The hip is a large joint that connects the bones of the legs to the pelvis.

Pain from the hip joint can be caused by injury, arthritis or overuse. You may feel pain in the hip, buttock, leg or even low back.

A hip joint injection may help reduce pain.

You will have this procedure in the Northwestern Medicine Anesthesiology/Pain Medicine Clinic.

What to Expect During a Hip Injection

During the procedure:

• You will most likely lie flat on an X-ray table.
• Your physician will use a very fine needle to inject a small amount of local anesthetic into the skin over the joint. This can help reduce discomfort during the procedure.
• They will then insert a different needle into the hip joint using X-ray guidance.
• Once they place the needle into the joint, they will inject a small amount of numbing medicine (local anesthetic) and a steroid.

You will need to have someone drive you home after the procedure. You can return to normal activity the next day.

You may have pain relief almost immediately from the local anesthetic, but this may not last very long. The longer-term relief will come from the steroid, which can take several days to take effect.