Introduction
Pain in the groin often occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. The pain is unpleasant and should be perceived as an important symptom of the body. There are many possibilities as a cause for the pain in the groin, so it is not immediately clear where the pain comes from.
The character of the pain can be sharp, sharp or dull and a doctor should be consulted if possible, the more sudden and severe this groin pain (inguinal pain) occurs. However, if less severe pain does not subside even after 24 hours, a doctor must be consulted here as well. However, it is essential to remember that the best way to treat any illness is to detect it as early as possible. The success of treatment is then greatest and chronic pain can be avoided.
Common causes
- Thigh fracture
- Muscle Injuries
- Tendon injuries
- Pelvic ring loosening
- Nerve inflammation
- Disease of the urinary organs
- Disease of the reproductive organs
- Lymph node swelling
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Intestinal infection
- Appendicitis
- Inflammation of the inguinal ligament
Lymph nodes are important stations in our body’s own defense or immune system. In the groin, there are particularly many lymph nodes that become active during an illness and increase in size in the process. As a rough distinction, painful enlarged lymph nodes are more likely to be a sign of inflammation, while painlessly swollen nodes are more likely to indicate a malignant disease.
Pain in the groin due to lymph nodes can therefore be concluded to be an inflammation (inflammation of the inguinal canal). Since lymph nodes swell particularly near inflammation, the cause can also be found in the vicinity. For example, diseases of the intestine or the genital area are often accompanied by swelling of lymph nodes in the groin.
But also infections of the feet, such as athlete’s foot or ulcers in diabetes or poor circulation in the feet can cause this. In addition, diseases affecting the whole body can also cause swelling of the lymph nodes, whereby other lymph node areas are usually also swollen. An example of this would be the “real” flu, which can cause considerable swelling of the lymph nodes over a period of 2 weeks.
Similar to a swollen, painful lymph node, an abscess in the groin can also present itself. This is also caused by an infection, but it is limited to the skin and tissue around the abscess. Pain in the groin can also be caused by the testicles in men.
In this case it is important to describe the pain in more detail in order to find the source of the pain. If the pain occurs suddenly and is very strong, an acute event is usually also responsible for the pain. An example of this is the so-called “testicular torsion“, i.e. a rotation of the testicle around its own axis.
In this case the vessels supplying the testicle are partially or completely cut off and no longer supplied with blood. Torsion of the testis occurs more frequently in infants and adolescents, especially during sporting activities such as jogging. The pain is severe and increases considerably when pressure is applied.
The affected testicle usually swells up. The main pain is in the testicles and sometimes radiates considerably into the groin. Testicular torsion is an absolute emergency, as the testicle survives only a few hours without blood supply and is then irreversibly damaged.
Through immediate surgery the testicle can usually be “untangled” and saved. In contrast to inflammation of the testicle, pain increases when the testicle is lifted in the case of testicular torsion. Another condition that can lead to groin pain is inflammation of the testicle or epididymis.
The pain is rather unusual for the body and is therefore occasionally projected onto the groin instead of the actually painful organ, the testicle or epididymis. Epididymitis can be caused by pathogens, especially bacteria, but can also occur as a result of an operation or for no apparent reason. In the case of a bacterial infection, the pathogen must be identified and then combated by targeted antibiotic treatment.
In the worst case, the infection of the epididymis can spread to the testicles. In this case, infertility can occur in the short term, which in a small number of cases can be permanent. The pain is also accompanied by redness and swelling of the testicle.
When the testicle is lifted, the pain usually decreases.A pendulum testis can also cause pain in the groin. Here the testicle lies correctly in the scrotum, but is pulled towards the groin by irritation, which can sometimes cause pain. Pendulum testicles are usually not in need of treatment. Our next article might also be interesting for you: Spermaticus neuralgia
- Stabbing pain
- Sharp pain
- Dull pain
- Unusual feeling of pressure
- Nerve pain/”tingling” in the legs
- A protrusion of the abdominal wall (hernia, “inguinal hernia”)
