Synonyms in a broader sense
bursitis, trochanter major pain syndrome, hip tendonitis
Introduction
Inflammation of the greater trochanter can lead to the development of the so-called greater trochanter pain syndrome (general information can be found here: greater trochanter pain). This syndrome includes a variety of diseases in the lateral hip area. Inflammatory processes in this region can be caused by tears in the muscles (especially in the muscle gluteus medius or the muscle gluteus minimus), impairment of the bursae (bursae trochanterica) lying on the trochanter major or the so-called “fast hip”.
Patients suffering from inflammation of the greater trochanteric muscle usually notice severe, stabbing pain in the lateral hip region very early on. Depending on the extent of the disease, this pain can occur both at rest and under stress. In addition, the inflammatory processes can lead to significant overheating and/or swelling.
The natural range of motion of the hip joint is also visibly limited in a patient with inflammation of the greater trochanteric region. Diagnosis of inflammation of the greater trochanteric region includes examination of the clinical picture, side by side comparison of the hip joint and various imaging techniques. Depending on the underlying problem, appropriate treatment can only be initiated once the diagnosis has been completed.
Causes
Inflammation of the greater trochanter can be caused by various underlying diseases. The so-called bursitis is one of the most common causes of inflammation of the greater trochanteric area. A bursa is a movable structure that lies between two fixed joint parts.
In humans, bursae are found in every real joint. The main function of these structures is to distribute pressure evenly over the joint and to facilitate the sliding of cartilage and bone. The direct cause for the development of bursitis trochanterica is usually the penetration of bacterial pathogens.
However, these bacterial pathogens do not necessarily originate from the hip area: Bacteria located elsewhere in the body can also reach the bursae at the greater trochanter via the bloodstream. In addition, bursitis can also be caused by viral pathogens. A further cause of inflammation of the greater trochanter is inflammation of the tendon at the hip (technical term: trochanterendinosis). This term refers to a painful disease of the tendons in the area of the great trochanteric hill of the thigh bone (trochanter major). In most cases, these two inflammatory diseases of the greater trochanter do not occur independently of each other, but rather in combination.
