Conditions

Understanding Groin Pain

Groin pain refers to discomfort felt in the crease between the lower abdomen and the upper thigh. It can originate from muscles, tendons, joints, nerves, or internal pelvic structures, and is common in both men and women. Because the groin is a crossroads between the hip, pelvis, and lower abdomen, pain here may stem from several overlapping causes — from musculoskeletal strain to nerve entrapment or referred pain.

Typical symptoms include:

  • Aching, sharp, or burning pain in the inner thigh or lower abdomen
  • Pain made worse by movement, twisting, or coughing
  • Tenderness over the groin crease or pubic bone
  • Pain radiating into the hip, scrotum, labia, or inner thigh
  • Weakness, tightness, or “pulling” sensation when walking or climbing stairs

Common causes include:

  • Muscle or tendon strain (adductor tendinopathy or sports hernia)
  • Hip joint arthritis or labral tear
  • Nerve irritation (ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, or obturator neuralgia)
  • Inguinal hernia or post-surgical nerve pain
  • Pelvic floor or sacroiliac joint dysfunction

Because many structures can contribute simultaneously, specialist multidisciplinary assessment is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

Wessex Pain Clinic

How We Diagnose

At Wessex Pain Clinic, our consultants begin with a detailed history and physical examination, identifying patterns of pain, movement restriction, and nerve involvement.

We may arrange:

  • Ultrasound imaging to detect tendon or muscle injury, hernia, or inflammation
  • MRI scanning for deeper assessment of hip, pelvis, or abdominal structures
  • Diagnostic nerve blocks (e.g. ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, or obturator nerves) to confirm the source of neuropathic pain
  • Hip and pelvic joint evaluation to rule out arthritis or labral pathology

When appropriate, we collaborate with surgeons, physiotherapists, and pelvic health specialists for a joined-up diagnostic and treatment plan.

Wessex Pain Clinic
Lifestyle and Complementary Therapies

Our physiotherapy and rehabilitation partners play a central role in recovery, focusing on:

  • Strengthening and stretching exercises for the hip and groin muscles
  • Postural correction and gait retraining
  • Core stability and balance work
  • Activity modification and gradual return to sport

Our pain psychology partners help patients manage chronic discomfort, movement anxiety, and stress through mindfulness, CBT, and pacing strategies.

At Wessex Pain Clinic, we work as a team and meet regularly to discuss complex, treatment resistant or unusual cases. As such you will often receive the expertise of several pain consultants. We believe that we are one of very few pain clinics to offer this.

Medications

We may recommend:

  • Anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and swelling
  • Analgesics for short-term relief
  • Neuropathic pain agents such as pregabalin, amitriptyline, or duloxetine for nerve-related pain
  • Muscle relaxants for tightness and spasm
Interventional Procedures

Our consultants perform a range of ultrasound- or fluoroscopy-guided interventions to target pain precisely at its source, including:

  • Ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, or obturator nerve blocks for nerve entrapment pain
  • Sacroiliac joint injections where pelvic joint dysfunction contributes
  • Trigger point injections for muscle or tendon pain (adductor or rectus abdominis)
  • Radiofrequency denervation or pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) for longer-term nerve pain relief

These minimally invasive procedures can significantly reduce pain and support active rehabilitation.

Our management of groin pain is multidisciplinary and tailored, combining targeted medical treatment, interventional pain procedures, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation.

Treatments at Wessex Pain Clinic

Treatments