Groin Pain

• Groin pain can be caused by the sciatica, but also by injury or weakness in ligaments, hernia, kidney stones, tumor, infection, enlarged lymph glands and testicular torsion. The pain can be dull or sharp, intermittent or constant, and it can get worse the more active you are. You should see a doctor to determine why you are experiencing groin pain.
  
  

Symptoms/Risks

• Symptoms of sciatica besides pain include tingling in your feet and toes, loss of bladder or bowel control, muscle weakness and numbness in your leg or foot. Risk factors for developing sciatic pain include diabetes, because it increases your risk of nerve damage; having a sedentary lifestyle or sitting for long periods; and having a job which requires you to carry heavy loads or twist your back. Sciatica is also more likely for people after age 30 when spinal disc deterioration is a normal part of aging.
  
  

Causes

• The main cause of sciatica is a herniated disc. Your sciatic nerve controls muscles in your lower legs and gives you feeling in your legs, feet and thighs. When you have a herniated disc it can compress nerve roots in your lower spine, causing the pain and tingling you feel in your lower extremities. Other causes of sciatica include spinal tumors, sciatic nerve tumor, sciatic injury, trauma, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis and piriformis syndrome.
  
  

Treatment

• Sciatica treatment includes physical therapy to correct posture, strengthen muscles and improve flexibility. Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medicine, muscle relaxers and narcotics for short-term pain relief, or anticonvulsant drugs and antidepressants for chronic pain. Other treatments include epidural steroid injections for inflammation and pain, and surgery for bladder and bowel incontinence, pain which doesn't improve with other treatment, and compressed nerves which cause significant weakness.
  
  

Complications/Prevention

• Sciatic pain treatment works for most people but sometimes permanent nerve damage occurs. These complications can include total loss of your bladder and bowel function, and the loss of feeling and movement in the leg affected by sciatica. You can prevent these potential problems by exercising regularly, using good posture when sitting and remembering to stand and lift things properly.