The symptoms of hip arthritis can superficially resemble spinal pain or sciatica. Hip joint pain is typically felt in the buttock, groin, or even in the front of the thigh descending to the knee. A careful physical examination by your physician can usually distinguish hip arthritis from a spinal cause. A plain X-ray of the hip is usually performed to confirm the presence of arthritis. In some persons with both spine and hip disease, an X-ray-guided hip injection is helpful to pinpoint the primary source of the pain.

Answered by Daniel Mazanec, MD. Dr. Mazanec is the associate director for Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Spine Health and co-director for the Spine Medicine Fellowship Program. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, with a subspecialty in rheumatology.