It can be difficult to get a sufficient amount of rest when you’re experiencing nighttime hip pain.
Discomfort throughout the night can be caused by a variety of factors, including positions, inadequate mattresses, and numerous illnesses. It may be difficult to get relief for hip pain at night, but determining the source is the first step toward addressing the condition.
Continue reading to learn more about nighttime hip discomfort, its causes, and how to deal with it so you can sleep better.
The Most Common Causes of Nighttime Hip Pain
During the day, hip discomfort is commonly caused by weight-bearing, excessive pressure, or movement. These factors are unimportant when we’re lying down or sleeping. Arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, and other disorders affecting the muscles, tendons, and ligaments are the most common causes of outer hip discomfort (both day and night).
It’s critical to receive a proper diagnosis as soon as possible.
When you have hip pain while lying down, putting off seeing a doctor or waiting for things to “sort themselves out” can make things worse.
The following are the most common causes of hip pain at night:
- Bursitis
- Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
- Tendonitis
- Syndrome of the sciatic nerve and piriformis
- Position for sleeping
- Mattress is uncomfortable
- Pregnancy
- Lower back injury
Bursitis
Bursitis occurs when the bursae, which are fluid-filled joint sacs, become inflamed, causing symptoms such as soreness on the outside of your hip and upper thigh.
The pain is usually severe.
Standing up, climbing stairs, taking lengthy walks, squatting, and putting weight on your leg during the night can all cause pain.
When lying on the hip, pain can sometimes get worse at night.
Arthritis & Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and septic arthritis are all examples of osteoarthritis and arthritis in the hip.
These keep you awake at night due to pain in the groin, thighs, knees, buttocks, and hips. It may intensify in wet conditions, after a lengthy period of sitting, or in the morning (stiffness).
Tendonitis
Tendonitis is a condition that affects the tendons that connect muscles to bones and allow movement. Hip tendonitis is an inflammation that produces pain in the groin and buttocks that is aggravated by stair climbing or other exercises. The agony could persist far into the evening or possibly the night.
Sciatic Nerve Syndrome
Sciatica discomfort can cause numbness and tingling in the lower back, buttocks, hip, legs, and feet, in addition to numbness and tingling in the legs and feet.
The sciatic-piriformis syndrome can create a burning sensation or throbbing pain in your leg and foot, in addition to hip discomfort or pain. Many people are awakened several times during the night.
Pregnancy
Side effects and discomfort are common among pregnant women. The additional weight will put more pressure on the spine and hips later in pregnancy, which can cause hip pain at night.
Stretching and altering sleeping positions are critical for alleviating hip pain and other discomforts.
Why Does Sleeping On The Side Cause Hip Pain?
Hip pain while sleeping on your side can be caused by something as simple as putting too much pressure on the hip joint. A bad sleeping position or a mattress that is either soft or too hard might cause pressure points and leave your hips hurting in the morning.
If you find that you’re experiencing hip pain from sleeping on your side, you probably sleep on your side more than on your back or chest, so try alternative poses or try putting a pillow between your knees.
The disorders we outlined before can also cause hip pain when you sleep on your side.
How to Lessen or Completely Eliminate Hip Pain While You Sleep
Many individuals question how to get rid of hip pain when sleeping, and there are a few things everyone can do to feel better and get a full night’s sleep without pain.
Pain relief right away
The hardest part is when the discomfort prevents you from sleeping or keeps you awake at night (sometimes even multiple times). In this instance, you require quick pain treatment in order to resume your sleep.
Here are some options:
- Sleep in a different position. The optimum posture to sleep in is on your back, but you should also try your chest and other positions.
- Invest in a pillow. When considering ways to relieve hip discomfort or hip impingement while sleeping, a pillow can be useful. Put it between your legs to keep your hips in a more natural position and relieve stress and strain. You can also use a wedge-shaped pillow or fold a blanket to reduce pressure on your hips.
- Use pain relievers. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are available over-the-counter and can help you sleep. Still, consult your doctor before self-medicating.
- Ice or heat can be used. Ice or heat can assist relieve pain and other symptoms if you’re suffering from edema, arthritis, or muscular spasms. To apply directly to your skin, use an ice pack or a heating pad.
Pain Alleviation that Lasts
While short-term and instant pain relief may be beneficial, if you’re experiencing hip discomfort while lying down, you’ll need long-term treatment to help you get rid of the pain permanently.
To begin, you may want to consider replacing your mattress or adding a pad to help with weight distribution.
Low-impact exercises such as swimming, yoga, or short treks might also help you relieve pain.
Stretching before bed and during the day will help you acquire flexibility and enhance your circulation. You can do it even if you’re at work by getting up and doing a few basic stretching exercises.
The butterfly stretch is simple; just sit your bottom on the ground, bend your knees, bring your feet’ soles together, and gradually let your knees fall out to the sides.
Other Treatments
Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about different treatments and therapies that may help you minimize discomfort in addition to stretches and other adjustments.
These procedures include:
- Receiving physical therapy treatment and experimenting with various modalities such as massages, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and so on.
- Resurfacing of the hip to replace damaged bone.
- Replacement of the whole hip joint (arthroplasty).
- Taking fluid out of the bursa.
- Remove the bursa with arthroscopic surgery.
- Injections of steroid, cortisone, and hyaluronic acid.
- Various medications for arthritis.
- Arthroscopy is used to remove loose cartilage or bone spurs.
Self-Care
It’s critical to discuss self-care while discussing how to relieve hip discomfort when sleeping.
- Eat a balanced diet, don’t sit too much, do at least some exercise every day, and limit or eliminate alcohol and caffeine usage.
- Maintain a sleep routine by getting up and going to bed at the same time each day.
- To improve your sleep quality, air out your room and lower the temperature.
- Distracting factors such as TVs, phones, computers, and outdoor noises should be avoided during sleeping.
- Relax your muscles and nerves by taking a warm bath a couple of hours before bedtime.
- Relax with a cup of herbal tea before bed, and avoid watching too much television.
When Should You See a Doctor?
While many of these therapies and tactics may help you lessen hip pain while sleeping and improve the quality of your sleep, if the pain persists or worsens, you should seek medical help.
If you have symptoms like difficulty moving your hip or leg, putting weight on the hip, acute and excruciating pain and swelling, fever, or redness, you should see a doctor.
Your doctor will examine you thoroughly, evaluate your range of motion, and check for indicators of diseases and illnesses such as arthritis.
Last Thoughts
Hip discomfort at night is inconvenient and has a negative impact on your life. Exhaustion can lead to additional problems, making you irritable and grumpy, and untreated hip problems can lead to even more problems.
If you’re not getting enough sleep, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about getting diagnosed. A proper treatment plan and lifestyle changes can make a tremendous difference once you’ve received your diagnosis.
Surgery, injections, various physical therapy techniques, and medicine may be used as treatments, but you should also focus on exercise, a good diet, a consistent sleeping regimen, and a comfortable mattress.
Don’t ignore or ignore your hip discomfort; seek treatment from a specialist as soon as possible to live a healthy, comfortable, and pain-free life. If you are living in the Asheville, NC area, you should make an appointment with 1on1 Physical Therapy today, to get rid of your discomfort immediately. (828) 785-8388
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