A urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause groin pain. While often associated with discomfort in the lower abdomen or during urination, a UTI can lead to referred pain in the groin area. This occurs due to the interconnectedness of nerve pathways and the body’s inflammatory responses.
What is a Urinary Tract Infection?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection affecting any part of the urinary system, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Bacteria, most commonly E. coli, typically enter through the urethra and can multiply, causing an infection. UTIs are more common in women due to their shorter urethra.
Infections usually begin in the lower urinary tract, involving the urethra (urethritis) or bladder (cystitis). If left untreated, bacteria can travel upwards through the ureters to infect the kidneys, leading to a more severe condition called pyelonephritis. Common symptoms of a UTI include a frequent and strong urge to urinate, a burning sensation during urination, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, and lower abdominal or pelvic pain.
How UTIs Can Cause Groin Pain
Groin pain from a UTI can occur through several mechanisms. The bladder, when inflamed during a UTI, can cause discomfort that radiates to nearby areas. This referred pain happens because the nerves supplying the bladder share pathways with nerves in the groin region.
Inflammation and irritation of the bladder lining, known as cystitis, can extend to surrounding tissues, leading to generalized discomfort in the lower abdomen and groin. This inflammation can also induce muscle spasms in the pelvic floor and lower abdominal muscles, contributing to the sensation of groin pain. In more severe cases, if the infection spreads to the kidneys (pyelonephritis), flank pain often occurs, which can then radiate down into the groin.
Other Reasons for Groin Pain
Groin pain is a general symptom that can arise from numerous conditions beyond a urinary tract infection. Muscle strains are a very common cause, particularly injuries to the adductor or hip flexor muscles, often seen in athletes. These injuries can result from sudden movements or overuse.
Hernias, such as an inguinal hernia, can also cause groin pain when tissue bulges through a weak spot in the abdominal wall. Kidney stones are another source of severe groin pain, as the pain can radiate from the back or abdomen as the stone moves. Other potential causes include sexually transmitted infections (STIs), testicular issues in males like epididymitis or orchitis, ovarian cysts or other gynecological issues in females, and nerve impingement.
When to See a Doctor
You should contact a healthcare provider if you experience groin pain along with typical UTI symptoms such as painful or frequent urination, urgency, or cloudy urine. Early treatment of UTIs with antibiotics can prevent the infection from spreading and becoming more severe.
Immediate medical care is warranted if you experience severe or worsening groin pain, particularly if it is accompanied by red flags like a fever, chills, back pain, nausea, vomiting, or blood in your urine. These symptoms could indicate that the infection has reached the kidneys, which requires prompt treatment to avoid complications. A doctor can perform a urine test to diagnose a UTI and prescribe the appropriate antibiotics, which should be completed as directed.