Educational reference, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before changing what you take.Read more.

Condition

Hip osteoarthritis

Degenerative wear of the hip joint causing groin or buttock pain and stiffness, worse with weight-bearing.

See a clinician

Some causes of hip osteoarthritis need medical care, not self-treatment. Seek help for any of these:

  • Constant rest or night pain, or unexplained weight loss (rule out other causes)
  • Fever with hip pain (possible joint infection)
  • Sudden inability to bear weight, or a fall in an older/osteoporotic person (possible fracture)
  • Heavy steroid or alcohol use, or sickle-cell disease (risk of avascular necrosis)

What may help

Remedies studied for hip osteoarthritis, ranked by strength of evidence.

  • D
    Glucosamine sulfate supplement

    The dedicated hip trial found no benefit over placebo — glucosamine's (disputed) positive data are knee-only.

  • Turmeric (curcumin extract) herb

    Curcumin helps the knee, but it has not been studied specifically in hip OA.

First-line care is exercise, weight management, and physical therapy. Note the evidence here is honest and largely negative: the dedicated hip trial of glucosamine found no benefit, and curcumin — which helps the knee — has not been studied in the hip.