Groin Pain Due to Nerve Compression or Injury
Nerves in the lower abdomen or flanks can transmit pain caused by chronic pressure (meralgia paresthetica), scarring or injury.
For example, the following surgery can cause groin pain:
- Hernia operation
- Bypass surgery
- Varicose vein operations
- Intestinal operations
- Testicle operations
- Hysterectomy
- Ceasarian section
- Breast reconstruction using lower abdominal tissues (TRAM-flap, DIEP-flap)
- Tummy tuck
- Hip operation
- Cardiac Catheterization
The following nerves belonging to the lumbar plexus can also be affected:
- Iliohypogastric nerve: innervates the skin on the groin and the skin on the sides of the hips above the iliac crest, and parts of the internal abdominal muscles.
- Ilioinguinal nerve: innervates an area of skin upwards and medial to the external abdominal ring, and parts of the inner abdomen and back muscles.
- Genitofemoral nerve: In men, one branch innervates the skin on the scrotum and a muscle that controls the testicles. In women, this branch innervates the skin of the greater labia. In both sexes it innervates a part of the skin on the thigh.
- Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve: innervates the lateral side of the skin on the thigh (often affected in hip operations).
Groin pain lasting more than 6 months after the last operation and not responding to medicine or other treatment forms can often be treated by releasing the nerve or also by removing one or more nerves. However, if a nerve branch is removed there will be a loss of sensation in the area of skin that the nerve supplied.