Acupuncture for Hip Pain in Melbourne FL: Walk, Sleep, and Sit Without Constant Ache
- Andrea Izquierdo
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Hip pain can disrupt almost everything you do. It can make walking uncomfortable, sleeping difficult, and even small movements like bending or getting out of the car feel frustrating. Many people try stretches, pain medication, massage, or exercise, but the ache keeps coming back.
At Bodhi TCM Acupuncture in Melbourne FL, we regularly help Brevard County patients who feel stuck with hip pain that will not go away. Acupuncture works by reducing inflammation, relaxing tight muscles, supporting healthy nerve function, and improving circulation in the hip and lower back.
In this article, you will learn:
The most common causes of hip pain
How to tell if pain is coming from the joint, muscles, or nerves
What research says about acupuncture for hip pain
Simple at-home tests you can try
What to expect at Bodhi TCM
Daily habits that help your results last
Key Takeaways
Hip pain is often caused by inflammation, muscle tightness, bursitis, or nerve irritation.
Acupuncture increases blood flow, reduces inflammation, and relaxes deep muscles that affect hip stability.
Neuroacupuncture helps both the nerve and muscle components of hip pain.
Small daily habits can improve mobility and prevent pain from returning.
Table of Contents
1. What Causes Hip Pain
The hip is a ball and socket joint supported by major muscles like the glutes, hip flexors, and deep stabilizers. Several nerves from the lower back also pass through the hip region.
When any of these structures become irritated, inflamed, or tight, pain develops.
Common causes include:
Tight hip flexors or glutes
Inflammation in the joint
Muscle imbalance from sitting long hours
Hip arthritis
Overuse or repetitive stress
Key takeaway: Hip pain often involves more than one structure. Muscles, nerves, and joint inflammation can all work together to create the ache.
2. Types of Hip Pain We Commonly See
Understanding the type of pain helps us find the root cause.
Outer hip pain: Often linked to bursitis or IT band tension
Deep glute pain: Can be muscle tension or nerve irritation
Groin pain: Often from the hip joint or tight hip flexors
Pain that radiates into the thigh: Sometimes from the lower back
Pain when lying on the side: Classic sign of inflammation
Sharp pain when walking: Often due to hip flexor tightness or joint irritation
3. Why Hip Pain Keeps Coming Back
Hip pain often returns because the deeper cause has not been fixed. This usually involves:
Poor circulation around the hip joint
Tight glute muscles that stay locked
Shortened hip flexors from sitting
Inflamed tissues that have not healed
Nerve irritation that increases muscle guarding
Weak core or glute muscles that make hips work harder
Many people get temporary relief from stretching, massage, chiropractic adjustments or even medications, but without treating the inflammation and nerve involvement, the ache returns.
Key takeaway: Long-term relief requires improving circulation, relaxing deep muscles, and calming nerve irritation.
4. What Hip Pain Feels Like When It Comes From the Back
Sometimes hip pain is not a hip problem at all. It can come from the lower back.
Signs your hip pain may come from your spine:
Pain travels from the back into the hip or thigh
Numbness or tingling
Pain worsens with standing or walking
Relief when bending forward
Pain that feels “deep inside”
This happens because nerves from the lower back connect directly to the hip and leg.
5. How Acupuncture Helps Hip Pain
Acupuncture supports the body’s natural healing systems through:
Improved blood flow
Increases oxygen and nutrients to the hip joint and surrounding muscles.
Reduced inflammation
Helps calm irritated tissues, including the bursa and joint capsule.
Relaxation of tight muscles
Releases deep muscles like the piriformis and hip flexors.
Nervous system regulation
Calms irritated nerve pathways that cause radiating pain.
Improved mobility
Helps reduce stiffness so the hip moves more easily.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine view, hip pain develops when Qi and Blood become blocked. Acupuncture restores this flow so healing can begin.
6. What Research Says
Modern research supports acupuncture for hip pain.
Acupuncture reduces inflammation
A study in the Journal of Inflammation Research found that acupuncture helps decrease inflammatory markers (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8710088/)
Effective for chronic pain
Acupuncture is recommended by the top medical systems in the US including Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/acupuncture
Key takeaway: Research supports acupuncture as a natural, safe, and effective option for pain.
7. Simple At-Home Tests for Hip Pain
These gentle self-checks help you understand where your pain may be coming from. Be gentle while doing these specially if you have been experiencing pain.
Sit to Stand Test
If standing up hurts on the outer hip, the glute muscles may be tight or inflamed.
Lying on Your Side
Pain when lying on your side often points to hip bursitis.
Knee to Chest Test
Pain in the groin when lifting the knee suggests hip joint involvement.
Forward Bend Test
Pain in the thigh or glute when bending forward may signal nerve involvement.
These help guide your treatment and help patients explain their symptoms more clearly.
8. Home Care Tips to Support Hip Relief
Use gentle heat
Improves circulation and relaxes tight muscles.
Avoid long sitting periods
Stand or walk briefly every 30 to 60 minutes.
Stretch the hip flexors and glutes
Gentle movement prevents stiffness.
Practice slow breathing
Calms the nervous system and helps muscles release tension.
Keep your hips warm
Cold makes muscles tighten and reduces circulation.
Key takeaway: Daily habits help make your acupuncture results last longer.
9. What to Expect at Bodhi TCM
During your consultation, Dr. Andrea Izquierdo, LAc. will review your medical history, pain pattern and she will let you know if our acupuncture treatments will be beneficial for you. If so, we can start treatment that same day.
Your treatment may include:
Neuroacupuncture
Electroacupuncture
Cellular BioModulation Therapy (CBMT)
Cupping or Gua Sha for tight muscles
Far infrared heat for circulation
Most patients leave feeling lighter, more mobile, and more relaxed.
What our patients say:
"I’ve had chronic back pain and hip pain for years. I finally decided to try acupuncture. Acupuncture treatments have helped tremendously. I highly recommend acupuncture with anyone with chronic pain. The staff and Dr. Andrea all are very warm and welcoming." Kathleen S. via Google.
"I’ve never experienced acupuncture before, and I am so relieved I went directly to Bodhi for treatments on my chronic hip pain. Within 4 sessions I was SIGNIFICANTLY better. Dr. Izquierdo is extremely knowledgeable, and genuinely cares about your health." Erin V. via Google.
For more real patient testimonials click here
10. FAQs
1. Can acupuncture help hip bursitis?
Yes. Acupuncture helps reduce inflammation and improve circulation around the bursa.
2. How many sessions will I need?
This depends on how long you have had pain. You will receive a clear plan at your consultation.
3. Can acupuncture help hip pain at night?
Yes. Acupuncture calms tension and improves blood flow, which can improve sleep.
4. Is acupuncture safe?
Yes. When performed by a licensed acupuncturist, it is safe and natural.
Conclusion
Hip pain can affect every part of your day, from walking to sleeping to sitting comfortably. Acupuncture provides a natural way to reduce inflammation, calm nerve irritation, and restore mobility so you can move with ease again.
At Bodhi TCM Acupuncture in Melbourne FL, we support patients across Brevard County with hip pain through neuroacupuncture and integrative therapies that help the body heal.
If you are ready to relieve hip pain naturally, call 321-312-0771 to schedule a consultation.
