Introduction
The groin (Inguen) is anatomically located at the bottom of the lateral abdominal wall – i.e. in the area between the lower abdomen, hips and thighs. Pulling in the groin is usually described as unpleasant and painful and is not a disease in itself, but is expressed as a symptom of an underlying disease. Therefore, pulling in the groin can have many causes.
The pulling can be felt as light to strong pain and can be accompanied by a feeling of pressure. Men are more frequently affected by pulling in the groin than women. If the pulling in the groin lasts for a longer period of time, it can be very stressful for the patient. Since pulling in the groin can also have serious causes of illness, a doctor should be consulted.
What causes can dragging in the bar have?
As already mentioned, pulling or pain in the groin can have many causes. These include, for example, inguinal hernias, muscle and tendon injuries, joint diseases such as hip arthrosis, inflammation of the nerves, diseases of the urinary and/or genital organs or even swelling of the lymph nodes caused by infections. Lack of exercise can also cause complaints in the groin region.
If the muscles are understrained, problems can arise in the interaction of different muscle groups. If this results in a hollow back because the pelvis tilts forward, this can cause not only back pain but also pulling or pain in the groin. Other causes are described below.
A hernia (inguinal hernia) occurs mainly in adults, but can also affect babies and small children. Men are also more frequently affected by inguinal hernia than women. The groin represents the transition from the abdomen to the thigh and is therefore exposed to high pressure (e.g. when sneezing or coughing and when lifting objects).
This is why the abdominal wall can rupture if the strain is too great. This typically causes parts of the abdominal wall or even the intestine to slide into the groin. Typical symptoms are a visible, soft bulge, which can usually be pushed back easily, a pulling in the groin and possibly also a feeling of pressure in this region.
The symptoms usually intensify when coughing or sneezing. If you notice such a bulge, you should consult a doctor. If the hernial orifice becomes too large, intestinal loops may be trapped, resulting in a medical emergency.
Such an emergency causes severe pain in the groin and stomach, fever, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes an enlargement of the testicles is also noticed. In general, a hernia has to be operated.
A pulling or pain in the groin can also be noticeable in the case of bladder stones and ureteral stones. Large stones cause severe pain that radiates into the back, lower abdomen or groin. In this situation a doctor should be consulted.
Epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis) can also cause a pulling in the groin region. Such an inflammation occurs more frequently in older men and is usually caused by urinary tract infections. Epididymitis can also be triggered by sexually transmitted diseases.
Typical symptoms are pain and swelling of the testicles (scrotum). The pain can radiate into the groin. An inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) can also cause a pulling or pain in the groin.
There is pain in the perineal area which can radiate into the groin and lead to problems urinating. Problems with urination include pain or a reduced amount of urine. E. coli bacteria are mainly involved in the development of prostate inflammation; treatment with antibiotics is then indicated.
A pulling in the groin is a very unspecific symptom and can be attributed to a variety of causes. Most people think of a hernia or a thigh hernia when they think of pulling in the groin. Often, however, more harmless causes of the complaints can be found.
Particularly in women who are active in sports, overstretching of muscles or injury to tendons in the groin can be the cause of pulling. Sore muscles can also explain the complaints. Particularly in women, hip disorders also frequently make themselves felt in the form of groin complaints.
Pregnant women should be very sensitive to pulling in the groin.The cause may be a loosening of the pelvic ring during pregnancy. Diseases of the female reproductive organs, especially the ovaries and the uterus, can also cause pulling in the groin. Kidney diseases and complaints in the draining urinary tract (e.g. urinary stones) can also be noticeable in the groin.
A pulling in the groin region can also indicate local inflammation of the skin or deeper-seated inflammation of nerves, blood and lymph vessels. Swelling of lymph nodes (most often caused by infections, very rarely by tumors) can also trigger a pulling in the groin. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is an accumulation of symptoms that occur during the menstrual cycle.
By definition, the symptoms end with the beginning of menstruation, they can start between 4 days and 2 weeks before the start of menstruation. Typical symptoms of PMS are cramping abdominal pain and back pain. Both types of complaints can radiate into the groin.
In addition, fatigue, headaches, edema (water retention), diarrhea, breast sensitivity and also psychological symptoms such as mood swings, hyperactivity, anxiety, etc. may occur. Do you want to deal with this topic further?
pain in the groin and lower abdomen can occur during torsion of the testicles. The pain occurs suddenly and can be accompanied by an undescended testicle. Since the torsion can lead to a reduced blood supply and death of the testis, an operation should be performed within six hours to expose and untwist the testis.
The acute pain symptoms are accompanied by nausea and vomiting. A testicular hernia (scrotal hernia) can also cause a pulling in the groin. Like the inguinal hernia, a scrotal hernia is caused by a hernia in the groin region and is often associated with the inguinal hernia.
In this case the so-called hernia sac is pushed into the scrotum. This results in an enlargement of the testis. Smaller scrotal hernias can also occur without a visible enlargement of the testis and symptoms such as pulling in the groin, pain or nausea only occur when the abdominal muscles are strained or tensed.
Varicose veins in the testicular area (varicocele testis) can also cause pulling in the groin and testicles when moving (normal walking). These are often a chance finding by the doctor, as they rarely trigger symptoms. Varicose veins in the testicles are caused by a flow disorder in the venous plexus around the testicles.
This causes the veins to dilate and a painless dilatation of the testicle occurs. In addition, the increase in size of the testicle can lead to sensations of discomfort. In rare cases testicular cancer can also cause a pulling in the groin area.
In such cases, palpable and sometimes visible changes in the testicle can often be felt or seen, which need not be painful. If these symptoms occur, a doctor should be consulted. As a precautionary measure, men can palpate and examine the testicles themselves in order to detect testicular cancer at an early stage.
Pulling in the groin during pregnancy is usually normal. On the one hand, there is a higher oestrogen level at the beginning of pregnancy. The estrogen ensures that the ligaments (so-called maternal ligaments) become loose so that they are elastic enough to “migrate” with the growing uterus.
This can be felt as pulling or a slight prick. Even while the belly is growing and the ligaments are stretching, there may be a pulling in the groin. However, pulling in the groin during pregnancy can also be caused by a strain in the groin area.
Back and pelvic pain during pregnancy can also cause pulling in the groin. There is also an increased risk of a hernia during pregnancy. This is also explained by the loosening of the ligament and muscle structures in this area.
The pressure on the lower abdominal wall increases during pregnancy and thus favors an inguinal hernia. In addition to the typical bulging, pulling in the groin also occurs. The contraction of the muscles of the uterus is called labor pains.
Already from the 20th week of pregnancy irregular contractions begin. These are not yet very painful and can be accompanied by a slight pulling in the groin.If these contractions are accompanied by back pain and bloody, vaginal discharge, the pregnant woman should call a doctor, as these can also be early contractions that can lead to miscarriage or premature birth. Pulling in the groin can also occur during the low labor, which begins about 4 weeks before birth and brings the baby into the correct position.
The abdomen becomes hard and sinks a long way down. Lower labour is also accompanied by pulling in the abdomen and back, uncoordinated and of medium intensity. Ovulation is the release of the unfertilized egg from the ovary into the fallopian tubes and takes place in the middle of the menstrual cycle.
During this time, the so-called middle or intermenstrual pain can occur. This usually manifests itself shortly before or during ovulation and is probably caused by the enlarged follicle (egg). This pain manifests itself as a slight pulling in the groin or lower abdomen and usually occurs only on one side – on the side of the active ovary.
If the cracked egg has been successfully fertilized, pregnancy occurs. Some women report a pulling in the groin about 6 days after ovulation, which can be interpreted as a symptom of the implantation of the egg in the uterus. However, a pulling in the groin after ovulation does not have to be a sign of pregnancy, but can also be caused, for example, by a strain during sports.
In addition, cramps and pulling in the groin, back and lower abdomen can also be caused by menstrual cramps. A pulling in the groin or groin pain after sport can be caused by overstraining, pulling or a tear in the muscles on the inside of the thigh (adductors). If the pulling in the groin is caused by a pulled muscle, unfavorable or wrong movements (e.g. dislocation when shooting a soccer) are responsible.
This is also often referred to as “sportsman’s groin”. Patients usually describe pulling or burning pain in the groin. In the case of prolonged overloading, the tendon of the adductors is more likely to experience pain.
These start in the groin area, so the pulling can also be felt in the groin region. Overstretching in the hip can also lead to complaints in the groin. Patients who do a lot of sports and professional athletes often experience pulling and pain in the groin.
The cause can be prearthrosis (joint alteration) in the hip, which should definitely be clarified by a doctor to avoid serious consequences. A pulling in the groin, which increases when coughing or which only occurs when coughing, is typical for a hernia. An inguinal hernia refers to a weak point in the abdominal wall and in the inguinal canal.
The inguinal hernia is particularly noticeable when pressure increases in the abdomen (e.g. due to coughing, sneezing or pressing during bowel movements). Intestinal loops often emerge from the abdomen through the inguinal hernia. Usually these are soft and can be pushed back with the finger.
However, a complication of the disease is an incarceration of the exiting intestinal loops. Would you like more information on this topic? Often the pulling in the groin occurs only on one side.
Since pulling in the groin can be caused by overloading or pulling the thigh muscles, one-sided strain on this side can cause discomfort. However, there are also clinical pictures where the pulling or pain typically occurs on the right or left side, which can provide information about the cause. For example, right-sided pain can be appendicitis.
Appendicitis – commonly known as appendicitis – is an inflammation of the vermiform appendix. At the beginning of appendicitis, there is a pressing, pulling, dull pain in the region of the navel, which usually moves to the right lower abdomen and then causes pain in the groin. Sometimes this pain can also migrate to the left side.
This depends on where the appendix lies in the abdominal cavity. Often the complaints are accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting and trigger a general feeling of illness. If appendicitis is suspected, a doctor should be consulted, as appendicitis often requires a timely operation.
Diverticulitis, on the other hand, usually results in complaints on the left side. Diverticulitis is an inflammation of the protrusions of the intestinal mucosa.The symptoms usually begin with a pulling or dull pain in the left lower abdomen, which can radiate into the back and groin. A lack of exercise and a low-fiber diet are discussed as reasons for diverticulitis.
In addition to the pulling, constipation, flatulence and fever can occur. A pulling that spreads from the groin towards the back often has muscular causes. Overloading the muscles in the groin causes minor injuries and pain.
Since the various muscles work together functionally, complaints from the groin can easily be felt in the back. Another possible cause can be nerve damage or entrapment. The nerves run from the leg through the groin to the spinal cord.
In this way, complaints from the groin can easily spread to the back. Nerve disorders in the back can also cause pulling in the groin. If the pain extends from the groin to the leg, nervous disorders are often to blame for the complaints.
The pinching of the sciatic nerve, for example, causes discomfort especially in the buttocks. Often, however, pain and a stabbing or pulling radiate into the groin and leg. The pain can extend to the hollow of the knee, and occasionally to the tip of the foot. Hip complaints also often cause pulling in the groin. At the same time, the hip disease affects the entire leg, which is why muscularly induced pulling pain can also occur there.
