Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi all
I've finally got a diagnosis for intermittent soreness around my new hip. It's nice to be able to give it a name and have some idea how to treat it.
I have got Ibuprofen gel for the time being, advised using ice and maybe a hydrocortisone injection into the bursa if it doesn't improve.
I would be interested in hearing from others who have had this and whether it ever went away. I can bear it if I have to, nothing like the pain before my RTHR, but it would be nice to know what the future holds. Doctor said it's not progressive so that's good news.
Cels Xx
1 like, 18 replies
william81563 CelsB
Posted
Cels,
I'm not sure my pain is the same as yours; but will tell you my symptoms and what I've tried. First, I've had both hips replaced, the left on 05/07/2012 and the second on 10/12/16. The first was the frontal and the second was the side approach. Both were successful; but have been plagued severe pain with hip (butt cheek), leg, ankle and foot virtually since the second surgery. Have had 2 operations on my L4/L5/S1 and one injection to eliminate a cyst and inject pain medication. I've still got the pain and am scheduled on the 28th of this month for another cyst neutralization and pain injection. ---Really hope this works. My pain seems to be triggered any sitting and gets better by standing and walking. My pain is pulsing electric shock originating in the hip (butt cheek) and running down the leg. I feel a knot in the cheek area where it starts and it hurts to touch it. I'll keep you informed and hope you will do the same. Bill in Texas
mike_NY william81563
Posted
Hi Bill, it's mike again , l have that pain , after my dislocation, obviously there not saying dislocation with you . The pain in the butt is the sciatic nerve going to foot , just like myself , Godbless you. Mike ny
CelsB william81563
Posted
Hi William,
Thanks for your reply. My hip replacement was 18 months ago.
My pain flares up and settles down but never goes away. At its worst it is painful when I walk (but I don't limp) and when getting up and sitting down. The pain radiates a little down my thigh and round into my butt cheek. The worst is the pressure when I sit or lie on it,. I can put my finger right on the centre of my pain, and it was this that allowed the doctor to make a diagnosis. Previously I was just sent off for blood tests and Xrays, told there was no infection and everything was where it should be, and sort of made to feel like a whinger. I have just been putting up with it for the last few months. The doctor today was great, I showed her where the pain was and described it, and straight away she said she thought she knew what it was but just wanted to examine me to confirm it. She had me lie down and bent my leg up and to the side - no pain - and told me it was GTPS.
Yours sounds similar, but worse, in fact it sounds a little like Sciatic Nerve pain but of course it could be a more severe version of GTPS.
Let me know how you do on 28th. I hope you get some relief. See if you can get some sort of diagnosis - it's great to be able to give it a name.
Cels Xx
mike_NY CelsB
Posted
CelsB mike_NY
Posted
Hi Mike,
So sorry to hear about your dislocation - that was always one of my worst fears. My doctor did say the gels were effective for GTPS because it's a 'surface pain' (my words) but not great for deeper pain. I have the gel because I am unable to take anti inflammatory tablets.
I hope you can get some answers and some relief. Sometimes you have to pester them before they take notice.
Cels Xx
mike_NY CelsB
Posted
Hi bill, you are right , sometimes l am so tired physically mentally , I'm pushing myself today having a rough one thank you Bill I wish you the best , l spent and lived in Tex as years ago , Good people there,
mike_NY CelsB
Posted
Hi CelsB, anything is worth a try , lm really hurting feel like lm falling through the cracks . I take pain Meds which hardly work strong ones , the pain is so bad lm becoming silent in a sense l feel like there's no hope at all . I want to thank you for your kind words , sometimes we need to say hey l cannot take this , and that takes energy and strength, l pray for a miracle for all of us, mike ny
CelsB mike_NY
Posted
Constant pain affects us in indescribable ways and pulls us down making us a different person.
I truly hope you get some relief and some answers soon.
Cels Xx
kylie37014 CelsB
Posted
Hi Celse,
I have had a pretty similar sounding pain around the greater trochanter which is worse if I sit or lie on it. For me, the pain is from inflammation rather than nerve pain. The pain started after developing a labral tear in the hip. My theory is that when the joint is not functioning as it should, your weight distribution on the hip is off and it puts pressure on areas like the greater trochanter. Since having my labrum repaired, the trochanter pain has become less but hasn't gone. The things that have helped have been icing it, getting lots of rest, and cortisone injections into the area. I had the bursa injected with cortisone but it didn't seem to help. So rather, the doctor asks me to point to the sore area and he injects it right there. Things that make the pain worse are movements where I have to strongly use my glute muscles - such as hiking up a hill. So for the time being, you may need more rest and to not overdo activities that put a lot of pressure on the hip. After my surgery I did a lot of resting and I think that that might have reduced a lot of the trochanter pain. It's great that you have now identified where the pain is and have a name for it. Best wishes, Kylie.
CelsB kylie37014
Posted
Hi Kylie,
Thanks for your reply. I am resting at the moment but recently have perhaps been overdoing it. I bowl (lawn bowls) and the outdoor season has now finished, giving me a chance to sit around and not do much - at least until the indoor season starts in a couple of weeks.
My symptoms sound exactly like yours. I will try icing again, thanks for that tip which I had forgotten. I will try to avoid the dreaded injections, but will see how it goes.
Take care, Cels Xx
AnnieK CelsB
Posted
I've had it in both thighs/hips since my THR two years ago. Here is that excellent article about it from here on Patient that I am always sharing. https://patient.info/health/greater-trochanteric-pain-syndrome
I got relief from some symptoms on my THR leg when I had a subsequent surgery to repair torn glutes. At the same time, the surgeon smoothed out my greater trochanter that eliminated the catching I was having. And he did a bursectomy. I still have symptoms, though, in both legs, and think I'll have them for the rest of my life. There is soreness over the greater trochanter area and pain that goes down the sides of my thighs. I'm 69, My sister, who is 67, has some of the symptoms, too, mainly the pain that goes down the side of the thigh.
According to the article, it is usually short-lived and gets better with rest. Sometimes it just goes on and on and is more difficult to treat.
CelsB AnnieK
Posted
Hi Annie,
We have met on here before
You were recovering and gave me great advice before and after my op. I hope I don't have to have any more surgery - my surgeon seemed very disinterested anyway and made me feel I was expecting too much.
The article you gave a link for is the one my doctor printed off for me. Seems like this trochanter is responsible for causing a lot of people a lot of pain. Shame on it!
I'm hoping with rest it will disappear eventually, the article says the in 90% of people it does so fingers crossed.
Take care and thanks for your reply, Cels Xx
renee01952 CelsB
Posted
Hello darling Cels
Great to see you back but so sorry for the pain you are experiencing ...
You are right ... it "feels" better when there is a name to your pain ...
I was diagnosed with trochanteric Pain Syndrome (Bursitis) in hip that was replaced first - my old new hip so to speak ... Painful, like you say ...I was 12 weeks post-op from 2nd THR and apparently over burdened the other one - Surgeon did not want to give me the cortisone injection yet and told me to wait for about 6 weeks - to take it easier with the exercises and rest ... I stopped going to my volunteer job for 3 weeks and it went away ... I am not so keen on those injections (had bad experience ) -
How are you doing otherwise? How is your walking/gait? On hindsight, mine was way too rigid and cramped - kept walking like Frankenstein's wife - not loose in the hips ...
Big warm hug
renee
CelsB renee01952
Posted
Renee! hello lovely
You were actually the first person I thought of when I got the diagnosis because I remember you having trochanteric bursitis. I sort of suspected my problem was the same or similar, but just kept being sent for blood tests and told there was no infection, Xrays and being told nothing was loose or dislocated, and then the surgeon said, "It will never feel like a 21 year old hip you know". It made me feel like I was just a whinger and was expecting too much. I don't want the injections - heard a few horror stories but will try them if it doesn't ease off on it's own.
Otherwise I'm fine. I walk normally (but not as far as I used to), life is back to normal with everything really, just this nagging pain when I sit on it, lie on it and with certain movements like getting up from a chair and sitting down.
I do read here still, but usually have noting to add to the reams of good advice that is given.
Great to chat again and I hope you are well. Has your bursitis completely gone now?
Cels Xxx
renee01952 CelsB
Posted
it is gone - still tender when I push on it ... but why should I push it, right?
I am in some kind of different treatment since mid July and finally feel some improvement happening -
Lying on a bed where my movable parts exercise my muscles - they were so tight and short that normal PT was making it worse - and finally someone was/is paying attention to me - stayed with me and watched how my body/muscles were moving - no rushing or clock watching -
unfortunately the insurance does not cover this, but it is worth my money -
and deep muscle massage once a week - posture is so much better - pelvic straighter, and oooo, my legs - so slowly but surely getting there ..
Of course I expected to be done in 3 weeks ... not so - even I have to be patient - even more patient .
take good care of your self Cels,
angel blessings
CelsB renee01952
Posted
That's great news Renee
I feel like someone is paying attention to me now. The gel actually seems to be improving things and it's not quite so sore to lie on it. Fingers crossed it continues to improve.
You take care too. Will pop in from time to time, especially now our summer has gone and I'm not out so much.
Hugs Xx