Is pain on the outside of your hip getting in the way of your usual day-to-day activities like walking, exercising or sleeping? If you answered yes, you are not alone.

It is estimated that 10-25% of people will experience tenderness on the outside of their hip and be diagnosed with a condition called greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS).

Hip Pain Treatments

These symptoms were traditionally thought to be caused by an inflamed bursa (or fluid-filled sac) and treated with a cortisone injection. The name of this condition changed, and subsequently the method of treatment, after finding that in most cases, injured hip muscles, not the bursa, are the culprit and that inflammation is often not the root cause of the pain.

Since cortisone injections target inflammation and can come with adverse side-effects, some patients wonder if there is a different way to combat their pain. For people seeking an alternative treatment to injections, trigger point dry needling could be the answer.

Dry Needling vs. Cortisone Injections

A 2017 study in the Journal of Orthopedic Sports Physical compared the effects of cortisone injections with dry needling in 50 patients diagnosed with GTPS. The findings of this study demonstrated similar results from dry needling as from a corticosteroid injection in these patients.

Both groups experienced decreased pain and improved ability to move and complete daily activities. Because the outcomes were similar, dry needling may be a good option for those worried about the potential risks and side effects of a steroid injection, or who want to try a lower-risk treatment.

Resolve Your Hip Pain with Professional Help

If you have been diagnosed with GTPS or are suffering from hip pain, physical therapy has evidence-based treatment options to help you recover. At SetPT, all of our therapists are trained to perform trigger-point dry needling.

Your therapist will be able to determine if dry needling could be a beneficial option for treating your hip pain after an initial evaluation. Contact us to learn more about the benefits of dry needling and to find out how physical therapy can help you get back to living life your way.

Originally published August 23, 2017, updated May 1, 2019.