Hip pain can have several causes. Assessment comes before deciding whether acupuncture or another treatment is appropriate. Research on acupuncture for hip osteoarthritis is mixed, and benefits are not guaranteed. It should not delay medical evaluation. Read NCCIH’s evidence and safety review.
Pain around the hip or down a leg can arise from the back or nerves as well as the hip itself. Describe any numbness, tingling, weakness or injury to your clinician so the cause can be assessed.
Arthritis is one possible cause of hip pain and stiffness. The type of arthritis and the appropriate treatment require clinical assessment; symptoms alone are not enough to tell.
Bursitis can also cause pain around the hip. Persistent or worsening pain should be assessed rather than assumed to be bursitis or treated solely from information on this page.
Seek emergency care for severe hip pain after an injury, inability to walk or bear weight, or new loss of feeling after an injury. Sudden severe pain without injury, a hot swollen hip, or hip pain with fever needs urgent medical assessment. See NHS hip-pain guidance.
Treatment depends on the cause of hip pain. Discuss options with your medical clinician, including when specialist assessment is needed. Do not postpone recommended evaluation or surgery on the assumption that chiropractic care or acupuncture will prevent it.
