Does anyone else have hip pain/stiffness?

December 2009 I noticed that both hips were becoming arthritic as well as my UC lower left-sided dull pains were also occurring on the right lower side as well. Since UC and arthritis share the inflammation mode I assumed the inflammation was spreading.

My diet seems to have stopped all of the above, no hip or joint pains, no left or right sided pains in several months.
I have always done yoga stretching in the morning and haven't altered my routine.
I have also decreased my RX meds (haven't taken Asacol in over 18 months) and don't take OTC pain relievers because they make me bruise. I really think the diet is the reason for less pain.

I currently deal with chronic shoulder pain but I have dealt with hip pain. The hip pain for me is mainly at night and I have to switch sides often due to the pain. Now it is my shoulders that cause me to shift sides. Last summer I had symmetrical joint pain in my knees, ankles, feet, hands, wrists, fingers, elbows, and my shoulders felt like I had 10 pound weights in them at night. I have largely recovered except for the pain and limitation of movement in my shoulders. I was incapacitated for most of the summer last year. I saw a rheumatologist; he was not helpful. You may want to see one though and hopefully will find one more sympathetic who listens. I do think it is related to the immune system and UC. Arthritis is complicated as there are over 100 types so it can be difficult to diagnose. You should at least talk to your primary doctor or GI about it. There are also natural anti-inflammatories, like boswellia and curcumin, that you can research and possibly try. I know my body is just not the same since I developed UC. It is frustrating and disheartening.

I finally caved in and got a referral from my PCP to a Rheumatologist.

The joint and muscle pains just kept getting worse. I didn't want to believe it at first, cause I am 25 not 85, but it is terrible. I wasn't doing anything to make my body hurt. Even simple walking would be painful. It is pretty much a quiet hell of silent suffering.

UC is well-known to cause inflammation and pain in other parts of your body. See your PCP/Get Referral. Hope you feel better.

Did the chiropractor do anything besides talk to you? Did he xray your hip? Adjust anything? Any modalities?

My hip, gosh, (actually the hip pain started in my knee) - but the pain started about 6 years ago, and my ortho said my hip, with its no cartilage and bone spurs and bone cysts, looked "consistent with someone who had been on prednisone for 2 years 20 years ago." So... my mom's osteo arthitis was also in her right hip, my situation could have had nothing to do with UC or pred, but... I guess we'll never know.

It might be sciatic nerve. It will stop you in your tracks!! Painful. Tylenol is not strong enough to do anything for it! Aleve is better, but bad for our guts...

I had more luck with a physical therapist, and also with myofascial release therapy (with a good massage therapist, find one who has been trained in it) than with the chiropractor.

Thank you all again. I am sorry to hear so many of us are dealing with this too. It seems that some have had success with adding anti-inflammatories (bowellia, etc), some yoga, biking or other movement, reducing wheat, and pain-killers as necessary. Did anyone who went to a rheamatoidologist get a different prescription and start to feel better?

Dr. A - good to hear from you, I would love your feedback! Yes, my chiropractor was able to slightly adjust my hip by tugging it, and also did a regular adjustment (side position/lower back adjustment). Then he put electo-stimulators on my gluteus medius. My back was quite sore the next day from the adjustment and I had no better mobility, but it may have helped if I could afford to continue treatments. The only drawback was that when I told him about my UC, it didn't add anything to the discussion - so I couldn't know if it is part of the disease, if was an inflammatory or arthritic issue or what... just that I needed an adjustment.

Peety - no one needs to tell me twice to go get a massage!