If you have pain in your hip, your doctor may inject medicine into your hip joint. It can help your doctor find where your pain is coming from. It can also make your hip feel better.
Overview
If you have pain in your hip, your doctor may inject medicine into your hip joint. It can help your doctor find where your pain is coming from. It can also make your hip feel better.
Preparation
To start, you lie on your back. Your skin is numbed. The doctor pushes a very small needle through this numbed skin and down to your hip joint. Ultrasound can be used to guide the needle. Or, a video x-ray device called a "fluoroscope" can be used. If so, the doctor will inject some contrast dye to help make sure the needle is in your joint.
Injection
Then, the medicine is injected. It bathes your joint. If your pain is coming from the joint, you may start feeling better quickly. The doctor may ask you questions about how your hip feels as the medicine starts to work. You may be asked to move your hip to see if it still hurts.
Conclusion
After the injection, you'll be watched closely for a brief time and then allowed to go home. Over the next few hours, you may notice that your hip feels a lot better. Over the next several days, the medicine can help reduce inflammation in your hip. This can give you even more relief. Your healthcare provider will give you tips to help you recover.