Groin pain related to lumbar DDD?

[betsyb2]

Have any of you had any experience with groin or pelvic pain related to DDD in the lower lumbar/sacral discs? My daughter has DDD with bulges and annular tears at L4-5 and L5-S1 as well as radiculopathy to the left foot and right knee.

She developed severe bilateral groin/pelvic pain about the same time that her back pain became much worse a few years ago. If you have had any pelvic pain symptoms, did ADR (or other surgery) resolve or improve your groin pain as well as your lower back and leg pain?

Just wondering and hoping to find someone who may have had success with resolving this type of pain. We know there is a myofascial component as every major lower back and pelvic muscle has many well-defined trigger points, but they haven't responded to trigger point therapies and her back pain just gets worse with that kind of treatment. Then the groin pain flares with the back pain - a vicious cycle.

We're also hoping to get input about what impact the anterior approach for ADR would have on those poor, nasty tempered pelvic muscles.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you might have!

Betsy

[Alastair]

Hi Betsy,
there's no question about it that some leg and pelvic pain can be related to your spine.

Usually groin pains are connected with hip problems -- -- -- have you had that checked out?
Best,
Alastair

[Harrison]

Betsy, ditto to comments above (unfortunately). I had it before ADR, almost all of it went away thereafter; with the remainder going away in the first few months...

Hi Betsy!

I have groin and pelvic pain too. I started getting groin pain after I hurt my back in an accident. I had ADR at L5-S1 almost 16 months ago and I still have problems.

It has progressed now, I have a heavy feeling down my pelvic area and into groins, mostly left side. Also have a little effect on bladder (never had leg pain though).

My surgeon says it's due to tense muscles only. Another doctor thought it was complications from ADR surgery, like disturbed nerves due to cutting or scar tissue growing.

I guess the truth is somewhere in between. I do relaxation techniques and water therapy go keep going, and I guess it just takes time to heal.
But it sure is tricky with that vicious cycle!
/Kris L.

I developed groin pain in the pudendal nerve distribution following my ADR surgery. It happened when I started to stretch. I cant prove it was the ADR but my pain (i.e.; similar to pudendal nerve entrapment) is so rare that I have a hard time believing otherwise. I keep recalling my surgeon mentioning that access to my l5/s1 disk space was "difficult because it was so low and deep." And this was Bertagnoli.

PStewart,
does Bertagnoli also think the groin pain is due to the ADR surgery? Have you asked him?

Do you also experience a heavy feeling in groins (alongside the pain)?

Was it the gluteus strech that triggered your pain?
Many say this strech is important but I've heard from other sources that it might cause trouble too. Especially is the muscles are already tense. Streching them migth make the tonus rise further and increase pain/problems instead.
Difficult to know who's right..

[luvmysibe]

My L5/SI injury sent shockwaves throughout my entire body. Once the intial flareup subsided, I was left with severe right leg and left shoulder pain. The intensity varied daily depending on my activity levels and position. Thankfully, most of the deep pain has vanished since my ADR.

[betsyb2]

Thanks to everyone for replying to my questions! Some of your answers have me thinking of even more questions like...

Alastair - thanks for the support. No doctor has even been remotely interested in the hip area as the exams don't provoke her typical pain when they rotate them, etc.

Harrison - Thanks for your input. Do you mean that you had leg pain, groin OR pelvic pain or a combination? I couldn't tell by referring to Alastairs's message that you ditto'd (or by reading your story a few times! LOL). But, it's wonderful to hear that ADR resolved it for you! Did a discogram or some other diagnostic procedure provoke that kind of pain proving it was related to your L5-S1 disk? If so, I'd really like to pick your brain a little on that.

KrisL - (my son-in-law is from Malmo!) - thanks for sharing your story and I'm so sorry that you're still struggling with that pain. Do you think there's a possibility it's related to the L1 problems you experienced in your accident rather than the L5-S1 Prodisc or the surgery? The nerve distributions always point to a higher level than my daughter's lower lumbar problem area for groin and pelvic pain. She has bladder and suprapubic pain too, which docs concede might be coming from L5-S1. I hope you get some relief from your pain soon!

Crystal - Thanks for pointing out your somewhat weird experience. It's amazing that you had shoulder pain from a lumbar disk injury! The body is a strange and complex thing and not every body reacts in the same way to similar problems. That's when you usually hear the doctors saying that it just can't be! But, it sure is great that most of your pain is resolving since your surgery. Hope it continues as you continue to heal!

PStewart - So sorry that you're dealing with Pudendal type nerve pain. That is sooo painful! Has anyone suggested surgery to release it? I read an article at www.pelvicpain.org (The International Pelvic Pain Society) about how successful that surgery is getting to be now (if you have the right surgeon! LOL). Best of luck with getting some resolution on that.

Thanks again everyone! Any more thoughts will always be appreciated!

Betsy

[Sigonka]

I had years of groin pain as my only symptom. I only found out that if was "back" related when I had back surgery and the groin pain went away. I blew my back out again and had ADR 1 and1/2 years ago and the groin (dull) ache comes back infrequently - usually when I over-do with my back.
Barbara

Hi again Betsy,

Yes, I guess the groin pain could be related to L1. At least the dermatome chart says so, and my PT has been thinking about it too.

I asked my doctor but no support there (strange..). My PT asked a specialist that does "nerve slides" and nerve mobilization, he absolutely thought it could be from L1.
Also I've had the groin trouble since before surgery, so it's not only ADR related.

But I tried movements/exercises to make the nerves better, but without result. And that heavy feeling plus the bladder thing is new since surgery.

I think the truth is that many things coexist here, this will just have to take it's time.
/Kris L.
P.S Malm� is a nice city! The gate to rest of Europe D.S