Nagging pain in the lower back and groin in men and women: causes, how to treat

Pain in the perineum is a common symptom that occurs due to various reasons: in both men and women, of any age. Since the perineum is a part of the body in which there is a complex of soft formations in the form of the external genitalia, urethra and rectal opening, pain symptoms in it are usually associated with pathologies of these organs. It is often supplemented by other clinical manifestations in the form of discomfort while walking or sitting for a long time, as well as severe itching and burning.

In order to find out the cause of the above manifestations, you need to seek professional medical help. Only a specialist, after an examination and diagnostic studies, will be able to say exactly why the perineum hurts and prescribe adequate treatment. Thanks to it, it is possible to eliminate the cause of the disease, and therefore the unpleasant symptoms that accompany it. If you want to be confident in the professionalism of doctors and that you will receive the best treatment, contact the multidisciplinary clinic CELT. We employ leading specialists who have everything necessary for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

At CELT you can get a consultation with a urologist.

• Initial consultation – 3,000
• Repeated consultation – 2,000

Make an appointment

Etiology of pain in the perineum

If your perineum hurts, hurry to make an appointment with a doctor. This clinical manifestation can be a sign of the development of a dangerous pathological condition, the correct and timely treatment of which will save you from more severe complications. Modern doctors identify a number of common causes of pain that are characteristic of both sexes. In addition, there are also exclusively “female” or “male” ones. All of them are presented in our table below:

Inguinal hernia

A hernia in the groin area is the most common of all types of hernias, and is 6 times more common among men than among women. With this disease, the peritoneum and internal organs of the abdominal cavity (usually the intestines) protrude under the skin through the inguinal canal. This is faced by men who are associated with hard work and have an enlarged inguinal and umbilical ring. A hernia occurs because the thinnest and weakest parts of the abdominal wall are located in the groin area.

At first there may be no pain, just a bulge. Sometimes it can be reduced, but in a lying position it may disappear. But with further development of the disease, complications are possible. Thus, pain in men in the left groin is caused by strangulation of a left-sided inguinal hernia. The same can happen on the right side if the protrusion occurs on the right.

Pain in the perineum in pregnant women

Patients often come to the gynecological department of our clinic with the question of why the perineum hurts during pregnancy and how dangerous it is. Normally, such symptoms are associated with the growth of the fetus and its descent. It is typical for the 3rd trimester - it is during this period, due to the development of the child, that there is an impact on the ligaments, nerves and muscles of the mother’s body, which are stretched. However, the occurrence of such symptoms in the early stages may be a sign that there is a high risk of miscarriage.

It is not uncommon for the fetus to put pressure on the nerve that runs nearby. The pain that occurs in this case limits movement and does not stop until the fetus changes position. Modern medicine cannot help in this case.

Perineum hurts before childbirth

Severe pain symptoms that occur over a long period of time are a sign that labor is approaching. It is caused by the expansion of the pelvic bones and other processes of preparation for the process, along with the approach of the fetus to the birth canal.

Perineum hurts after childbirth

Painful symptoms are felt by almost all women afterward, although its strength may vary. It depends on the presence/absence of injuries during childbirth. So, it goes away 3-4 days after birth when it occurs due to swelling and stretching of tissues, and persists much longer with ruptures of the perineum and sutures.

Hernia in the groin in men: treatment

There is no option that an inguinal hernia disintegrates or disappears on its own. In the absence of proper treatment, there is a high risk of a chain development of serious complications - necrotic changes in organs and tissues, even death. The only effective method of curing a male inguinal hernia is surgery to remove it in a hospital setting (also called hernioplasty). In modern equipped clinics, an intervention aimed at radically eliminating the problem of hernia filling takes from 30-40 minutes to an hour and a half.

Conservative methods of control are just a list of preventive measures. Folk remedies: compresses, ointments, infusions from plants, as well as special physical exercises will temporarily ease some symptoms, but will not be able to achieve the main thing - to eliminate the reason why inguinal hernias appear and progress: atrophy of the abdominal wall and inguinal canal.

It is better to discuss the use of any non-surgical or alternative therapy with your doctor so as not to cause additional harm to yourself. With a diagnosis such as an inguinal hernia, we do not recommend self-medication - you need qualified help from doctors.

Classification of pain in the perineum

The identification of different groups, categories or classes of pain symptoms occurring in the groin is based on various parameters. All of them are presented in our table below.

How to relieve pain

It is not always possible to see a doctor right away if your lower back hurts and radiates to the groin. Sometimes you have to look for a temporary solution to relieve pain in the lower body before visiting the clinic. Taking antispasmodics, which include no-spa and papaverine, can help. If you need to bring down the temperature, you can take Ibuprofen or Nurofen, but if the temperature is below 38 degrees, it is not recommended to bring it down. Under no circumstances should you heat or cool a sore spot without a doctor’s instructions. It is also worth providing the patient with bed rest.

Symptoms of pain in the perineum

The clinical picture that complements pain in the perineum in women and men may be different, since it depends on the pathology that caused it. This means that symptoms vary. The most common ones are:

• Discharge from the urethra or vagina;
• Radiating pain to the pelvis, lumbar region and lower abdomen;
• Increased pain during physical activity;
• Frequent urge to urinate;
• Pus and blood in urine and semen;
• Increased pain during sexual intercourse;
• Sensation of a foreign object in the rectum;
• Increased body temperature.

Clinical manifestations characteristic of a particular disease are presented in our table below:

Our doctors

Perepechay Dmitry Leonidovich

Urologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, doctor of the highest category

41 years of experience

Make an appointment

Khromov Danil Vladimirovich

Urologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, doctor of the highest category

Experience 36 years

Make an appointment

Kochetov Sergey Anatolievich

Urologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, doctor of the highest category

35 years of experience

Make an appointment

What diagnostics are performed for pain in the perineum?

Often, when pain symptoms occur in the perineum, the patient does not know which doctor he needs to see. First of all, you should make an appointment with a therapist who, depending on the situation, will give a referral to a urologist, gynecologist, proctologist or surgeon. Diagnostic methods in all cases are specific, the main ones are the following:

• interviewing the patient to determine the nature of the pain and the presence of additional symptoms;
• physical examination by a gynecologist or urologist;
• careful history taking;
• general and biochemical blood test;
• general urine analysis;
• bacterioscopy in women, urethral flora smear in men;
• radiography;
• ultrasonography;
• intestinal colonoscopy;
• examination of the rectal mucosa;
• computed and magnetic resonance imaging;
• X-ray of the colon of the bladder with the introduction of a contrast agent into it.

Non-communicable causes

Other reasons can also cause itching and redness in the groin in men.

Allergies

The thin skin of the inguinal folds and scrotum is susceptible to many allergens. It can be:

• food products;
• detergent components;
• linen fabrics;
• lubricant for sex;
• condom material.

When the factor that caused the allergy is eliminated, improvement occurs. Tests for immunoglobulins and the immune status of the blood help to identify allergies.

More often, allergies occur in the form of atopic dermatitis - dry redness and peeling in the groin in men; If small blisters appear against a background of redness, they speak of eczema.

Prickly heat

A groin rash in men and itching can be caused by wearing tight or synthetic underwear. The condition is aggravated by staying in a hot atmosphere, long trips, when there is no opportunity to wash with soap and allow the body to breathe.

The essence of prickly heat is that sweat is actively secreted, and the sweat glands are clogged with sebaceous secretions and skin flakes. White nodules and red spots appear in the inguinal folds.

Systemic diseases

Diabetes mellitus, liver and gallbladder diseases, kidney failure, and psoriasis can provoke itching. In all such cases, there are other important symptoms of these ailments, and itching all over the body, and not just in the groin. With iron deficiency anemia, itching intensifies during contact with water.

Psychological reasons

In some cases, the cause of severe itching in the groin in a man may be general nervousness or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Scratching injures the skin, a streptococcal infection gets into the scratches, and inflammation begins.