Groin pain

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Pain - groin; Lower abdominal pain; Genital pain; Perineal pain

Home care depends on the underlying cause. Follow your health care provider's recommendations.

Call your health care provider if:

• You have persistent and unexplained groin pain, particularly if it is a burning pain
• Pain affects only one testicle for more than 3 hours
• Physical changes have occurred in the area, such as a testicular mass or skin discoloration
• There is blood in the urine

The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms, such as:

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• Have you had an injury recently?
• Has there been a change in your activity, especially a recent strain, heavy lifting, or similar activity?
• When did the groin pain start?
• Is it increasing?
• Is it always present?
• What other symptoms do you have? For example, a groin lump, fever, swollen glands, or blood in the urine.
• Have you been exposed to any sexually transmitted diseases?

The physical examination will include examination of the groin area. A hidden hernia can be found in men by inserting one finger into the upper part of the scrotum while asking the patient to cough. Coughing raises the pressure in the abdomen and pushes your intestine into any hernia opening.

Tests that may be performed include:

• Blood tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) or blood differential
• Ultrasound or other radiologic exam
• Urinalysis

Review Date: 09/30/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Scott Miller, MD, Urologist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).