What is the difference between bursitis and arthritis of the hip?

Hip pain can be caused by both arthritis as well as bursitis.  Bursitis is inflammation or swelling in a fluid filled sac that is on the outside of the hip where muscles and tendons insert into the bone.  Bursitis symptoms typically are pain with lying on your side and is primarily over the outside or lateral aspect of your hip. This is rarely treated surgically and is oftentimes best treated with physical therapy, anti-inflammatories as well as joint injections into the bursa itself.