GROIN PAIN(MALE)

 

Definition

 The groin is an area of your hip between your stomach and thigh, where your abdomen ends and your legs begin. The groin area contains five muscles that work together to move your leg.

GROIN PAIN;  is pain in the area where the inner, upper thigh and lower abdomen meet.OR Groin pain is any pain in this area, typically as the result of an injury from physical activity or sports. A pulled or strained muscle in the groin area is the most common injury among athletes.

  CAUSES

The most common cause of groin pain is muscle, tendon or ligament strain, particularly in athletes who play sports such as hockey, soccer and football. Groin pain may occur immediately after an injury, or pain may come on gradually over a period of weeks or even months. Groin pain may be worsened by continued use of the injured area.
Less commonly, a bone injury or fracture, a hernia, or even kidney stones may cause groin pain. Although testicle pain and groin pain are different, a testicle condition can sometimes cause pain that spreads to the groin area.
Direct and indirect causes of groin pain can include:

1. Avascular necrosis (death of bone tissue due to limited blood flow)
2. Avulsion fracture: (ligament or tendon pulled from the bone)
3. Bursitis (joint inflammation)
4. Epididymitis (testicle inflammation)
5. Hydrocele (swelling of the scrotum)
6. Inguinal hernia
7. Kidney stones
8. Mumps
9. Muscle strain
10. Orchitis (inflamed testicle)
11. Osteoarthritis
12. Pinched nerve
13. Piriformis syndrome
14. Retractile testicle (testicle that moves between the scrotum and abdomen)
15. Sciatica
16. Scrotal masses
17. Spermatocele (fluid buildup in the testicle)
18. Sprains and strains
19. Stress fractures
20. Swollen lymph nodes
21. Tendinitis
22. Testicular cancer
23. Testicular torsion (twisted testicle)
24. Urinary tract infection
25. Varicocele

When to see a doctor

Seek immediate medical attention if you have

• Groin pain associated with back, abdomen or chest pain
• Sudden, severe testicle pain
• Testicle pain accompanied by nausea, fever, chills or blood in the urine

Self-care

 If your groin pain is the result of a strain, treatment at home is probably your best option. Resting and taking a break from physical activity for two to three weeks will allow your strain to heal naturally.

If your groin pain is caused by a strain or sprain, these self-care measures may help:

• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
• Place an ice pack or bag of frozen peas on the sore area for 20 to 30 minutes two to four times a day.

Preventing Groin Pain

There are a few steps that you can take to avoid groin pain. For athletes, gentle stretching is a way to help prevent injury. A slow, steady warmup before doing physical activity can help reduce your risk of groin injury, especially when done consistently. Maintaining a healthy weight and taking care when lifting heavy objects can help you prevent hernias.