Hip pain can result from injuries and disorders that directly affect the nerves that supply the hip region. For example, a herniated intervertebral disc can compress a spinal nerve. A condition called spinal stenosis involving a narrowing of the spinal canal can also put pressure on spinal nerves. This type of nerve impingement in this area commonly causes a type of pain called sciatica. Sciatica usually takes the form of a dull, aching pain in the hip area, the lower back, the buttocks and the backs of the legs. Sometimes, the pain of sciatica can be a more severe shooting pain.

The pain may get worse during the night or after certain activities, such as standing for a long time or sitting down for a long time. Some people with sciatica may have difficulty placing weight on the affected hip or walking some of the time. Pressure on a different nerve, called the lateral femoral nerve, can cause a similar type of nerve pain called meralgia paresthetica in a different location. Meralgia paresthetica affects the outer part of the thigh near the hip joint.

Bone tumors, whether cancerous or benign, may cause bone and joint pain around the hip joint. The symptoms and severity of the symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor. Some types of bone cancer may cause bone pain regardless of whether the tumor causes structural problems with the hip joint itself.

In rare cases, the blood supply to the head of the femur that rests in the hip joint socket may be cut off, and the bone may begin to die. This is called avascular necrosis of the femoral head. This condition presents with hip pain, especially when the patient tries to place weight on the affected joint and when they try to rotate the leg. Other conditions that can cause hip pain in some circumstances include infections, sickle cell anemia and chronic pain diseases like fibromyalgia. The symptoms of these conditions, besides the hip pain, are very different from the other conditions described in this article.