Help: Pro Tips for Trochanteric Bursitis

[jesse_the_k]

So all of a sudden my left hip is hurting like hell, and I can only toe-touch my left leg. The stinker is even sitting is painful.

Doc says trochanteric bursitis: rest (no pool for two weeks sob), naproxen sodium, heat--and those do dial the pain back to bearability. (Do I have a choice?)

Any suggestions on propping myself somehow so the hip doesn't hurt?

Comments

[breathedout]

Ugh my mom had bursitis in her shoulder and said it was unbelievably painful; I'm so sorry! And unfortunately I don't really have any helpful suggestions. Her doc prescribed hydrocodone but she said even that didn't touch the pain. :-(

[lilysea]

Ugh my mom had bursitis in her shoulder and said it was unbelievably painful

I've had shoulder bursitis.

It's not the *absolute* worst pain I've ever had [that was either hip-flexor spasms or expelling an IUD] but shoulder bursitis was bad enough to have me near-tears and Depressed for weeks.

Hip bursitis... ! :(

I have ALL the empathy and solidarity.

Thanks

[jesse_the_k]

...it definitely helps.

Also tea.

[jesse_the_k]

At the moment lidocaine patches & hot packs, plus you internet friends, are helping a lot.

[seascribble]

Just heat, no icing? I'm an SLP, not a doctor or PT, but -itis suggests inflammation and inflammation to me usually suggests icing would be helpful.

I hope you're back to normal soon. <3

Good question

[jesse_the_k]

...and I'll message my doc for an answer--thanks.

[adrian_turtle]

After a knee injury, a physiotherapist (the only physiotherapist who has ever done me any good. Most of them have made matters worse, though I saw them about different joints) told me ice was making muscle spasms more likely, and generally increasing the muscle tension that straining the knee. The ice was numbing enough to make it feel better for a little while, but it wasn't penetrating deep past the muscle to have much anti-inflammatory effect inside the joint. Heat relaxed the muscle, which was helpful.

I don't have any ideas to help with sitting comfortably, but if you lie on your side it can help to put a small pillow between your knees to keep your legs parallel. (Or a folded towel. Pillows these days tend to be huge.) And if you lie on your back, bend your knees (or prop them on a pillow). Positions that strain your lower back often strain your hips, too.

ETA: I do know something to protect hips while sitting. Footrest! Short legs often tilt forward so the feet can touch the floor. This puts a small but constant strain on the hips. Elevate your feet so your thighs are parallel to the floor.

[seascribble]

That makes sense about the muscles and the cold penetration!

And can confirm the edit, short legs benefit from being supported on a footrest while sitting.

you have perfect icon for it!

[jesse_the_k]

I've got props to put all my weight on the sit bones, and props for footrests, and I guess I'm becoming a prop master!

Re: you have perfect icon for it!

[seascribble]

Gritty says "90-90-90, baby!"

[lilysea]

My physiotherapist did manipulation and dry-needling to help treat my shoulder bursitis, and that helped reduce the pain and heal it faster - could a physiotherapist treat your hip bursitis?

[lilysea]

Also topical Voltaren Gel [diclofenac gel] helped my shoulder bursitis.

[mdlbear]

diclofenac gel is good stuff -- I had it for my trigger thumb.

Thanks...

[jesse_the_k]

I've got lidocaine patches on now and I'm seeing my hands-on wonderworker Wednesday.

The doc said he'd deploy PT if it doesn't get better with rest in two weeks, which seemed reasonable.

[adrian_turtle]

Oh yes! Topical NSAID like diclofenac can be helpful. Be careful with it, because it gets absorbed through the skin and cause systemic effects. If you're already taking NSAID pills, and you rub the diclofenac on a large body part (a shoulder or hip, not a finger), you could overdose.

I thought this was a ridiculous idea, but I can taste when I take too much naproxen. (I don't mean I taste the pill. I mean, an hour after I take a fourth pill, I taste something metallic.) When I was taking naproxen for migraine, I was prescribed diclofenac for my wrist. And one day I thought it would be a good idea to try it on my shoulder. Metal.

[wendelah1]

Can you request a referral to physical therapy for advice on splinting? If sitting causes pain, could there be something in how you sit that has contributed to the condition? A physical therapist is best qualified to make that assessment and suggest interventions.

Great idea

[jesse_the_k]

I've just messaged my wonderworker Heidi--she does hands-on stuff AND she's an OT.

[boxofdelights]

Do you sleep on your back or side? If you sleep on your side, do you use a pillow between your knees to keep the top hip in a neutral position?

Good thought

[jesse_the_k]

I switch around in the night, and I have a positive mountain of pillows I swap in to keep me neutralized.

[luzula]

Augh. I don't have any advice, but I am so sorry. *much sympathy*

[jesse_the_k]

Sympathy helps, thanks Luz.

[monanotlisa]

Ouch!

Physical therapy time? It's the best (well, that, and heapings of CBD).

[ismo]

I'm so sorry you're having this pain, but I greatly appreciate your posting about it! I've been having big problems with hip pain and assuming it was arthritis. It may be--but I'm going to try some of the remedies for bursitis and see if it helps. This has really cheered me up by giving me something new to try. Thanks for posting!

[bibliofile]

Hurry up Wednesday, Jesse needs to see Heidi!