Introduction to Primary and Secondary Groin Pain: What Is Inguinodynia?

Abstract

If dedicated inguinodynologists already existed and were easily accessed by patients with groin pain, we would have much less of a need for this type of manual. However, as of today, inguinodynology is not yet a specialty, nor do specific inguinodynologists readily exist. In fact, patients with groin pain and chronic groin pain either primarily existing or secondarily existing following a hip or hernia surgical procedure are often lost, mainly because they have no place or physician to turn to with this chief complaint. The Internet is filled with an equal number of myths and facts and is often not helpful with finding patients a specialist. With such an extensive differential diagnosis, the optimal treating physician may be a pain specialist, a physical therapist, a psychologist, a radiologist, a gastroenterologist, a general surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a urologist, a neurosurgeon, a neurologist, a rehabilitation specialist, a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, a gynecologist, or even a plastic surgeon. The differential diagnosis for groin pain crosses into 15 different specialties, so no wonder patients are lost.