When to Worry About Hip Pain With Avascular Necrosis of the Hip

Avascular necrosis affects the blood supply to the top of the thigh bone. Pain may begin with activity and later occur during rest, while stiffness can make walking, putting on shoes, or getting into a car harder. A steady increase in symptoms may signal progression or stress on the hip joint, but pain intensity alone cannot show how much the bone has changed. A clinician may use an examination and imaging to clarify the stage and guide treatment.

Arrange a review if pain is becoming more frequent, waking you, limiting ordinary walking, or no longer settling with the plan you were given. Reduce activities that clearly aggravate the hip and use any walking aid as instructed. Do not increase exercise load on your own while the cause of a change is unclear. Keep a brief record of pain, walking tolerance, stiffness, and medicines so the appointment focuses on meaningful changes.

Seek urgent medical help for sudden severe hip pain, a new inability to stand or walk, a fall or other injury, marked swelling, fever with a hot or painful joint, or new numbness or weakness in the leg. These features can indicate an acute problem that needs prompt examination. If symptoms are gradually worsening without those warning signs, contact the treating clinician soon rather than waiting for the next routine visit.

Ask what your imaging shows, whether the joint surface is changing, which activities are suitable now, and what level of pain or walking difficulty should trigger an earlier review. You can also ask whether you need an orthopaedic referral and how treatment choices may change if symptoms progress.