Diagnosing Trochanteric Bursitis

Diagnosing trochanteric bursitis can be difficult as many conditions (iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), hip muscle strain, ligament sprains, etc.) have bursitis-like symptoms. Your doctor will need to perform a thorough assessment and possibly run tests to determine if your pain is caused by bursitis or by muscle or joint injury, local bleeding, synovitis, arthritis, tendonitis, cellulitis or a number of other conditions.

To begin with, your doctor will gather a medical history about you and your current condition and symptoms. You will discuss the intensity of your present pain, the duration of your symptoms, which movements are causing your pain, and the limitations you are experiencing. He/she will inquire about any recent activity or injury, when your pain started, and whether or not you have ever had treatments for this or a similar condition in the past.

A physical examination will be performed and your doctor will visually assess and palpate (feel) the bones and soft tissue around your sore hip and the opposite joint to evaluate symmetry and recognize differences. This will identify any abnormalities, such as mild or severe inflammation, bone deformities, atrophied muscles, redness and/or warmth on the skin.

You will generally be asked to complete a series of movements to measure your active (performed by you) and passive (performed by your examiner) range of motion. These will test any possible weaknesses, joint stability and location of tenderness.

In order to rule out other conditions your doctor may recommend blood tests, an x-ray or MRI to investigate your bone structure and/or to examine the soft tissues and fluid in your hip.

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Diagnostic Exams and Tests

Fluid Removal

Your doctor may aspirate (use a needle) to remove fluid from the bursa to check for possible staphylococcus epidermis (or staphylococcus aureus) bacterial infection. The knee and elbow tend to be the joints that are prone to septic (infectious) bursitis. If infection is detected you will be prescribed an antibiotic to treat it.

X-rays

X-rays will provide a two-dimensional image of the overall structure of your pelvis. Although bursitis cannot be diagnosed from an X-ray, they are helpful in identifying other possible causes of pain and/or ruling out other conditions.

Some other possible causes of pain that an x-ray can identify include instability, abnormal bone shapes (bone spurs or bone cysts), wear and tear on the joints, avulsion fractures (when a fragment of bone tears away from the main bone along with the muscle, tendon, or ligament as a result of trauma), dislocations, arthritis, calcium deposits in the bursa or joint, and/or other problems.

MRI and CT Scans

You doctor may also order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a CT (computed tomography) scan for more detailed information to help evaluate the soft tissues (bursa, muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and other connective tissues) in and around your hip joint. They will show fluid next to the muscle, and may identify bursitis, tendinitis, inflammation, tears and other associated conditions.

Diagnostic Ultrasound

Ultrasonography can confirm diagnosis and demonstrate tissue disruption or thickened tendons. It is good for identifying bursitis and excessive fluid in bursa, and/or eliminating other causes of pain.

If you have been diagnosed with trochanteric bursitis, please read through our Trochanteric Bursitis Treatments page. It is likely that you will notice a surprising change in your bursitis recovery if you choose to take conservative treatments seriously and treat yourself at home every single day. Almost all of our bursitis clients have experienced substantial benefits including significant pain reduction and a marked improvement in the range of motion in their hip. We of course guarantee that you will encounter the same benefit through our 60 day money-back return policy: if you use our products as instructed and do not experience improvement, return our product and we will give you your money back!

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During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort at the location of your soft tissue injury until the pain and inflammation settle. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!