Question: How do I know if I need hip replacement?
I saw my ob gyn and explained that I had sharp pain on rare occasions that radiated through my vagina and sometimes through my rectum. She ordered X-rays and found I had osteoarthritis in my hip. She prescribed Gabapentin which helps me sleep without pain. The pain has increased over time along with stiffness. I saw an orthopedic surgeon who ordered an MRI of my back and found I have a bulging disk pressing a nerve. However my hip pain is in my groin and upper thigh. It is increasingly painful to walk especially up stairs. After sitting for any length of time it is painful to stand and start walking.
My orthopedist sent me to a spinal specialist who examined me and told me it was my hip causing my pain and I need hip replacement. My orthopedist disagrees and believes my pain is due to my back and does not recommend hip replacement. I have had hip steroid injection and ESI and still don't have a definitive answer. I don't know what to do.

Yes I can send you the MRI and X-Ray. The MRI does show a bulging disk in the lower back. I have mostly muscle tension pain in my back which responds well to ibuprofen. My right hip pain is mostly in the upper front thigh and into the inner thigh and groin. It is painful to turn my leg or spread my leg to the side when turning. It can pop loudly at times giving me the most severe pain. Sitting on a hard surface for even a short time creates pain in both my back and hip. Twisting my leg to the left or right causes the hip to hurt. It is hard to say which is worse. I also have quite a bit of knee pain but especially in the right knee.

No I do not have numbness or tingling on the right side, but I am experiencing a little tingling in my front upper thigh on the left side. At times I feel a minimal amount of hip pain in my left hip akin to the right one.

Thank you.