pain in your buttocks.
  • Syndrome of the Piriformis and the Sciatic Nerve

hip hurt

hip hurt

The tingling and numbness that characterize sciatic pain can go from the buttocks all the way down to the lower back, and in some cases, even farther down the leg into the foot. If you have the sciatic-piriformis syndrome, one of the symptoms you could experience when you're trying to get some shut-eye is a burning feeling in the calf. You could also have stabbing pain in your foot that jolts you up or keeps you awake all night long.

Pregnancy

pregnancy

pregnancy

During the third trimester of pregnancy, your spine and hips are subjected to additional pressure than they were before you became pregnant. Put on shoes with good arch support during the day, and if you've been sitting for a long time, be sure to get up and stretch every so often. This can help lower your risk for illnesses like sciatica, which can cause referred pain in certain people. At night, make sure you adhere to the recommendations provided before sleeping on your side. Another option is to roll up a blanket, place it behind your back, and lean into it as you sleep on your side. This will allow you to maintain your side position while sleeping. If you would instead not use a blanket, you can substitute one for a pillow instead. That may be helpful in providing further assistance when one is sleeping. A pregnant cushion is another option that could be helpful.

Managing Hip Pain At Night

hip hurt

hip hurt

When it comes to dealing with hip pain, there are many different pain treatment solutions accessible.

Immediate Relief

If hip discomfort keeps you awake at night, you can attempt one or more of the following to go back discomfort asleep:

Alter the position in which you sleep. Continue to try different things until you discover the posture that alleviates your discomfort the greatest.

Cushion your hip area by tucking pillows into a wedge shape and placing them there. If you don't have a cushion in the form of a wedge, you may make one by folding a regular pillow or a blanket into a wedge shape.

If you want to ease the strain on your hips as you sleep, try placing a cushion between your knees.

hip hurt

hip hurt

Place a cushion or more pillows beneath your knees. The discomfort caused by sciatic-piriformis syndrome may be relieved as a result of this.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), sometimes known as over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), and naproxen (Aleve), might be able to assist ease your discomfort.

Talk to your primary care physician about the NSAIDs that work best for you and how often you may safely take them. There is also the possibility that your physician will recommend topical NSAIDs, such as diclofenac gel (Solaraze, Voltaren). It's possible that heat or ice can assist ease your pain. Talk to your medical provider about which option is ideal for you. If the source of your discomfort is swelling, applying ice to the affected area may be more effective than other treatments since it helps reduce inflammation. Heat can be helpful in relieving the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, as well as muscular spasms. It would be best if you tried to avoid getting ice on your skin directly. Instead, wrap a towel over an ice pack and then lay it on your hip to provide relief. You can administer heat to the affected area by using a heating pad, a heating wrap, or a hot water bottle.

Long-term Relief

hip therapy

hip therapy

If you wake up with hip discomfort on a daily basis, you should probably look into ways to get the relief that lasts for longer. It is possible that you might think about purchasing a new mattress. People who suffer from hip bursitis may find that a bed that is overly firm causes them a great deal of discomfort. You could also find it helpful to lay a foam pad on top of your bed so that your weight is distributed more evenly.

In addition, your physician may discuss the following therapies with you:

  • Undergoing massage therapy regularly, seeing a physical therapist, or doing both
  • Elimination of fluid from inside the bursa
  • Surgical excision of the bursa with an arthroscope
  • Injections of steroids or cortisone into your bursa or hip joint may be helpful.
  • Injections of hyaluronic acid to lubricate your hip joint may be helpful.
  • Medications for arthritis, such as disease-modifying antirheumatic medications (also known as DMARDs) and biologics
  • Arthroscopy is a type of surgery that can be used to remove bone spurs or cartilage chips that are loose around the hip.
  • It was resurfacing of the hip to remove and replace bone that had been damaged in the hip socket.
  • Arthroplasty, or total hip replacement surgery, is another name for this procedure.

To Assist In The Prevention Of Hip Pain During The Night

hip hurt

hip hurt

If hip discomfort is keeping you awake at night, you should give the following a shot during the day and before going to bed:

Workouts With Little Or No Impact

Your discomfort may be reduced, and your quality of sleep may improve if you engage in a low-impact activity like walking, swimming, or exercising in water. It would help if you also considered trying out tai chi or yoga. You need to be active throughout the day and try to avoid sitting still for extended periods of time.

Stretching

hip hurt

hip hurt

You could try extending your hip in the morning in addition to doing low-impact exercises during the day. If the discomfort keeps you awake at night, you can stretch during the day or even in the middle of the night.

  • Get to your feet and, if you feel unbalanced, grab onto something for support.
  • It would be best if you tried to touch all of your toes while you had your legs crossed.
  • Maintain this position for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Alternate the way your legs are crossed, then do it again.
  • You might also attempt these exercises to assist ease the discomfort associated with hip bursitis, or you could try these exercises to help strengthen your hip flexors.

Sleep Hygiene

hip hurt

hip hurt

Maintaining healthy sleep habits might make it easier to get to sleep and remain asleep. Here are some valuable tips:

  • Maintain a consistent schedule for when you go to bed and when you get up each day.
  • Before you go to bed, make sure you do something to relax.
  • It is recommended that you take a warm bath one to two hours before going to bed in order to stimulate the release of endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers. The muscles that surround the sciatic nerve can also be relaxed with a warm bath. Be careful not to make the water excessively hot since this can cause your body temperature to rise, making it more difficult for you to get to sleep.
  • If you want to prevent waking up during the night due to being too hot, make sure that your room is dark and quiet and that the temperature is kept low.
  • Avoid using any electronic devices, including televisions, laptops, and cellphones, in the hours before going to bed.
  • Caffeine should not be consumed within the last 5 hours before going to bed. Find out how long it takes for the benefits of coffee to wear off and what you can do about it.
  •   It's possible that it will put you to sleep, but you'll probably be wide awake after only a few hours of fitful sleep.
  • Also, use caution while utilizing over-the-counter sleep aids. Over time, you will find that you require increasing dosages in order to fall asleep, and it may be difficult to break this habit.

When You Really Need To Visit The Doctor

hip hurt

hip hurt

Visit a medical professional if you find that the discomfort in your hip frequently prevents you from falling asleep or wakes you up during the night. They could feel your hip and look for any areas of soreness or edoema. Additionally, they will examine the range of motion in your hip in order to look for symptoms of arthritis and tendonitis. Arthritis is characterized by decreased range of motion. In order to rule out a variety of illnesses, they may also collect samples of blood or other fluids or request X-rays. If you suspect that your hip discomfort is the result of an accident, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible at an urgent care center or an emergency room (ER).

Additionally, get medical attention without delay if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • A joint that has a misshapen appearance.
  • and a lack of mobility in either the leg or the hip
  • Due to the pain in the hip, the individual is unable to put any weight on the affected leg.
  • You may have severe discomfort or a sudden increase in the size of your hip.
  • Symptoms of infection include high temperature, chills, redness, and others.

hip  hurt

hip hurt

Your hip hurt when sleeping may become more severe if you do not get an adequate amount of sleep; thus, it is essential that you collaborate with your physician to design a treatment plan. You may go a long way toward averting long, painful nights by making some alterations to your lifestyle, such as engaging in some light exercise and improving your sleep hygiene. These small changes can have a significant impact.

Collaborate with your healthcare provider to locate the most appropriate treatment for the issue that is causing you to have hip hurt when sleeping.