The diagnosis

The diagnosis of a pinched nerve at the hip is usually made by the general practitioner or orthopedic surgeon on the basis of the patient’s described complaints and a targeted examination of the hip joint and, if necessary, the back.The doctor will ask what exactly the symptoms are, how long they have existed, in which area they occur, whether there was a trigger and what aggravates or alleviates them. In most cases, a typical description of the symptoms is sufficient to make a diagnosis. The physical examination serves above all to rule out any indications of another cause of the complaints, for which further diagnosis and the initiation of a specific therapy may be indicated, such as hip joint arthrosis (wear and tear of the hip joint). If the results of the conversation and the examination suggest a pinching of a nerve at the hip as the cause of the complaints, further diagnostics such as blood sampling or imaging by means of X-ray or MRI is not advisable, as this would not result in any consequences for the patient.

The treatment

When treating a pinched nerve at the hip, the first question to be clarified is whether a cause is identifiable that has led to the development of the symptoms. If the patient has overstrained the hip joint, for example during weight training, a training break is the most obvious therapeutic measure. If the trigger was a belt or trousers that were too tightly worn, a change to additional clothing is the main treatment measure.

However, if the cause is not so clear, various measures can be taken to alleviate the symptoms and support recovery of the nerve. First of all, excessive stress should be avoided, but bed rest should not be observed. Short regular walks are recommended.

If the pain is so severe that movement is hardly possible, a light painkiller can be taken for a few days. If you suffer from discomfort due to the pinched nerve, especially at night, you can try to put a pillow under the hip so that a complete hip extension is avoided. In most cases, the complaints subside within a few days.

Otherwise, the doctor should be consulted. In addition to the acute therapy, a possible recurrence of the complaints should be counteracted early on. Overweight people are strongly advised to reduce their body weight, as this is the best way to prevent the recurrence of nerve entrapment at the hip. Besides it is in principle however in particular with humans with sedentary vocational activity important to be regularly physically active in order to prevent a nerve entrapment or other complaints of the movement apparatus too well it goes. Suitable activities include swimming, cycling or Nordic walking.