Should I Go to the ER for Hip Pain?

When should you go to the ER for hip pain?

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if any of the following apply. These match the signs that Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus list as needing immediate care.

If you have fallen and cannot get up, stay still and call 911 instead of trying to walk it off. Paramedics can move you safely and keep the leg supported.

• A fall, after which you cannot stand or put weight on the leg
• The leg looks shorter than the other, is turned outward, or looks deformed
• You had a hip replacement and the hip suddenly pops, gives way and the leg will not move normally
• A hot, red, swollen hip with fever or chills
• Hip or back pain with numbness in the groin or inner thighs, new leg weakness, or trouble controlling your bladder or bowels
• Calf pain and swelling, or sudden shortness of breath or chest pain, in the weeks after hip surgery

Why are these situations true emergencies?

A broken hip is the most common reason. AAOS OrthoInfo reports that more than 300,000 people in the U.S. break a hip each year, mostly adults 65 and older after a household fall. With most hip fractures you cannot stand or bear weight, and the leg often looks shorter and rotated. Surgery within 24 to 48 hours may lower the risk of complications.

A replaced hip can dislocate, meaning the ball comes out of the socket. AAOS OrthoInfo notes that this is uncommon and most likely in the first few months after surgery, and that the hip can usually be put back in place without another operation. That needs to happen in an emergency department.

Fever with a hot, swollen joint can mean infection, which MedlinePlus warns can cause permanent joint damage if treatment is delayed. Numbness in the groin with bladder changes can signal cauda equina syndrome, a compressed nerve bundle in the low back. Cleveland Clinic advises going to the emergency room immediately for these symptoms. Blood clot warning signs after hip surgery also need same-day care.

Is urgent care a good option for hip pain?

Urgent care centers are excellent for colds, cuts and simple sprains, but they are rarely the right fit for hip joint problems. Many can take a basic X-ray, yet a possible hip fracture still needs a hospital, and most other hip pain needs an exam by someone who sees hips every day.

The usual result of an urgent care visit for hip pain is a prescription for pain medicine and advice to follow up with an orthopedic specialist. If your pain is not an emergency, going straight to a hip specialist saves you a step.

One exception is a minor fall in a younger, healthy adult who can walk with only mild pain. Urgent care can be a reasonable place to get a quick X-ray. If that X-ray is normal but groin pain persists, follow up with a specialist, because AAOS OrthoInfo notes that some fractures only show up on a CT or MRI.

When is a specialist visit within a few days the right move?

Most new hip pain falls into this group. It hurts, it may be getting in the way of sleep or exercise, but you can walk and there is no fever, deformity or nerve warning sign.

These problems deserve a real diagnosis, and an emergency department is not set up to give one for them. ER teams focus on ruling out dangerous causes, then send you home to follow up. A hip specialist can examine the joint, the tendons and the spine, review X-rays on the spot and start treatment the same day.

• Groin pain with walking, pivoting or getting out of a car
• Outer hip pain that is worse when lying on that side
• A new limp or pain with stairs
• Clicking or catching in the hip
• Pain that has lasted more than a week or two despite rest

What if my hip and back hurt at the same time?

Hip and back pain together are common and usually not an emergency. The lower spine often sends pain into the buttock and hip, and stiff, painful hips change how you walk and strain the back. Dr. Stride checks the spine at every hip exam for this reason.

The emergency signs are the nerve symptoms listed above: numbness in the groin or saddle area, new weakness in a leg or foot, or a change in bladder or bowel control. Without those, a specialist visit within days is usually the right step.

What should you do while you decide?

If you are unsure, err on the side of safety. A red flag means the emergency room, no matter the hour. If you do not have a red flag, rest the hip, use ice wrapped in a towel and take an over-the-counter pain reliever if it is safe for you, as Mayo Clinic suggests for minor hip pain.

Avoid driving with a painful right hip, and use a cane or crutches if walking is difficult. Write down when the pain started, what you were doing and which movements hurt most, since that history helps whoever sees you next.

Where can you get seen quickly for non-emergency hip pain?

For new hip pain that is not an emergency, the Saturday Hip Pain Clinic at Dr. Stride Hip & Joint in Memorial City runs from 8 AM to noon. It is built for people who would otherwise sit in an urgent care or ER waiting room for a problem that needs a hip specialist.

New patients are usually seen within the week. Bring any X-rays or MRI you have, and our team will examine your hip and back, order imaging if needed and walk you through a clear plan.

Questions patients ask