Acupuncture for Hip Pain
Acupuncture for Hip Pain
What is Hip Pain?
Hip pain means you feel discomfort in or around your hip joint. This joint is where your thigh bone connects to your pelvis, and it’s one of the biggest joints in your body. It helps you do everyday things like walking, sitting, standing, and staying balanced.
Since your hip does so much work and carries a lot of your body’s weight, you use it all the time. So if something’s not right with your hip, you’ll probably notice it when you move around – like getting up from a chair, going up stairs, or even just sitting for a while.
Common Conditions That Cause Hip Pain
There are a few medical conditions and physical issues that can cause or contribute to hip pain, especially in active individuals or older adults:
- Arthritis. Arthritis means your joints are swollen and stiff, and it’s a common reason for hip pain. The most common types are osteoarthritis (from wear and tear), rheumatoid arthritis (when your immune system attacks your joints), and ankylosing spondylitis (which affects your spine and hips).
- Bursitis. Bursitis is when small fluid-filled pads near your hip get inflamed. These pads usually help reduce friction, but when they get irritated, they can cause pain. It often happens in the front or outer part of your hip.
- Injuries. Hip injuries can come from doing the same movement over and over, playing sports, or having a fall or accident. Common ones include muscle strains (like pulling a hip flexor), problems with the IT band, labral tears, broken bones, or dislocations.
- Hip shape issues. Some people are born with hips that are shaped a bit differently. For example, hip impingement happens when the bones don’t move smoothly, and hip dysplasia means the hip socket is too shallow. These can cause pain when you’re young or later on.
Symptoms of Hip Pain
Hip pain can show up in a few different ways, depending on what’s causing it. You might feel an ache or sharp pain in your thigh, groin, buttocks, or right in the hip joint. Some people feel it on the inside or outside of the hip, and it may even spread from other parts of the body like the lower back or stomach area.
The pain can get worse when you’re active – like walking, running, or climbing stairs. And it usually eases up when you rest. If the joint becomes stiff, you may notice it’s harder to move your hip like you used to. In more serious cases, people may begin to limp or avoid putting weight on the leg because the pain becomes too much to handle.
Can Acupuncture Help With Hip Pain?
Acupuncture for hip pain can help by helping your body relax tight muscles, boost blood flow, and treat inflammation. During a session, very thin needles are placed into certain spots on your body – usually near the places that cause or contribute to your pain.
If your pain comes from something like sciatica, acupuncture may help calm down irritated nerves and take some pressure off the lower back and hip. For tendonitis, it may help by improving blood circulation to the area and bringing down swelling around the sore tendon.
If your pain is caused by bursitis, it can target the swollen fluid-filled sacs in the joint, which can help with pain and make it easier to move. In this case, acupuncture points for bursitis of the hip can help. And if arthritis is the issue, acupuncture for hip arthritis may help ease it by calming the muscles and improving how your joints move.
Stress can also make hip pain worse in some cases. Acupuncture may help with that too, by helping your body relax and making recovery a little easier. To treat these issues, your acupuncturist will target different acupuncture points for hip pain.
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Hip Pain
Acupuncture is a popular treatment that can help with hip pain in many ways, providing such benefits as:
- Helps with pain naturally. Acupuncture can trigger your body to release feel-good chemicals like endorphins, which help ease pain. This means less reliance on pain medications.
- Calms inflammation. A lot of hip pain comes from swelling in the joint, especially with things like arthritis or bursitis. Acupuncture for hip bursitis can help calm down that inflammation.
- Boosts blood circulation. The needles are placed in spots that help get your blood flowing better around the hip.
- Makes it easier to move. When pain and swelling go down, moving your hip becomes easier. Acupuncture can also relax tight muscles, so walking, stretching, or even sleeping might feel easier.
- Helps with pain from other spots. Sometimes hip pain actually comes from your lower back, legs, or other areas. Acupuncture can treat those spots too.
- Eases stress. Stress can make pain feel worse because it makes your muscles tighter. Acupuncture can calm you and make you feel better and more relaxed, lowering stress.
Key Acupuncture Points for Hip Pain
To help treat hip pain acupuncturists may use a wide variety of points across your body, some of the most popular points include:
- GB29 (Juliao). This point is right near the hip joint. It’s often used to ease muscles in the hip, lower back, and upper leg. It can also help you move easier.
- GB30 (Huantiao). Located on the buttock, this spot is one of the main points for hip pain and sciatica. It helps calm irritated nerves and gets better blood flow to the hip and leg.
- GB31 (Fengshi). This one is on the outer part of your thigh. It’s especially useful if your hip pain goes down the leg. It helps relax tight muscles and ease discomfort.
- BL54 (Zhibian). Close to the lower back, this point helps with pain that goes from the back to the hip. It’s used to relax muscles and help your hip move better.
- BL36 (Chengfu). On the back of your upper thigh, this point treats pain caused by muscle tension or irritated nerves in the hip and leg.
- Ashi points. Unlike other points these aren’t fixed. They’re the areas that feel sore or sensitive when pressed. Your acupuncturist finds them during your visit and may use them to focus directly on where you feel most pain.
Acupuncture for Hip Pain in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Clifton, NJ
If your hip has been bothering you – like from daily usage, past injuries, or chronic discomfort – acupuncture might be just what you need to start feeling better. At Pulse Acupuncture, located in both Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Clifton, NJ, Marina Doktorman, L.Ac., offers safe, gentle treatments that are designed to treat pain, ease stiffness, and help your body move better again.
Marina listens closely to what bothers you and creates a plan that is just right for you and your health. Each session is personal and focused on helping you feel better. If you’re in Clifton, NJ or Williamsburg, Brooklyn and you need a care you can trust, Pulse Acupuncture is a perfect place for you.
Why Pulse Acupuncture?
Experience
Marina Doktorman, L.Ac. has over 20 years of clinical experience.
RELAXATION
At Pulse Acupuncture, we aim to cultivate a spa-like environment.
Comfort
All of our needles are of the highest quality for painless insertion.
Patient Reviews
Marina is very accommodating, kind, and attentive, and her staff is a pleasure to deal with. I highly recommend Pulse.
Acupuncture has truly changed my life and has helped me in ways I didn’t even know were possible.
I started doing acupuncture to balance my hormones after 2 years of unsuccessful fertility treatments. When I started seeing Marina, my periods were starting to be regular and I was dealing with a few different symptoms which we started treating right away (constipation, random headaches, body aches)… in the last 3 years I have not been sick (no flu, have never tested positive for COVID) - Marina even treated me for allergies more than a year ago during an allergy episode in changing seasons.
Also want to mention Larissa as I started seeing her in Marina’s beautiful office and she’s also contributed to my wellness journey. Acupuncture is my favorite wellness practice, I see them regularly and have never felt better. I sometimes just tell them whatever I’m thinking/feeling knowing they will stick some needles in different places of my body and I come out floating and feeling so relaxed.
Excellent service- great results- highly recommended ~!
Marina is not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also very calming and has great bedside manners. If you're looking for a fantastic acupuncturist I can't recommend her enough!!
After 10 minutes of the procedure, you get into a different reality. Marina is knowledgeable, answers all the questions. After the procedure, the skin of the face glows, the body becomes lighter by a couple of pounds. I've been looking for such a procedure and state of mind for a long time.
I am beyond grateful to Marina, because after trying so many things, I almost lost hope. highly recommend Pulse Acupuncture and Marina for anyone seeking relief from pain or other health concerns.
The acupuncture sessions themselves are incredibly relaxing and therapeutic. Marina's gentle touch and precise needle placement always leave me feeling calm and rejuvenated. She also incorporates other techniques, such as cupping, which have been very beneficial for my overall health and wellbeing.
In addition to her skill as an acupuncturist, Marina is also a wonderful person to work with. She is warm, friendly, and genuinely cares about her clients' wellbeing. I always leave our sessions feeling refreshed and uplifted, both physically and mentally.
Overall, I highly recommend Pulse Acupuncture and Marina for anyone looking for high-quality acupuncture and personalized care. Thank you, Marina, for your exceptional service and dedication to helping others achieve optimal health!
Acupuncture for Hip Pain - FAQ
What is Acupuncture for Hip Pain?
Acupuncture for hip pain involves the insertion of ultra-thin, sterile needles into specific points along meridians (energy channels) related to the hip and lower back. By restoring balanced Qi (vital energy) flow, it helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and alleviate discomfort.
How Does Acupuncture Relieve Hip Pain?
Needle stimulation triggers the release of endorphins—your body’s natural painkillers—and encourages muscle relaxation around the hip joint. It also promotes blood flow to damaged tissues, accelerating healing and reducing stiffness.
Is Acupuncture Safe for Treating Hip Pain?
When performed by a licensed practitioner, acupuncture is extremely safe. We use single-use, disposable needles and follow strict hygiene protocols to minimize any risk of infection or bruising.
Are There Any Side Effects of Hip-focused Acupuncture?
Side effects are rare but can include mild bruising, slight soreness, or a brief lightheaded feeling immediately after needle removal. These typically resolve on their own within 24 hours.
Contact us
Acupuncture therapy at Pulse Acupuncture Practice, at Clifton, NJ and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC offers unique combination of various cupuncture types for healing on all levels: emotional, spiritual and physical by integrating ancient wisdom of energy healing with modern acupuncture techniques.