Female Groin Pain can be caused in left or right side in the lower abdominal areas of the body. Get information about diagnoses and treatment of groin pain in women here.
Groin pain resulted due to groin pull or strain is more frustrating conditions for women. Find out all about groin pain in women, including the most common causes and treatments.
The groin is basically referred to the region where the abdomen ends and the legs begin. An irritating pain in the groin is frequently due to the result of a groin (adductor muscle) pull or strain. Groin pain is quite common in both men and women and occurs when the muscles of the inner thigh (the adductors) are stretched beyond their limits. The adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, pectineus, and gracilis are the groin muscles and any destruction or inflammation of these muscles can cause pain and swelling, leading to female groin pain. Female groin pain is termed as genital pain or perineal pain and can be caused due to many different factors and situations. Depending on the cause of the pain, the pain experienced ranges from mild to severe. Depending on the causes of the pain, female left groin pain or female right groin pain can create severe condition. Severe kinds of groin pain caused due to groin injuries require special medical attention.
The severity of the condition mainly depends on the cause of the pain whether it is female left groin pain or female right groin pain. Mild groin pain usually heals with time. Groin pain experienced by women may be caused due to underlying conditions and some of these conditions are more serious than the other. Certain medical conditions like inguinal hernia and kidney stones may be the reason for groin pain in women. Other causes of groin pain include sports activities, vehicle accidents, etc.
Causes of Female Groin Pain:
Some general causes of groin pain in women include:
Pregnancy: Certain hormonal changes take place in pregnancy which raises looseness of the pelvic joints. So, pregnancy is one of the prime reasons for groin pain in women. Groin pain is known to take place in various stages of pregnancy. Along with groin pain, some women also experiences pain in the lower back, genital area, upper thighs and hip joints.
Groin Injury: A direct blow on the groin region or falling in a way that hurts the groin region leads to groin pain. In athletes, hyper-extension of the groin muscles may cause a sprain in the groin region, leading to severe groin pain.
Referred pain: Groin pain is also caused by dysfunction of other body parts and this pain is known as referred pain or radiating pain. Pulled muscles, stressed ligaments or the tendon fibers may also cause groin pain.
Other possible causes for female groin pain may include:
Infections in the groin and the loin region: Sometimes, certain bacterial infections occur in the groin/loin area which may cause swellings and lumps in that region, resulting in groin pain.
- Enlargement of the lymph nodes: The infection in groin region also causes swelling of the lymph node and eventually leads to groin pain.
- Presence of kidney stone: If woman has kidney stone, then she may experience severe groin pain while the stone is passing through the ureter.
- Genital herpes: Genital herpes may also be responsible for some degree of groin pain.
- Urinary tract infection (UTI): UTI is known to be one of the most common causes for female groin pain.
- Hip pain: Any short term or long term injury or infection in the hip joint, like hip bursitis, snapping hip syndrome, fracture of the hip joint, arthritis or trochanteric bursitis can also be some other causes of groin pain in females.
- Myositis Ossificans: It is quite common in athletes. In this condition, the muscle calcifies due to excessive stress or trauma on the muscles, especially thigh muscles.
- Iliopsoas Bursitis: It is another leading cause for groin pain. The pain is provoked by flexion of the hip, which is typically felt in the front of the hip and groin regions.
- Femoral Hernia: Femoral hernia takes place in the lower abdomen when a part of intestine sticks out through an abnormal opening in the abdominal wall. Primarily, it is characterized by presence of a painful bulge or knot, developed by the intestines under the skin near the thigh. Other symptoms of femoral hernia include abdominal pain and swelling, constipation, groin swelling, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
- Osteitis Pubis: Osteitis pubis is another common cause for groin pain and swelling, which is an inflammation or rupture of the cartilage that connects the front bones of the pelvis.
Groin pain can also be caused by special pelvic problems like an ovarian cyst, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and ectopic pregnancy. Ischemia, spasm, inflammation or infection of the large intestine can also be responsible for groin pain in women.
Diagnosis of Female Groin Pain:
To diagnose the exact reason of groin pain, your physician might take various techniques. Physician asks for the time span, severity and common symptoms of lower abdominal pain. Some tests are also adopted by physicians to find the exact reason of groin pain.
- Physical Tests:
First, the physician will observe the affected area for any kind of swelling. He might tell you to perform certain abrupt exhaling exercises, to see if the swelling or the cyst occurs when pressure is applied on the groin area. To decide the type of groin pain, determination of the groin lump helps the physician. He will also see if the pain is due to inguinal hernia, abscess or any other cause. The lymph nodes, the back and the hips will also be examined by the doctor.
- Radiological Examination:
To confirm the type of groin pain and hernia, certain radiological tests will also be performed. If it is necessary, then doctor will also perform doppler test, pelvic and lumbar X-rays, CT scans of the pubic symphysis, pylograms to detect kidney stones.
- Other Tests:
The full blood count and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate test (ESR), urine culture, urinalysis, microscopic urine tests, as well as electrolytes and renal function tests will also be carried out. If the lumps are observed, then culturing of the swabs will also be done. This will help to diagnose syphilitic ulcer, genital herpes or chancroid.
Female Groin Pain Treatment:
Treatment for groin pain in women depends upon the underlying cause which is determined by various tests. Based on the cause of groin pain, specific drugs and medications will be suggested with respect to the symptoms, the severity, and period of the groin pain.
Using Groin Straps:
You can use any of these following groin straps which are specially designed to tighten thegroin muscle to relieve pain.
R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression and elevation) is the best way to relief the pain or discomfort if the pain is due to adductor muscle pull or strain. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications also helps to alleviate the pain or swelling in the groin area. The patient may have to undergo a surgery if the pain is due to femoral hernia.
Some stretching and strengthening exercises are also effective to relieve the female groin pain. Regular check up and medical follow up will not only hurry up the recovery period but will also decrease the recurrence chances of groin pain in females.
If a woman experiences groin pain for long period of time, then she must seek medical help as soon as possible in order to be given a proper diagnosis and fast recovery from groin pain.
Groin Pain Rehab – Pulled Groin Muscle video from Youtube:
dear ouch…… me hv severe pain in my groin that travels down d front of my thigh n cramps up my knee. thang god gd work on it………thanx