Causes of a lump in the groin

Reasons for appearance

Lumps in the groin area can appear for a number of serious reasons. The painful mass may be an inflamed lymph node. The fact is that the functions of the body’s lymphatic system include cleansing the body of viruses and maintaining immunity. Therefore, when a health threat arises, the lymphatic system is the first to react. Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the female genitourinary system provoke inflammation of the lymph nodes in the groin.

A fairly voluminous compaction, coupled with severe pain, can occur due to a hernia. In this case, the pain intensifies during movement and during physical activity. When the ducts of the sebaceous or sweat gland become inflamed, a lump may form in the groin area, accompanied by fever, chills and intoxication of the body.

If a lump has grown at the entrance to the vagina, then this is a clear symptom of bartholinitis. Bartholinitis is characterized by significant redness and intense pain. After some time, an abscess appears on the surface.

One of the reasons for the appearance of a lump in the groin is varicose veins of the femoral veins, which occurs along with nagging pain. A seemingly harmless lump can be a type of both benign and malignant cancer.

A ball in the groin may protrude due to inflammation of the hair follicle. It is also worth taking into account reasons such as chafing under underwear and allergies. In order to understand the causes of this disease, it is important to determine how painful the lump is, what its density, shape and size are. And also where it is located, what the woman’s body temperature is, and whether there are any concomitant diseases.

Inflammation of the hair follicle

Inflammation of the hair root (follicle) can be caused by various harmful bacteria and fungi.
It could also be staphylococcal bacteria, a virus, herpes or mites. Shaving hair against the grain promotes the formation of ingrown hairs. The result will be inflammation of the hair and the development of an inflammatory process in the follicle.

The development of folliculitis can also be preceded by injuries, allergies, low immunity, diabetes, exposure to chemicals

If you constantly wear tight underwear, this hinders the growth of hair, which as a result grows in, and then the picture develops as in the previous version. In addition, synthetics do not allow the skin to breathe, which causes all kinds of irritation and negative consequences.

Wearing tight underwear can lead to inflammation of the hair follicle

The development of folliculitis can also be preceded by injuries, allergies, low immunity, diabetes, and exposure to chemicals.

List of possible diseases

A lump in the groin is a serious reason to visit a doctor as soon as possible, because in the vast majority of cases there is a risk of developing serious illnesses.

Inguinal lymphadenitis affects the female body and is an enlargement of the lymph nodes in the intimate area. The provoking factor for enlargement is inflammatory diseases that negatively affect the pelvic organs and lower parts of the peritoneum. Bacterial or viral diseases of the genitourinary system - cystitis, ureaplasmosis, adnexitis, urethritis, chlamydia, endometritis, tuberculosis and others. Lymph nodes become enlarged with genital herpes, or infection of the body with fungi - candidiasis. Sexually transmitted infectious diseases, such as the human immunodeficiency virus, are also causes of lymphadenitis. Enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area are characteristic of exacerbation of diabetes mellitus, as the body reacts to a reduced state of the immune system.
Disruption of the metabolic processes of adipose tissue can lead to the growth of a benign formation in the intimate area - lipoma. A lipoma, or wen, is not accompanied by any symptoms and does not pose a health hazard, affecting only the aesthetic appearance. Unlike lymopa, atheroma is a cystic neoplasm of the thickness of the epidermis that grows after blockage of the sebaceous gland. It always has a capsule filled with products produced by the clogged sebaceous gland.
A pouch-shaped protrusion in the groin area may be a hernia. That is, the exit of intestinal loops, greater omentum or appendix beyond the peritoneum.
Bumps of varicose veins in the intimate area in women most often occur during pregnancy, heavy physical activity, excess weight, and a sedentary lifestyle. Pregnant women are more susceptible to this type of varicose veins, because the uterus grows very quickly, putting pressure on the veins of the pelvic area. In turn, the volume of circulating blood and body weight increase - all these factors negatively affect the veins, because they are not elastic enough compared to small arteries.
Bartholin's glands produce a secretion necessary to maintain moisture in the vagina. An acute infectious and inflammatory disease of the Bartholin gland leads to the formation of a lump in the labia area. As the disease progresses, the seal swells more and more and increases in size, blocking the entrance to the vagina. Inflammation of the Bartholin gland occurs against a background of malaise, high fever, and throbbing pain in the vagina. At the last stage, an abscess forms.
Due to excessive sweating in the intimate area, women may develop a small reddish lump that looks like a boil - hidradenitis. This disease is caused by inflammation of the sweat gland.
Small dense balls in the groin in the center of which hair grows are definitely folliculitis - inflammation of the hair follicle. Folliculitis is observed in women who undergo waxing or depilation.
Lymph node cancer is recognized as the most dangerous type of neoplasm in a woman’s intimate area. It is impossible to independently determine the malignancy of a tumor, but you should be wary if the tumor is accompanied by general malaise, low-grade fever, itching and redness. For the most complete clinical picture, it is important to highlight additional symptoms, this will help to accurately establish the diagnosis.

Does the lump hurt when pressed? The pain of a lump in the groin should alert you. If the lump hurts when pressed, then this is an alarming symptom, indicating severe disturbances in the functioning of nearby organs, inflammation, swelling, and accumulation of pus. Pain when pressed can vary in intensity and specificity.

The meaning of the lump on the right and left. A lump in a woman’s intimate place can be localized on both the right and left sides. The pathological processes that caused the onset of the disease do not depend on the location of the compaction.

Hidradenitis: etiology, clinical symptoms

This disease is more typical for men, but in some cases, protrusion of the inguinal hernia can occur in women. Predisposing factors are:

Traumatization of the anterior abdominal wall: due to damage to the ligaments, the ability of the abdominal muscles to withstand loads is reduced;
Frequent increase in intra-abdominal pressure: during heavy physical activity, heavy lifting;
Weakening of the abdominal wall muscles due to atrophy or exhaustion;
Obesity: Excess weight puts a lot of constant pressure on the muscles;

An inguinal hernia appears due to protrusion of the abdominal organs through the inguinal canal while maintaining the integrity of the peritoneal layers. The first sign of the disease in women is swelling in the groin area.

In the early stages, the protrusion may be painless and cause no discomfort. A dangerous complication of this pathology is strangulation of the hernia, which leads to tissue necrosis and the development of peritonitis.

Therefore, you should not self-medicate and put off going to the doctor.

If a lump appears in the groin and the patient consults a doctor for help, he describes individual symptoms that differ from other similar situations. Symptoms depend on the reasons that provoked the formation of the lump. Inflammatory processes and oncological neoplasms are accompanied by the following symptoms:

pain when walking and moving;
itching that intensifies at night;
skin redness;
bad feeling;
heat;
poor appetite;
sudden weight loss.

Different types of hernias have different symptoms. Protruding tibial and inguinal hernias are characterized by pain radiating to the abdomen and lower back, nausea and fever.

Around the place where the lump appeared, a red spot with a bluish tint appears on the skin. The patient complains of increased shortness of breath and lumbar pain.

If there is thrombosis or the tumor is filled with pus, increased pulsation is felt. This lump hurts a lot at the slightest touch.

Which doctor should I go to?

Depending on the signs of a lump between your legs, it is advisable to visit a specific doctor. If the formation in the perineum does not cause pain, you should consult a therapist. The location of the lump in the genital area or in close proximity to it should be a reason to visit a gynecologist.

A consultation with a dermato-venereologist is necessary if a woman had unprotected sexual intercourse shortly before the lump appeared.

The surgeon will help if a purulent process has begun in the lump, or there is a possibility of a hernia. In some cases, it is appropriate to visit a nephrologist if a woman has kidney disease or an oncologist if there is a predisposition to cancer in the woman’s family.

If it is difficult for a woman to determine which doctor to see, and her condition does not cause concern, you can make an appointment with a local physician. After an initial history and palpation, he will give a referral for examination to an appropriate specialist.

Prevention

It is possible to prevent the formation of lumps in the groin area, but to do this, a woman must remember and follow the following prevention rules daily:

have only one sexual partner, avoid casual intimate relationships, or use barrier contraception;
give up bad habits, do not drink alcohol, tobacco products, drugs;
observe the rules of personal hygiene, take a warm shower at least 2 times a day and change your underwear;
prevent or promptly treat inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive system;
undergo a preventive examination every year by a gynecologist (even if there are no current symptoms of the disease);
balance the diet by excluding from the diet foods containing preservatives and carcinogenic substances (smoked meats, canned meats, sausages, chips, vegetable oils obtained by extraction or refining, vegetables, herbs and fruits grown with the use of pesticides, nitrates and other chemicals) ;
do not overwork and do not lift heavy objects, so as not to provoke an increase in pressure inside the abdominal cavity, which can result in the formation of an inguinal hernia, which looks like a small lump with a dense structure;
Avoid hypothermia of the body and directly the organs of the reproductive system.

It is very important that all foci of chronic infection are promptly eliminated, which can lead to inflammation of the lymph nodes in the groin area, causing them to enlarge, resembling a round lump in appearance.

Ointments and preparations

Treatment for lumps in the perineum largely depends on their type. Lumps formed by inflamed lymph nodes are treated comprehensively.

The bacterial nature of the inflammation is successfully treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Azithromycin, Metronidazole, Ciprofloxacin.
Ointments with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects - Levomekol and Vishnevsky ointment are widely used for the treatment of lymph nodes. If the disease is fungal in nature, antifungal ointments are used - Fluconazole, Ketonazole, Lamisil, Mycozoral. In some cases, disinfection of cones in the intimate area is required; Miramistin or Chlorhexidine will help with this.
Tampons with ichthyol ointment are applied to the swelling from inflammation of the Bartholinitis gland, while taking antibiotics – Amoxiclav and Ceftriaxone.
During periods of pronounced pain due to a hernia, antispasmodics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed - No-Shpa, Ketanov, Nise, Ibuprofen, Drotaverine.
The formation of lumps between a woman’s legs is a signal of reduced immunity. Therefore, immunostimulants are added to the main treatment - Echinacea infusion, vitamins to boost immunity.
Bumps in the groin of women on the right or left, formed as a result of hidradenitis, are externally treated with iodine, salicylic acid, ethyl alcohol, and brilliant green.

Treatment can only be prescribed by an experienced specialist, since self-medication is extremely dangerous. If treated incorrectly, the development of a dangerous disease can increase.

Inflammation of the gland duct

Due to an excessively large amount of sebum and dead cells, the pores become clogged, which provokes inflammatory processes in the sebaceous gland, and a lump appears in the groin of women, on the left or right.

This does not affect her health at all, but causes fear because of her appearance.

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Folk remedies for treating an inflamed lymph node

In addition to the traditional treatment of lumps in the groin area, there are no less effective treatment methods with folk remedies.

It is useful to apply cabbage leaves, horseradish leaves, green tomatoes, and potatoes to varicose cones. Apply with ointment made from garlic with butter, wormwood with yogurt, laundry soap, rendered lard, onion juice, and aloe juice.
Enlargement of the lymph nodes in the groin will go away faster if you combine treatment with compresses of dandelion juice, nettle decoction, hops, and mint leaves. Internal fat perfectly helps the lymph nodes return to normal.
Bartholinitis goes away after baths with infusions of chamomile, oak bark, eucalyptus, and a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It is good to apply baked onion paste to the sore spot. Echinacea alcohol tincture treats lymph. Viburnum infusion boosts immunity.
For cones formed by herpes in the intimate area in women, an external remedy made from honey and celandine, mixed in equal proportions, has proven itself well. And also horseradish tincture and garlic tincture for compresses and sea salt baths.

Before carrying out treatment with folk remedies, you need to consult a doctor.

Enlarged lymph nodes

Due to infectious and inflammatory diseases in the female urine – the reproductive system, the lymph nodes may become enlarged.

The human lymphatic system is designed to protect the body. And this happens with the help of lymph, which flushes out all harmful substances (toxic substances, pathogens, decay products) from organs and tissues.

Next, this fluid undergoes filtration in the lymph node, where everything foreign and negative extracted from the body tissues is retained.

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If a lymph node is inflamed, it means that inflammatory processes are occurring near its location. Based on the location of the lump in the woman’s groin (left or right, above or below), the doctor prescribes a research method.

After all, each of the lymph nodes is individually responsible for “its own” area of the body:

located in the upper part of the groin area are responsible for the lower abdomen, buttocks and sides;
the lymph nodes in the center of the groin area are connected to the genitourinary system and the rectum;
The lower lymph nodes cleanse the lymph flowing through the lower extremities.

Diseases that can cause an enlarged lymph node on the left:

Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the genitourinary system.
Taking hormonal medications.
Leg diseases.
Organ injury.
Tuberculosis of bones.
Oncology of nearby organs, in particular, the lymph nodes themselves.

Furunculosis in the groin

A boil can appear on different parts of the body: on the back, on the chest, on the face. Very often, the boil is localized in the groin area of a woman and can become a source of terrible discomfort. If many rashes appear at once, such a lesion is called furunculosis.

The reasons may be:

underwear that rubs the skin;
allergies to hygiene products;
problems with the immune system;
some infections;
endocrine disorders;
liver and kidney diseases.

What caused the ball to appear in the groin during furunculosis can be found out as a result of diagnostic measures carried out in the hospital. Most often, a boil in the groin is formed when the outflow of the secretion of the sebaceous glands is disrupted, and an abscess is formed. An infection can also develop if the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus gets into the wound.

To treat furunculosis, antibiotics are used, which are part of products for external use. Such drugs are sold in pharmacies in the form of liniments, creams or gels. The drugs are applied to a gauze bandage, applied to the affected area, and secured with an adhesive plaster. When the number of compactions with ulcers increases, antibiotic therapy is prescribed orally.