The Many Hidden Causes of Hip Pain

Having suffered from hip pain myself, I know how painful and frustrating it can be, but did you know that your diagnosis might be incorrect and that it may be possible for you to heal yourself? Chronic hip pain is typically diagnosed as one of three possible syndromes: bursitis, tendonalgia (also known as tendonitis,) or arthritis, all of which may be misdiagnoses for the actual origin of your pain.

Arthritis - arthritis can be either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis . Lots of people with hip pain are given a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (wear and tear on the joint, usually seen on an x-ray) and assume that they will be dealing with anti-inflammatory medication and pain for the rest of their lives. In many cases when pain is attributed to osteoarthritis the true cause is something entirely different. Yes, you may show average wear in your hip joint, but the pain may in fact be caused by tension myositis syndrome (TMS).

Bursitis - a bursa is a structure that protects underlying bone in areas of high pressure. Bursitis can affect the shoulder (subacromial bursitis,) or the hip, (trochanteric bursitis.) But in many patients bursitis is a misdiagnosis and the real cause is TMS related tendonitis.

Tendonitis - is a group of disorders attributed to a painful tendon inflamed due to overuse. In certain clinics, it has been found that tendonitis is caused not by overuse, but by a subconscious pain creating mechanism of our own minds called tension myositis syndrome (TMS).

TMS, or tension myositis syndrome, is a painful condition caused by our subconscious mind. It is incorrectly diagnosed by doctors as many other conditions, including; bursitis, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, pinched nerves, eczema, and ruptured discs, just to name a few. The pain caused by TMS is real, but the reason for the pain is not due to a physical abnormality and therefore can be easily healed. TMS is used by our subconscious to divert our attention from the even more painful emotions of anger and resentment.

Since it is unacceptable in most cultures to express anger and resentment we learn to hold it in. The amount of energy associated with negative emotions is quite great and your mind's way of dealing with this repressed negative energy is to 'put' it somewhere in your body, such as your hip, shoulder, low back, or neck. Your subconscious mind then creates a painful condition, such as tendonitis, by restricting the oxygen and blood flow to the area.

TMS is little known in most medical circles, so asking your doctor about it will most likely do you no good. For more information about TMS and to see whether it might be affecting you, look for Dr. John E. Sarno's book Healing Back Pain. In it, he describes in great detail how TMS manifests. I have used and perfected a number of mindbody healing techniques to heal myself from chronic neck, back, and hip pain and you can too.