Hip rhinitis, medically called “coxitis fugax”, is a sudden, non-bacterial inflammation of the hip joint that affects children in particular. The painful inflammation is caused by a joint effusion, i.e. an accumulation of fluid in the joint space. A hip effusion usually disappears after one to two weeks and does not leave any permanent damage. Thus, although it is painful, it is usually harmless.
Hip rhinitis in children
The exact cause of a hip rhinitis is not yet clearly known. However, in most cases it is preceded by a viral illness, such as a flu-like infection or tonsillitis. This connection could also explain the unusual name of the disease.
Hip rhinitis is one of the most common joint diseases in childhood and typically occurs in children between the ages of three and ten. Boys are up to four times more likely to be affected than girls. Adults can also suffer from hip rhinitis, but this is extremely rare. Why children in particular are affected has not yet been clearly explained.
Symptoms and duration of inflammation of the hip joint
The typical symptom of hip inflammation is hip pain. Most often, the pain occurs on one side; only in rare cases are both hip joints affected. The pain starts suddenly in the groin and may radiate from there to the front of the thigh or to the knee.
In contrast, fever is not a symptom of hip pain, which could rather indicate a bacterial joint inflammation. Such inflammation should be treated promptly by a physician.
The duration of a hip rhinitis is usually limited to 5 to 14 days. The inflammation usually occurs only once; only in rare cases does a child suffer from it more than once in his or her lifetime.
Diagnosis of hip rhinitis
Although hip rhinitis is not dangerous, the symptoms should still be taken seriously. A medical diagnosis and further observation are important to rule out at an early stage that behind the “benign” hip rhinitis a serious joint disease is hidden. In rare cases, diseases such as Perthes’ disease, Lyme disease or bacterial coxitis can also be behind the symptoms.
An ultrasound examination (sonography) can be used to confirm that the inflammation is indeed a hip rhinitis. Ultrasound can show the accumulation of fluid in the joint space of the hip joint.
In addition, X-ray, blood test and temperature measurement represent important measures to be able to diagnose other causes of the hip pain, if necessary.
Treatment: rest is the best medicine
As a rule, no specific therapy is required to combat hip rhinitis. The inflammation heals on its own within a few days and leaves no permanent damage.
In any case, the affected hip joint must be relieved and spared. For this purpose, it is advisable to keep the patient on bed rest for a few days and to relieve the joint by using walking aids when walking. However, children are not able to use crutches safely until they are about five to six years old. If the pain is severe, pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medications may also be prescribed as support.
