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Avatar universal

can anxiety and stress cause a pulling sensation in groin/hip area?

for the last three weeks, i've had a discomfort in my lower right side. it feels like something is tugging at my muscles, but it doesn't cause me pain, the area just feels tight. i've been to the doctors who has given me tests such as urine (clear), swabs (clear) and a pregnancy test (negative).

i am waiting for an ultrasound, but trying to find a logical reason to what it is as some days it drives me mad. i've unfortunately been googling my symptoms and have basically written myself off with cancer, appendicitis and many other diseases, causing my anxiety to be even worse. i'm fearing its some underlying condition that will be devastating, even though my only physical symptom is the discomfort.

i've been under a lot of stress recently as i'm nearing the end of my degree which includes a lot of work.
i've also been potentially diagnosed with TMJ, as i grind my teeth a lot and have to wear a mouth guard every night. i have my mri results within the next two weeks which is another worry.

i don't know what it causing it, and waiting for an ultrasound feels like i'm waiting a lifetime :(
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Avatar universal
Don’t worry I am having same kind of symptoms since last 4. Years.I feel google makes more stressful .
Wish you all the best .
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am still waiting for an ultrasound, it's been a month tomorrow since i went to the doctors.
The British health service is terrible and has been for the last few years, which is why the wait is so long for everything.
My MRI showed that there is something wrong with my cartilage in my jaw, so i've gotta be monitored and reduce my stress levels.
I'm looking to attend some self help classes in a few weeks in my local community, so i'm hoping they help!
I'm still having the pulling feeling, but when i feel the area, my muscle feels very tight compared to my other side.
Ice compressions and ibuprofen have been helpful.
MAYBE next week i will FINALLY have a letter for my appointment for my ultrasound! (not getting my hopes up though!)
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Any updates?
Avatar universal
My side is more discomfort than pain, I rarely feel pain in it.
When i feel my side, it feels very tense and I can feel the muscle is tense compared to the other side!
I've had this for a month, but I am thinking that when I went out (and got drunk), I fell over twice in my heels, causing me to land awkwardly on my right side. I noticed my discomfort in the bath a few days later and since then, i've been able to feel it on and off.
I've recently handed in my final piece of work for my university degree, so i've noticed its been a lot more tense the last few days.
I'm starting to convince myself its muscle, as if it was anything else i'm sure i would have had more symptoms by now.
Don't stress yourself over it, it can make what your feeling worse, believe me.
Googling the symptoms and practically having a melt down over it caused my side to be worse.
As soon as i started to distract myself from it, i could hardly feel or notice it.
Try some ice on your side and take ibuprofen if the pain gets bad.
It can be distracting but the discomfort and pain won't last forever :)
Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
Have you had your ultra sound yet and if so, what, if anything, did they find?

I'm sorry I didn't reply to your post from the 14th............I've been down with the flu from hell and am only now able to stay upright for more than 5 minutes!

I cannot believe you had to wait a YEAR for an MRI. I've had to have several in the past year due to a medical problem and the longest I had to wait was 3 days! A year is virtually inhumane!

Your symptoms ARE NOT cancer related and you absolutely MUST stay off the symptom sites! I understand how tempting it is to look them up, but look where it has landed you!!! On a cancer ward for crying out loud! How much more stress and anxiety can you dump on yourself, girlfriend?

As to your question regarding the increase of gas, anxiety can definitely increase this we breath differently when we are anxious. We tend to breath more rapidly and take more "shallow" breaths. This does trap air in both the upper and lower intestinal tracks. An increase of gas after eating is a prime symptom of anxiety as well. We always swallow air while eating and drinking and if you add anxious breathing to that mix, you end up with "trapped wind!"

Really try to slow down while eating and don't drink during the meal unless you are SIPPING a small glass of wine. (That wine advice is MINE.....not the doctors who say don't drink anything) Gulping fluids during a meal will cause you to swallow even more air, so see if that helps.

Taking a brisk walk after eating can help but if that is not really possible, at least avoid immediately plunking down on the sofa to watch telly. Try to move around a bit which will help settle the meal and help expel any gas.

If you feel the need to google something, check out some Yoga sites on deep breathing techniques. These will help with your anxiety/stress more than you can imagine. A friend of mine finally convinced me to try them and I promise you, they REALLY work, and they are so easy!

Please keep me updated on your ultra sound and how you're doing, OK?
You're going to be fine!
RubyWitch  

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey if you don't mind can you let me know what is causing ur pain . I'm in a similar situation and it's running my life.
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Avatar universal
I am still waiting unbelivably! This is the NHS for you!
It hasnt been too bad the last week or so but today for some reason its been bad.
Ive noticed im more stressed and more anxious today so i dont know if it is anxiety related :/
Stress can do so many things to our bodies :/
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey did the sonogram show anything? I've been have weird sensations in my groin and pubic area that docs say is just my anxiety. I don't no how to make it stop it's driving me nuts!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
With the ultrasound, I should be told there and then what is wrong, it's just waiting for one on our health care system takes forever as they are done in the hospital, rather than at the doctors.
I waited almost a year for my MRI scan on my jaw!

We have out of hours doctors but they judge your symptoms over the phone and decide if you need to see a doctor. So they probably wouldn't take any notice of me.

I'm hoping its just muscle and nothing else.
It's silly but i keep thinking its something underlying thats more serious like cancer (the anxiety kicking it) and my mind does overtime.

Also, strange question, but can your anxiety cause like trapped wind? i'm burping a lot after meals and tend to do so more when i'm stressed.




Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
How much longer do you have to wait for your ultrasound? And then how long would you have to wait for the results? I would hope it's not as long as waiting for the MRI results!

Is it possible in the UK to call your doctors office and tell them that the anxiety of your "discomfort" is disrupting your life and could they please schedule you sooner?

Do you have Urgent Care Clinics in the UK..........I'm not talking about ER's.....(Emergency Rooms) but more like Walk In Clinics but one step up the ladder. All Urgent Care Clinics here have Ultrasound equipment and the doctor would give you the results immediately.

Could you go to an ER? I am NOT saying you should or need to, but it's obvious the anxiety IS causing you some severe problems.

I wish I understood your medical system better.........

I honestly think............and again I state that I am NOT a doctor, that if this was anything really serious, you would have real pain, probably some swelling and a fever. The fact that you have none of those, and haven't HAD any of those things and this tugging/pulling has not increased or spread over the past several weeks, in my humble and non-medical opinion, I'm GUESSING it has something to do with a muscle pull or even a tear, but that I believe would be more painful. But I don't know THAT for sure either.

Try to see your doctor sooner is really the only advice I have. My guessing is not going to give you any reassurance.
I would advise that you rest, take some Tylenol and apply ice 2-3 times a day and see if this helps the discomfort.

I wish you the best and I'm here if you want to talk
RubyWitch  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you very much.

Its so hard to stay off sites. Ive been doing it again and im just going around in circles.
Its because ive had it for nearly 3 weeks thats making my anxiety worse, ontop of everything else.
Its so hard not to think of it as serious, despite it being my only symptom.
Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
Anxiety can and does cause a great many symptoms, but feelings of "tugging and pulling in the groin/hip area" is usually not among them.

The reverse of that is the constant tugging and pulling without a known cause will increase your anxiety. It is a bit like being between a rock and a hard spot.

You have been to the doctors who have obviously ruled out any emergent reason for these sensations, and unfortunately, they won't get the answers they need for a diagnosis until they see the ultrasound. If they had been really concerned, they would have hospitalized you immediately. Try to hold onto that positive thought.

I know you are frustrated, scared and in discomfort, but I'm afraid there's just nothing you can do but try to stay calm and know people are working to find the answer for you.

You absolutely MUST stay off the symptom sites! I also know how hard that is, but as you've proven to yourself, the ONLY thing you will learn there is that those sites increase anxiety!

The fact that you are under a lot of stress as you near earning your degree  is not helping your anxiety but is probably not exacerbating your problem.
The same can be said for your TMJ. I WAS going to say I can't believe you are having to wait two weeks for those MRI results, but then I checked and saw you're writing from the UK. That explains that, unfortunately. But I don't believe TMJ would have anything to do with the groin/hip issue. It IS however, no doubt adding more stress/anxiety to your life.

You say you have no other symptoms besides the discomfort and I think that is probably a good sign. Please understand that I am NOT A DOCTOR, but I can't help wondering  if this pain is related to some sort of muscle strain/sprain that happened while you were doing something physical. Usually we'd know if we sprained our ankle, but sometimes with other muscle groups, we can injure ourselves and not know it for a few days.

I wish I could have given you a more reassuring answer, but until the doctors can see what's going on in there, I fear you're just going to have to live with it. Don't keep poking at the area but do keep your eye on for any swelling, redness or real pain beyond "discomfort." If that happens, see your doctor right away.

I hope you'll let us know what they find and I wish you the very best and a quick recovery!
RubyWitch
Helpful - 0
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