Hip joint pain? Connection to vitamin D?

[Orchidflower]

I have been experiencing lots of hip joint pain these past few years. Having no idea what it is from, I asked a fellow swimmer and found out they have the exact same thing.
This person said she had been told by her physician it's due to a lack of vitamin D.
Naturally, I ran to the computer and clicked on to what foods have lots of vitamin D in them. When fish oil came up as the best source I wondered why my one gigantic pill of Omega-3 fish oil wasn't supplying enough vitamin D for me?
Anyone else have this problem? Anyone with any knowledge on this diagnosis? I'm stymied myself.
It makes sense on some level because living in the gray Midwest with little sun, more or less, for 7 months of the year here might cause a lack of vitamin D.

 

[haha]

I have been experiencing lots of hip joint pain these past few years. Having no idea what it is from, I asked a fellow swimmer and found out they have the exact same thing.
This person said she had been told by her physician it's due to a lack of vitamin D.
Naturally, I ran to the computer and clicked on to what foods have lots of vitamin D in them. When fish oil came up as the best source I wondered why my one gigantic pill of Omega-3 fish oil wasn't supplying enough vitamin D for me?
Anyone else have this problem? Anyone with any knowledge on this diagnosis? I'm stymied myself.
It makes sense on some level because living in the gray Midwest with little sun, more or less, for 7 months of the year here might cause a lack of vitamin D.

Osteoarthritis of the hip is not uncommon in older people. Maybe a trip to your Doc and even some x-rays would shed some light.

Ha

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Vit. D

Vit. D testing is the current hot thing to order with routine bloodwork. My gynecologist did this when he ordered bloodwork to test my hormone levels and thyroid. Everything was okay except for Vit. D, which was around 21. I am taking a supplement. Funny thing is, I think my calcium intake is pretty good and a lot of the things I eat are fortified with Vit. D. I had a bone density scan recently and it turned out very well...no signs of osteoporosis or even osteopenia. They say that getting 15 minutes of sunlight is good for Vit. D levels. I get this in the summer here, but of course not in the winter, except for the two weeks that I spend in FL over Christmas and New Years. From what I have read, low vitamin D levels are very common and mostly undiagnosed. I have not been having any bone or joint pain, but I understand this can be a symptom of a D deficiency. Of course, it can also be symptomatic of other things.

 

[bluescat]

This link provides a great deal of information on VIT D. Vitamin D Council | Understanding Vitamin D Cholecalciferol

 

[Meadbh]

Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common n northern climes (I take 1000 international units a day). It has recently been shown to be associated with a cancer, heart disease and MS. For Vitamin D deficiency to cause hip pain, you would probably need to have osteoporosis or an alteration in your serum calcium. Hip pain as a single symptom is much more likely to be associated with, well, something wrong with your hip.

If you live in a region where Vitamin D deficiency is common, especially if you don't get significant amounts of sunlight, I would suggest you start taking Vitamin D 1000-2000 international units daily. If you get plenty of sun, ask your MD to do a Vitamin D level. Either way, visit your MD and have him/her examine your hip.

Addendum: Just checked: Orchidflower lives in Illinois.
Take Vitamin D.

 

[Orchidflower]

That sounds like sensible advice to me, thanks.

 

[Amethyst]

I'd still see a Dr. and Physical Therapist, since the pain has been chronic. Even if there is a vitamin deficiency, you may need to do strengthening exercises for your hip, or another part of your body that affects the hip. Muscles can get into all kinds of wrong relationships with each other, even in a person who exercises regularly. (Ask me how I know )

 

[W2R]

I'd still see a Dr. and Physical Therapist, since the pain has been chronic. Even if there is a vitamin deficiency, you may need to do strengthening exercises for your hip, or another part of your body that affects the hip. Muscles can get into all kinds of wrong relationships with each other, even in a person who exercises regularly. (Ask me how I know )

I had some chronic hip joint pain for several years that went away when I joined a gym and started working out several times a week. What seemed to help the most was lots of time at the stretching station, believe it or not! Who would think that such a simple solution could take care of the problem (in my case).

 

[Orchidflower]

I kept having pain in both sides of my pelvis in the back (sorta inside my buns, if you get my drift). I started going to the pool and grabbing the sides (of the pool) and pulling myself out to stretch...and no more pain there. Just muscles that had shortened from...yup...sitting on my can too much, which is what got me into water aerobics and water jogging a few years ago. Worth the effort.
But this hip pain recently I think is from either not enough sunshine and Vitamin D or a cold in my system. Ahhh...don't we just love the nice, cold winter in Illinois..blah, boo and hiss!

 

[jupiter1031]

I had hip pain for years. Then I had a thrombosis in my left leg. It turned out to be unrelated to my hip pain but I saw a doctor. She suggested that I should see a specialist . I did. He suggested hip replacement. A month later I had surgery. One day after surgery I walked up and down the hospital halls and my wife said, my god I have not seen you standing straight like that in years! I am back to jogging, skiing and more.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I think bad hips run in my family. Mine bother me off and on, and I wonder if that is what wakes me up after 4 hours of sleep. I may try to stuff a pillow between my knees, but I toss and turn too much for that.

Aunt had hip replacement in her early 50s after years of complaining.

 

[Zoocat]

Occasionally I get hip pain after hiking a lot. I went to a massage therapist and had some manipulation done. The pain was alleviated immediately and I went hiking again that afternoon. Really, try massage therapy. And it would probably relieve your worry if you did get a hip bone scan. I've had one and it's extremely easy.

 

[Meadbh]

And it would probably relieve your worry if you did get a hip bone scan. I've had one and it's extremely easy.

I think it's very important to understand that getting tests willy nilly isn't good health care. "Hip bone scans" to me are nuclear medicine tests which involve radioactive material. They are good for certain situations, but not at all helpful in others. I am not an expert in hips, but I don't believe that a "hip bone scan" would be the first test that one would have in the investigation of pain in the hip area. it's really important to get the right test for the problem at hand. "Fishing" is very wasteful and often counterproductive.

Rich in Tampa would be better qualified to speak on this, though. After all, I'm just a baby doctor.

 

[Zoocat]

Meadbh, bone scans are common wellness procedures. The hip scan was prescribed by my GYN in 2001 as a baseline when I was 52. I agree that they shouldn't be prescribed "willy nilly."

 

[Meadbh]

Oldbabe, if you mean a bone density test, I agree. But not a nuclear medicine scan.

 

[haha]

Isn't the right view on a simple x-ray a pretty good candidate to say "there is evidence of joint narrowing (and maybe arthritis) or "We do not see evidence of joint narrowing".

Ha

 

[Orchidflower]

The easiest way to pinpoint exactly what causes hip pain seems to me to start with the simplest "cure", so I plan to start with the message therapy suggestion. Cheap, ez and safe.
Not cured yet? Go to the Dr. for photos of the hip then.
I have been hitting the jacuzzi at the gym, and that helps alot normally...but it comes back in a few days (darn it!). I guess this is what they mean by saying old age isn't for sissies.

 

[haha]

The easiest way to pinpoint exactly what causes hip pain seems to me to start with the simplest "cure", so I plan to start with the message therapy suggestion. Cheap, ez and safe.
Not cured yet? Go to the Dr. for photos of the hip then.
I have been hitting the jacuzzi at the gym, and that helps alot normally...but it comes back in a few days (darn it!). I guess this is what they mean by saying old age isn't for sissies.

I hope you have good luck.

Ha

 

[Orchidflower]

Thanks, haha. Always the gentleman.
FYI: I have a guy I swim with who's 70. Has run 5 miles 3X a week or more for years and years. He has no pains at all like the rest of us, and he feels it's due to all his running and bike riding (he rides for miles and miles and miles sometimes). Maybe that's what is needed for the pain: LOTS of muscle strengthening exercise.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Thanks, haha. Always the gentleman.
FYI: I have a guy I swim with who's 70. Has run 5 miles 3X a week or more for years and years. He has no pains at all like the rest of us, and he feels it's due to all his running and bike riding (he rides for miles and miles and miles sometimes). Maybe that's what is needed for the pain: LOTS of muscle strengthening exercise.

The guy probably conditioned his body for his whole life. It is used to the work. Probably a good idea for everyone to exercise from birth to death.

 

[Alan]

Thanks, haha. Always the gentleman.
FYI: I have a guy I swim with who's 70. Has run 5 miles 3X a week or more for years and years. He has no pains at all like the rest of us, and he feels it's due to all his running and bike riding (he rides for miles and miles and miles sometimes). Maybe that's what is needed for the pain: LOTS of muscle strengthening exercise.

DW had hip pain for a number of years - diagnosed as bursitis - and strengthening, flexing exercise definitely helped. A few years ago at age 50 she had a bone density scan to get a baseline and was told she had the early signs of osteowatsits and rather than consider medication she started lots of strength training to improve bone density. 4 years on and this has worked great AND the hip pain has pretty well disappeared. (bone scan this year showed normal for her age).

 

[Orchidflower]

Wow, I knew I would get bursitis in winter in Houston where winter is rainy and chilly at 32 degrees (32 degrees in Houston is different than 32 degrees in Chicago where it's dryer), but I didn't know you could get it in your hip. Maybe that's it...thanks for the insight.

 

[Alan]

Wow, I knew I would get bursitis in winter in Houston where winter is rainy and chilly at 32 degrees (32 degrees in Houston is different than 32 degrees in Chicago where it's dryer), but I didn't know you could get it in your hip. Maybe that's it...thanks for the insight.

You're welcome. It was DW's Doc that made the diagnosis, but if you want to read up on the symptoms to see if your symptoms are similar try looking here

Hip Bursitis Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Diagnosis on MedicineNet.com