Hip Bursitis

[fishingnut]

I think I have seen a few comments regarding hip bursitis and wondered if this is common with PMR. Bursitis in my left hip became acute right after PMR hit me 17 months ago. But it settled down to just being a chronic annoyance, nothing too severe as long as I avoid sleeping on that side. Anyone else have this as well?

[Lever]

Very interesting! I had the same thing happen. Steroid shot for it. Then do maintenance icing it. Especially before bed helps. Hope you’re better soon!

[Lever]

Forgot to mention...don’t lay on the side with bursitis. Know it’s hard, but it will inflame it if you do. Hugs.

[KrisAnne51]

I had it both hips so sleeping was very difficult. I went to a physiotherapist, this was a few months before diagnosis with PMR, and I had stretch bad exercises for about 4 months which did the trick. I also had injections in both hips. One thing that stayed with me was the Physio said always stand with both legs and hips evenly weighted on the ground, never with one hip hanging if you get my meaning. I have done it ever since but occasionally catch myself doing it and stand correctly again. It will take a bit of time to get better so hang in there.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to KrisAnne51]

Quite right about the “hanging hip”!

I sometimes wonder if mothers carrying babies on one hip contributes to this sort of problem in later life!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

The worse side is definitely the one I carried the girls on.

[Yellowbluebell]

I had the pain in the groin that just wouldnt go away but a steroid injection under ultrasound seems to have done the trick. You should see your gp and see what he can offer in the way of treatment.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Bursitis of the hip and shoulder girdles is a common feature of PMR - it contributes to the stiffness. PMR mostly affects the soft tissues around the joints, not so much the joints themselves despite what you might read in some articles although it causes synovitis.

Mine in the hip joints was so bad I thought I needed a hip replacement! But it faded after about 6 months once I started pred. It returns occasionally and responds well to steroid injections once I can persuade someone to give me one.

Trochanteric bursitis can be felt over the hip bone on the outer aspect of your thigh, iliopsoas bursitis causes pain right up into the groin and both can cause either achey or sharp pain. Loads of doctors don't recognise it.

[Baileyw06]

Yes, I had two cortazone shots and maintain with bio freeze ice,and exercises my Doctor gave me.

[fishingnut]

Thank you everyone for your replies. It helps to know it is related to PMR - will follow up with exercising and cold therapy.

[Janstr]

I had hip bursitis in both hips post PMR symptoms, but pre diagnosis. I met someone who had cured her bursitis using very expensive custom made orthotics. I decided to try them for 3 months before having the recommended steroid injection, & have to say they were amazing as I stopped limping. The pain didn't totally go, but before my 3 months was up I was diagnosed with GCA & PMR & the pred dealt with all of the pain

[Lovebikes]

This is an old post but just came across it and really interested to see it. This is exactly how my PMR started. I made an appointment with the physio who diagnosed hip bursitis (which apparently is now called gluteal tendinopathy) and said it was typical in women of my age (54). My symptoms were textbook for the condition. I was given the appropriate exercises but had to scale them right back because it was too painful to do them. Then I started feeling like it was coming on the other hip as well. Before long it was the rest of the PMR symptoms with shoulders and neck. For me the steroids stopped the bursitis straight away though. I was meant to see the physio again, so phoned up to cancel, and she said great, keep in touch though because it often comes back as you wean off pred. We'll see. I'm on 9mg now and am making sure to do her exercises whilst it is pain free!

[Ebn49 in reply to Lovebikes]

That sounds like the exact situation I had! I could never work out why the 'gluteal tendinopathy' was in both hips, and the physio couldn't understand why the exercises she gave me seemed to be making things worse! Thankfully on my last visit to her, when I was in tears, she told me to see the GP. Although none of the doctors I then saw or spoke to picked it up as PMR. Luckily for me, my brother reminded me he'd had it, and it was only when I told the GP this that she agreed to a Pred trial. The rest is history as they say