People can develop a hernia in their groin area, near the crease of the hip. This can feel like a fullness, a pulling pain, or a deep ache. This pain or sensation can be in the groin, into the upper thigh, of the testicles or “privates”. This is often a result of a lifting injury. Sometimes, though, these are present at birth (“congenital”) due to a weak spot in the abdominal wall. Other causes can include coughing or sneezing, prior surgeries in the abdominal area, obesity, pregnancy, or heavy exercise.
The term hernia means something has “herniated” through an opening that shouldn’t be there. Inguinal hernias can have intestines poking through. Other times it can be fatty tissue.
Some types of lower back or hip injuries can cause pain that mimics inguinal hernia pain. These can be differentiated with a simple exam in most cases. Recognizing the differences between inguinal hernias and hip or spine pain allows the person to engage in healthy stretches or exercises to help reduce the pain, while not being aware of which condition you have might cause you to engage in lower back or core strengthening exercises that will worsen the hernia and cause more pain. The person with a hernia may keep doing core exercises to address the hip pain they feel, but the pain will worsen with the exercising, and so they will do even more core exercises to help get that stability they are chasing, when in actuality they are worsening their problem.
If you think this might describe something you are going through, give us a call at (301) 378-0334 and schedule a new patient appointment.