Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMusculoskeletal and Nervous System CausesRenal/Urinary CausesGynecological CausesOther CausesWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Musculoskeletal and Nervous System Causes
Renal/Urinary Causes
Gynecological Causes
Other Causes
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
The pain you experience may feel dull, sharp, or burning.Lower back paincan also radiate to the front pelvic area in females. Although it may sound like two different types of pain—pain in the lower back and pain in the groin—healthcare providers group them as one. If you feel pain in one area, then you’re extremely likely to feel the other.
Verywell / Julie Bang
Back pain affects females more than it affects males.The maincauses of lower back and groin painin females fall into two categories.
Musculoskeletal and nervous system-related causes of lower back/groin pain in females may be obvious to you (e.g., a fall) or less so (e.g., poor posture).
Overuse Injuries and Trauma
Frequent use and repetitive movement patterns can lead tooveruse injuriesto muscles, ligaments, and joints. They could include:
Trauma can also lead to lower back and groin pain. Trauma could result from car accidents, falls, or sports accidents. Such trauma can inflict acute and chronic bodily injuries, like strained muscles or broken bones. Depending on the type of trauma, the healing time and treatment needed can vary.
Both overuse and trauma injuries to the lower back or groin area can lead to weakness in the legs, tingling, numbness, pain, stiffness, or popping sensations.
Poor Mobility
Decreased range of motion and mobility in muscles and joints over time can cause discomfort and pain. Causes for this include:
Posture
Your posture while sitting, standing, and walking affects your range of motion. It also can affect the nerves and blood supply to your back and groin area.
Prolonged bad posture can contribute to lower back pain and strain muscles. Posture-related discomfort can feel achy and stiff and lead to short episodes of more severe pain.
Sciatica and Pinched Nerves
Arthritis
Arthritisis inflammation that leads to swelling, stiffness, pain, and the breakdown of cartilage that cushions the joints. Hip arthritis causes groin pain and, occasionally, back pain that becomes more intense when standing or walking for long periods.
Thoracic or lumbar spine arthritis or degenerative disc disease are other common causes of back pain.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Thesacroiliacjoints connect your lower spine and pelvis. When these joints move too much or too little, it may causesacroiliac joint pain, leading to a burning sensation in the lower back and groin area.
Renal or urinary causes of back pain may be less obvious than musculoskeletal issues. If your back pain is persistent, this is one of the reasons that it is important to see your healthcare provider. Treating one of these underlying causes of back pain can help you resolve the issue more quickly.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones trigger severe back and other symptoms, including:
Kidney Infection and Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections andinfections of the kidneysare other causes of lower back and groin pain in females. They cause fever, a frequent urge to urinate, and painful urination.
Females may have hormonal issues that contribute to back or pelvic pain. And hormonal changes during pregnancy along with normal biomechanical alterations, can contribute to back pain in females.
There are other gynecological issues that can contribute to back or pelvic pain.
Menstrual Pain
Normal changes during your menstrual cycle may contribute to back pain. In fact, studies have suggested that changing hormone levels, especially estrogen and progesterone, can affect pain perception and response. Researchers believe women experience more back pain than men due to their experience of menstrual back pain.
For some females, back pain occurs every month during the menstrual phase (days one to six) of the menstrual cycle. Studies have suggested that pain is often felt most intensely in thequadratus lumborum, a deep muscle that flanks both sides of the spine in the lower back.
In addition to back pain, females may also experience pain in the stomach, chest, shoulders, arms, legs, and head during their menstrual phase.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Infections in the female reproductive organs, known aspelvic inflammatory disease, typically occur when sexually transmitted bacteria spread through the vagina, womb, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.
Symptoms include:
Ovarian Cysts
Anovarian cystis a solid or fluid-filled sac on the surface of or within an ovary. Small ovarian cysts are unlikely to cause pain.
Large ovarian cystsor those that rupture can cause pain that ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain. This pain can occur during the menstrual cycle or intercourse or acutely in the back, pelvis, or lower abdomen.
Back and Groin Pain During Pregnancy
Back pain and discomfort in the groin area are common during pregnancy. As your body adjusts to the pregnancy, the bones and round ligaments in your pelvis move and stretch, which can make you uncomfortable.
While these symptoms are usually normal, it’s important to mention them to your healthcare provider during your check-ups. Pain in the lower back and groin during pregnancy can be a sign of miscarriage or labor (includingpreterm labor).
Sexually Transmitted Infection
Some sexually transmitted infections, such aschlamydiaorgonorrhea, can cause pain in the lower back and groin area.Other symptoms could include:
Yeast Infection
Ayeast infection, also known ascandidiasis, is the overgrowth of the fungusCandida albicans. It is a common vaginal infection.
While musculoskeletal problems and gynecological issues can explain many causes of back pain, there are still other issues that can lead to discomfort in your lower back or pelvis.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis occurswhen your appendix becomes blocked and infected. In most people, a major symptom is pain that starts near the belly button. But for some, it can start in the lower back and radiate to the right side of the pelvic area.
Pain associated withappendicitismay worsen over time, or when you’re coughing, moving or taking deep breaths.
Othersymptoms of appendicitisinclude:
Inguinal Hernia
A hernia in the groin area is referred to as aninguinalhernia. It involves soft tissue, often part of the intestine, pushing through weak groin muscles. It causes pain in the abdomen, lower back, or pelvis, especially when bending or lifting heavy objects.
Pancreatitis
The pain with pancreatitis is worse during and after eating. Other symptoms of pancreatitis include:
Enlarged Lymph Nodes
There arelymph nodesthat lie both in the internal and external regions of the iliac artery in the pelvis. These can become enlarged for many reasons, including infection, injury, and, in rare cases, cancer.
Symptoms of enlarged lymph nodes include:
Enlarged Spleen
Thespleenis a small organ, located behind the left side of your rib cage. It filters the blood and helps create new blood cells. Like the lymph nodes, infections and diseases can cause your spleen to become enlarged.
Pain related to an enlarged spleen (a condition calledsplenomegaly) is usually in the upper left part of the belly, and sometimes the left shoulder and upper back. However, some people with an enlarged spleen experience abdominal symptoms like not being able to eat large meals without discomfort.
If you are experiencing chronic or unusual lower back and groin pain, your primary care healthcare provider orOB/GYNcan help you determine the cause of your pain or refer you to a specialist. Lower back and groin pain in females is a symptom that may have many possible causes, so be sure to see your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis.
Seek immediate medical attention at an emergency room or urgent care center if your pain is severe, sudden, or you have any of these symptoms:
Treating your pain will depend on its cause. Once a diagnosis is made, your treatment plan will be created. An effective treatment plan will likely contain a combination of the following tactics:
Lifestyle Management
Exercises to improve posture, paying attention to your form when lifting objects, and stretching can help ease the pain.
Medication
Physical Therapy
Working with a physical therapist helps to correct problems with:
Pelvic Floor Therapy
Pelvic floor therapyis a type of physical therapy that focuses on the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues in the pelvis. It helps with pain, weakness, and dysfunction in the pelvic floor area.
A physical therapist will decide on a treatment plan for your pelvic floor therapy to help with strength and range of motion in your pelvic muscles.
Chiropractic Care
Surgery
Some conditions are more severe and may require surgery. Ovarian cysts, hernias, and other infections sometimes require emergency surgery to remove infected or unhealthy tissue (such as rupturedovarian cystsorappendicitis).
If you have any questions about the symptoms you’re experiencing, turn to your healthcare provider. Addressing matters early on is always the best way to deal with pain.
Summary
Lower back and groin pain in females can have a wide range of causes. Like your healthcare provider, you may wish to group the possible causes into categories, which may include musculoskeletal or nervous system issues, renal/urinary causes, gynecological influences, and a few other triggers.
Identifying the cause is the first step in devising a treatment plan, which might include lifestyle improvements, medication, physical therapy, or chiropractic care.
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25 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bizzoca D, Solarino G, Pulcrano A, et al.Gender-related issues in the management of low-back pain: a current concepts review.Clin Pract. 2023;13(6):1360-1368. doi:10.3390/clinpract13060122BMJ Best Practice.Musculoskeletal lower back pain.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Back pain: overview, symptoms, & causes.Boutin RD, Robinson P.Pelvis and groin: practical anatomy, injury patterns, and imaging findings. In: Hodler J, Kubik-Huch RA, von Schulthess GK, eds.Musculoskeletal Diseases 2021-2024: Diagnostic Imaging. Springer; 2021: 71–82. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-71281-5_6De Carvalho DE, de Luca K, Funabashi M, et al.Association of exposures to seated postures with immediate increases in back pain: a systematic review of studies with objectively measured sitting time.J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2020;43(1):1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2019.10.001Merck Manual.Low back pain.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sciatica.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.Kurosawa D, Murakami E, Aizawa T.Groin pain associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction and lumbar disorders.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2017;161:104-109. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2017.08.018Harvard Health Publishing.Kidney stones.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Urinary tract infection—adults.Lee JW, Park HS.Relation of the factor to menstrual pain and musculoskeletal pain.J Exerc Rehabil. 2015;11(2):108-11. doi:10.12965/jer.150188Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Ovarian cysts.Merck Manual.Pelvic pain during early pregnancy (consumer version).Cohen SP, Wang EJ, Doshi TL, Vase L, Cawcutt KA, Tontisirin N.Chronic pain and infection: mechanisms, causes, conditions, treatments, and controversies.BMJ Med. 2022;1(1):e000108. doi:10.1136/bmjmed-2021-000108American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis: frequently asked questions.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Vaginal yeast infection.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Appendicitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Inguinal hernia.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Acute pancreatitis.Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.Mount Sinai.Splenomegaly.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Back pain: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Gevers-Montoro C, Provencher B, Descarreaux M, Ortega de Mues A, Piché M.Clinical effectiveness and efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation for spine pain.Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2021;2:765921. doi:10.3389/fpain.2021.765921
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bizzoca D, Solarino G, Pulcrano A, et al.Gender-related issues in the management of low-back pain: a current concepts review.Clin Pract. 2023;13(6):1360-1368. doi:10.3390/clinpract13060122BMJ Best Practice.Musculoskeletal lower back pain.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Back pain: overview, symptoms, & causes.Boutin RD, Robinson P.Pelvis and groin: practical anatomy, injury patterns, and imaging findings. In: Hodler J, Kubik-Huch RA, von Schulthess GK, eds.Musculoskeletal Diseases 2021-2024: Diagnostic Imaging. Springer; 2021: 71–82. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-71281-5_6De Carvalho DE, de Luca K, Funabashi M, et al.Association of exposures to seated postures with immediate increases in back pain: a systematic review of studies with objectively measured sitting time.J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2020;43(1):1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2019.10.001Merck Manual.Low back pain.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sciatica.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.Kurosawa D, Murakami E, Aizawa T.Groin pain associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction and lumbar disorders.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2017;161:104-109. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2017.08.018Harvard Health Publishing.Kidney stones.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Urinary tract infection—adults.Lee JW, Park HS.Relation of the factor to menstrual pain and musculoskeletal pain.J Exerc Rehabil. 2015;11(2):108-11. doi:10.12965/jer.150188Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Ovarian cysts.Merck Manual.Pelvic pain during early pregnancy (consumer version).Cohen SP, Wang EJ, Doshi TL, Vase L, Cawcutt KA, Tontisirin N.Chronic pain and infection: mechanisms, causes, conditions, treatments, and controversies.BMJ Med. 2022;1(1):e000108. doi:10.1136/bmjmed-2021-000108American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis: frequently asked questions.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Vaginal yeast infection.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Appendicitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Inguinal hernia.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Acute pancreatitis.Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.Mount Sinai.Splenomegaly.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Back pain: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Gevers-Montoro C, Provencher B, Descarreaux M, Ortega de Mues A, Piché M.Clinical effectiveness and efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation for spine pain.Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2021;2:765921. doi:10.3389/fpain.2021.765921
Bizzoca D, Solarino G, Pulcrano A, et al.Gender-related issues in the management of low-back pain: a current concepts review.Clin Pract. 2023;13(6):1360-1368. doi:10.3390/clinpract13060122
BMJ Best Practice.Musculoskeletal lower back pain.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Back pain: overview, symptoms, & causes.
Boutin RD, Robinson P.Pelvis and groin: practical anatomy, injury patterns, and imaging findings. In: Hodler J, Kubik-Huch RA, von Schulthess GK, eds.Musculoskeletal Diseases 2021-2024: Diagnostic Imaging. Springer; 2021: 71–82. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-71281-5_6
De Carvalho DE, de Luca K, Funabashi M, et al.Association of exposures to seated postures with immediate increases in back pain: a systematic review of studies with objectively measured sitting time.J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2020;43(1):1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2019.10.001
Merck Manual.Low back pain.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sciatica.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.
Kurosawa D, Murakami E, Aizawa T.Groin pain associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction and lumbar disorders.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2017;161:104-109. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2017.08.018
Harvard Health Publishing.Kidney stones.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Urinary tract infection—adults.
Lee JW, Park HS.Relation of the factor to menstrual pain and musculoskeletal pain.J Exerc Rehabil. 2015;11(2):108-11. doi:10.12965/jer.150188
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Ovarian cysts.
Merck Manual.Pelvic pain during early pregnancy (consumer version).
Cohen SP, Wang EJ, Doshi TL, Vase L, Cawcutt KA, Tontisirin N.Chronic pain and infection: mechanisms, causes, conditions, treatments, and controversies.BMJ Med. 2022;1(1):e000108. doi:10.1136/bmjmed-2021-000108
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis: frequently asked questions.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Vaginal yeast infection.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Appendicitis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Inguinal hernia.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Acute pancreatitis.
Hopkins Medicine.Lymphadenitis.
Mount Sinai.Splenomegaly.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Back pain: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.
Gevers-Montoro C, Provencher B, Descarreaux M, Ortega de Mues A, Piché M.Clinical effectiveness and efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation for spine pain.Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2021;2:765921. doi:10.3389/fpain.2021.765921
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