Could Groin pain be caused by injury to back

[Mindy M]

Over the last 2 months my dad has gone from a  typical 57 year old to bed ridden.  He has such severe pain in his right side groin area that he is unable to sit for more than just a couple of minutes, he has to stand to eat.  He doubles over in pain to the point where he is making a crying noise when he coughs, laughs, sneezes or anything else that makes his groin area tense up.  He takes 8 pain pills a day just to put himself out of misery.  He has to walk with a cane. He always has to lay down due to the pain, he is miserable because he is helpless and can't mow the grass or help my mom with things around the house.  Not even 2 months ago, this was a man that worked 16 hour days, traveled for work throughout the week, played baseball, basketball and soccer with his grandson, went out to dinners with the family and was and still is mine and my son's best friend.  He now has to go on disability.

He had this same episode a couple of years ago, then again last year, but it came and went in a couple days.  He has been to the emergency room, urologists, muscular-skeletal doctors.  It seems like every test has been run, cat scans, blood tests, mri, ultrasound, steroids, anti inflammatories, x-ray guided steroid shots.  Its not gull stones its not his aorta (say the doctors).  His appendix is gone. Nothing can be found.  I cry every night because I can't (or doctors) can't help him.  On top of all of this, my mom and I are scared he is going to have a heart attack from being in this constant pain.  

If anyone can help, please get back to me.  I am desperate and running out of options

[mike1105]

If it were me, and if I had all the tests, and the tests were not remarkable, there is no way in the world i would let anyone stick needles in my spine. besides, it seems like he already had that. in the absence of evidence from all these tests, what  
else could it be but a muscular imbalance/spasm ???  have him try for a few days the stretches----also dep trigger point release by a qualified therapist.

[giveitback]

Yes, it is very possible that groin pain can be caused by an injury to your dad's back. Even if he has a small bulge from a disc that the doctor's may disregard as something most people his age have, etc. It does not mean that there is not significant pain coming out of that area.
For example, I had an MRI showing a bulge that looked pretty "harmless" to three doctors that did not feel I should be experiencing any great pain from this area. I went to an orthopaedic surgeon and he completely disagreed with the other doctors. He examined the MRI films thoroughly and listened to my complaints. I had no idea that pelvic/groin pain could come from my disc. When I had a Selective Nerve Root Block to confirm what the surgeon was saying, I was very surprised that my groin pain, along with the other symptoms from that "bulge" went away, I knew it was from the disc. Of course, after the effects of the nerve block wore off several hours later, it came back with both barrels. I see that your dad had the fluroscopy epidural, but did he happen to also have a Selective Nerve Block? This test is basically for diagnostic purposes whereas the other epidurals are supposed to be therapeutic (if give in the correct location).
If your dad was physically fit and active prior to his injury, it is doubtful he will have a heart attack from his pain - Try not to worry about that unless he had some prior heart problems. I am not a doctor, just using some common sense.
Best of luck to you and your family.

[mike1105]

BTW_- none of this will show up on any test !!!!!!!

[mike1105]

hip flexor tightness.............see men's health magazine with matt leinart on the  cover--- in the middle somewhere is a great page of hip flexor/flexibility stretches. he would also probably benefit from hip flexor trigger point relief--you should get a trigger point manual by Clair Davies. What usually triggers this forward tilt of the pelvis (tight hip flexor) syndrome, is too much sitting (flexed pelvis) and not enough stretching, extension exercises/

these stretches will be painful at first-- so have him be gentle in the beginning. i would use heat to loosen him up in the groin areas as much as possible before stretching.