Do you feel pain in your hip that either keeps you from falling asleep or wakes you during the night? Hip bursitis causes pain and tenderness that often gets worse when you try to sleep. The wrong mattress makes pain from hip bursitis worse, and the right one can provide much needed relief.
Understanding Bursitis of the Hip
Bursae are sacs full of fluid that cluster around your muscles, ligaments and supporting tissue to keep them from rubbing against the bone. Normally they provide a cushion, but bursitis makes them inflamed. This type of inflammation causes pain in the shoulders, knees, and elbows. When bursae are swollen in the hip, it is known as hip bursitis. Hips feel tender and swollen and are sometimes even warm to the touch.
Bursitis might last for a short period of time or it can be a chronic condition. When bursae first become inflamed, the pain usually feels sharp for several days then dulls to an ache. Many individuals say the worst pain is when they stand up from a seated position or get out of bed. It may fade away and then come back again, or flare up after an injury.
When inflammation is chronic, bursae thicken. Eventually people may experience weak muscles or restricted range of motion in the affected area. The following conditions might cause a person to have hip bursitis:
- Repeated stress or strain in the hip area
- Arthritis
- Hip injury
- Legs of differing lengths
- Bacterial infections
- Diabetes
- Spine malformations like scoliosis
- Bony growths in the hip area
Doctors recommend treating hip bursitis by resting the affected area as much as possible and may prescribe medication to reduce swelling. Maintaining a healthy body weight and engaging in range-of-motion activities can also help reduce pain.
Sleeping positions are important in reducing bursae inflammation. If your mattress places pressure on affected joints, it limits circulation and increases swelling. A mattress that relieves pressure points and evenly distributes weight becomes necessary not just to feeling rested, but to overall quality of life.
Other Hip Pain Causes
If your hips ache and your doctor has ruled out hip bursitis, there are other conditions that might be causing your pain. Ask your healthcare professional about the following:
- Arthritis – hip osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or septic arthritis cause pain in the groin, buttocks and hips. You may notice a grinding noise when you walk or feel your hip sometimes lock. Pain sometimes keeps you from falling asleep and may get worse after periods of rest.
- Tendonitis of the hip – Tendons are the tissue that connect muscle and bone. When that becomes inflamed, you may feel pain.
- Sciatic pain – With sciatic-piriformis syndrome, you might experience sensations anywhere from your lower back through your leg. Pain might be burning or throbbing.
- Pregnancy – As pregnancy progresses, the growing baby puts pressure on your whole body, especially your hips. Your lower body sinks deeper into the mattress and this can distort your spine and neck.
- Fibromyalgia – Trouble sleeping is one of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia. The disorder causes pain throughout the body that’s often worst in the hips.
The Mattress Connection
When you lie down, the heaviest parts of your body exert the most pressure on your mattress. Conventional mattresses allow those parts of the body to sink, and springs push back against skin. Where you feel pressure depends on how you sleep.
If you sleep on your side, one hip and shoulder press into the mattress. Your top knee slopes toward the bed, pulling your spine out of alignment. Because your hips and shoulders are heavier than the rest of your body, your head and feet may rest higher.
During the night, pressure builds where your body experiences it most and you eventually turn over to relieve pain. In addition, your lower back slumps down into the mattress below the ribcage, creating additional pressure on your hips.
If you sleep on your back, your hips and shoulders still sink. Your lower back and behind your knees sag, preventing your hips from staying in the correct position. In the morning when you wake up, joints, tendons and bursae that were already irritated are even worse.
Choosing a Mattress for Pain Relief
An Intellibed mattress relieves hip pain because it provides whole-body support. Our mattresses provide whole-body support to keep your spine in a straight line, and our exclusive Gel Matrix distributes weight evenly, so pressure doesn’t build on your hips and shoulders. Instead of waking up feeling worse, experience deep sleep that allows your body to heal from inflammation and wake up feeling refreshed. Contact us today to find out more.
