You may have had a minor groin problem at
one time or another. Most of the time, our body movements do not cause
problems. It's not surprising that symptoms may develop from everyday wear and
tear, overuse, or an injury.
The
groin areas are located on each side of the body in the folds where the belly
joins the legs. The pubic area lies between the two groin areas.
Groin injuries most commonly occur during:
Sports or recreational activities, such as ice
hockey, cross-country skiing, basketball, and soccer.
Work-related
activities.
Work or projects around the home.
Motor
vehicle accidents.
Groin problems and injuries can cause pain and concern. Most
minor problems or injuries will heal on their own. Home treatment is usually
all that is needed to relieve symptoms and heal.
Groin injury
An
acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a stabbing
injury, a fall, or from the leg turned in an abnormal position.
Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed
on an area. This often happens when you overdo an activity or repeat the same
activity day after day. Overuse can lead to muscle strains or tears or may
cause swelling, such as
bursitis.
Other causes of groin problems
Groin pain not caused
by an injury to the groin may be coming from other parts of the body. This is
called radiating, or referred, pain.
Pulled muscles,
ligaments, or
tendons in the leg may cause symptoms in the groin. It
is important to look for
other causes of groin pain when you have not had an
injury.
An
inguinal hernia is a bulge of soft tissue through a
weak spot in the abdominal wall in the groin area. See an illustration of an
inguinal hernia. An inguinal hernia may need surgical treatment. A
sports hernia may affect the same area of the groin in
competitive athletes.
Rashes
Rashes in the groin area have
many causes, such as
ringworm or
yeast. Most rashes can be treated at home.
Groin symptoms in children
When a child develops
groin pain, the pain may be caused by a problem with the upper part of the
thighbone (head of the femur) or the hip. Common causes of groin pain, knee
pain (referred pain from the hip), or limping include:
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. This
condition affects the blood supply and proper placement of the head of the
femur in the hip socket.
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis. This condition occurs when the femur slips at the
growth plate (physis) and does not fit in the hip socket
correctly.
Developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH). This
condition is caused by abnormal development of the hip joint. The femur may fit
loosely into the hip socket (subluxation) or be completely out of the hip
socket.
Swelling (inflammation) of the lining of the joint space
of the hip (toxic synovitis).
Infectious arthritis (septic
arthritis). This is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection inside the hip
joint.
Use the Check Your Symptoms section to decide if and when
you should see a doctor.
Check Your Symptoms
Home Treatment
Home treatment measures can help
relieve pain, swelling, and bruising and promote healing after a groin injury.
These home treatment measures also may be helpful for noninjury problems.
However, if you think you may have a more severe injury, use first aid measures
while you arrange for an evaluation by your doctor.
Rest. Rest and protect an
injured or sore
groin area for 1 to 2 weeks. Stop, change, or take a
break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness. Do not do
intense activities while you still have pain. A pulled muscle (strain) in the groin can take several weeks to
heal.
Ice. Cold will reduce pain and
swelling. Apply a
ice or cold pack immediately to reduce swelling. Apply the ice or cold pack
for 10 to 20 minutes, three or more times a day. A bag of frozen peas or corn
may work as a cold pack. Protect your skin from frostbite by placing a cloth
between the ice and your skin. After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply
warmth
to the area that hurts.
Support. While
recovering from a groin injury, wear jockey shorts, not boxers, to help support
the injured area.
Medicine you can buy without a prescription
Try an over-the-counter medicine to help
treat your pain:
Talk to your child’s doctor before switching back and
forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two
medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.
Safety tips
Be sure to follow these safety tips
when you use an over-the-counter medicine:
Carefully read and follow all directions
on the medicine bottle and box.
Do not use more than the
recommended dose.
Do not take a medicine if you have had an
allergic reaction to it in the past.
If
you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take
it.
If you are or could be pregnant, call your doctor before you
take any medicine.
It may take 4 to 6 weeks or longer for a minor groin injury
to heal.
Stretching and strengthening exercises will help you
gradually return to your normal activities.
Home treatment measures
may also be helpful for:
Yeast infections that cause a fiery red
rash with a scalloped border and sharply outlined edges in skin
folds.
Jock itch, which is a fungus (ringworm)
infection of the skin that may cause a rash and blisters.
Swelling develops in the scrotum
or lymph nodes in the groin.
A rash gets worse or has not improved
after 2 weeks of home treatment.
Groin pain has not improved after
1 week of home treatment.
A limp or difficulty walking develops or
becomes worse.
Symptoms become more severe or frequent.
Prevention
The following tips may help you prevent a
groin injury or other problems in the groin area.
Prevent groin injury and strain
Steps to prevent a
groin injury or strain may include the following:
Warm up by stretching the groin muscles before
exercising. Stretching can increase your range of motion and reduce stiffness
and pain. Stretching is also important during the cool-down phase of exercise
when your muscles are warm.
Increase the intensity and length of
exercise gradually. As your fitness level improves, you will be able to do more
intense exercise without injury.
Try to exercise regularly; don't
just go all out on weekends.
Use proper sports techniques and
equipment. For example:
Wear supportive, well-cushioned shoes for
running, aerobics, and walking.
Properly adjust your bicycle seat
and handle bars for your height.
Drink extra water before and during exercise,
especially in hot or humid weather. This can help prevent muscle cramps and
stiffness.
Make sure you can always see where you are walking. To
avoid falls:
Use a step stool when reaching for high
objects. Do not stand on chairs or other objects.
Don't climb
stairs with both hands full.
Get help carrying heavy or awkward objects. Do
not strain to lift or carry objects.
Prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
You can
take measures to reduce your risk of becoming infected with a sexually
transmitted disease (STD). You can also reduce the risk of transmitting an STD
to your sex partner. Know
high-risk behaviors and the
symptoms of STDs and do not have sex with anyone who
has these symptoms.
Condom use may reduce the
risk of becoming infected with an STD. Condoms must be put on before beginning
any sexual contact. Use condoms with a new partner.
Prevent jock itch or yeast infection
Steps to prevent
jock itch (fungal infection of the skin in the groin) or
yeast infection (cutaneous candidiasis) include the
following:
Dry yourself well after bathing. Use a hair
dryer to dry your groin area.
Wear cotton underwear and
loose-fitting clothes. Avoid tight pants.
Use a powder to absorb
moisture.
If you have athlete's foot, put your socks on before your
underwear. This can prevent fungi from spreading from your feet to your groin
when you put on your underwear.
Change out of a wet bathing suit
soon after swimming so that your skin can dry out.
You can help your
doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the
following questions.
Before your appointment
If you have a rash, do not
have sexual contact or activity while waiting for your appointment. This will
reduce the risk of transmitting a possible infection to your sex partner. If
you do have an STD, your sex partner or partners may need to be evaluated and
treated also.
Questions to prepare for your doctor appointment
What are your main symptoms? How long have you
had your symptoms?
Have you had this problem before? If so, do you
know what caused the problem at that time? How was it treated?
What
activities make your symptoms better or worse? What sports do you participate
in?
How and when did an injury occur? How was it
treated?
Have you had any injuries in the past to the same area? Do
you have any continuing problems because of the previous injury?
Do
you think that activities related to your job or hobbies caused your
symptoms?
Have you had infections or rashes in the groin area in
the past?
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any
warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information
means that you agree to the
Terms of Use.
Privacy Policy.
How this information was developed
to help you make better health
decisions.
