Groin and thigh pain after seeing chiropractor for back pain

Groin and thigh pain after seeing chiropractor for back pain


I saw a chiropractor for back pain that was recently aggravated by bending. X rays a year ago reported L2/3 mild bulging of the disc.

The chiropractor rotated the hips to increase mobility of the hip joints and pressed on the nerves in the groin area which caused pain at the time. She mentioned needing to work on the front and opposite area of the site of pain. Is this true and necessary?

Since then I have almost constant pain in the groin area & the inside of the thigh on my left side which I didn't have before. The muscles are tight compared to the other leg and my back pain is worse than what it was originally.

Is there a reverse technique that I can use to relieve the pressure /pain in the groin/thigh area? Heat seems to be making the pain worse, or more noticeable.

Hello Dn,
This is a difficult question.

Firstly, some discomfort and even pain after the first few treatments is not unusual; in fact some research suggests that unless it happens, nothing much is achieved. I don't necessarily go along with that, but after chiropractic treatment discomfort is not uncommon.

That needs to be distinguished from the treatment aggravating the existing, or another problem; it's called iatrogenic illness and happens in every doctor's office, including my own.

If you have hip arthritis, or an impingement syndrome, then the side posture chiropractic adjustment can cause groin pain if too much stress is place on the thigh during treatment. Pull your knee to the chest and then opposite shoulder; does it cause groin pain? Were you treated with a manipulation, lying on your side?

If I was treating a patient with a known L2/L3 lesion then, yes, I too would be looking at the hip and groin and thigh area.

Heat would indeed aggravate an acute problem.

Do you have pain bending forwards, backwards, and to the side? In the back? Does it radiate to the thigh?

Have you discussed your problems with your chiropractor? That's the right thing to do. Go back and tell her what happened. When making the appointment, ask the secretary to make extra time. Perhaps print this out and take it with you. If your gut feeling is that she glosses over your problems, and doesn't take the time to hear you out, and examine you thoroughly, then you're quite entitled to refuse further treatment.

A good start would be to do our lower back exercises regularly every morning before arising; you'll find them in the navigation bar.

You indeed sit on the horns of a dilemma. Follow your instincts; perhaps another chiropractor, if you haven't been put off our profession for ever!

I hope this contributes. Let me know how you get on.

Dr B

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Jul 08, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Groin and inner thigh pain after adjustment
by: Anonymous

I have read through the comments and I too am having a similar issue. I have been using chiropractic for years and I am 30 years old now. Been using chiropractic since I was 18. It's been about a week since my last adjustment and I have had a burning on both inner thighs and some burning in my groin and testicles. It pretty much started as soon as I was adjusted. It was my first time seeing this chiro and he did do a side adjustment on my right side. It was actually the lightest adjustment I have ever had. I went back the next day and told him what was going on and he ordered an MRI. I haven't gotten the results yet but I am really worried right now. It's been exactly a week and I am still feeling the pain. Mainly in my inner thighs, groin, and testicles. There is some soreness in my SI area but nothing terrible. The other burning pain is a lot worse. I know this thread is older but I would love some feed back.
Dec 11, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		L2/3 exercises?
by: Anonymous

Hello Dr B,

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions.

The Chiropractor did a side adjustment on one side but not on the painful side. She wanted me to get more Xrays first before risking disc herniation?

I asked 3 times & she eventually tried it, but she wasn't able to get the thrust that was needed. Is it more difficult for women to do the side adjustment? I have since gone back to a male chiropractor (who was on holiday at the time),& he was able to do it very easily.

I think the woman chiropractor tried to use cranio-sacral therapy and some other techniques she's probably not trained in ( I also felt nauseous, dizzy & fatigued for a week afterwards- unusual for me after getting adjustments) so I won't be seeing her again. Thankfully, it wasn't the first time I saw a chiropractor so I'm not put off. I've had many successful adjustments and it makes every day living more bearable and easier.

I don't have pain lifting my knee to my chest but some muscle pain when trying to lift to the other shoulder.

Bending forwards to the ground helps to stretch every thing and relieves the pain for some reason. I also have to sit with my legs raised but when the pain is severe it is too painful to sit down. It radiates from the back to the buttock, and to the front of the thigh.

I sometimes unexpectedly feel sharp bone-like pain when bending even slightly on an angle or rolling over when sleeping.

I have had L5/S1 and L4/5 disc bulges in the past which has caused dull aching back pain for years but the sharp pain seems to be coming from the L2/3 area.

I can move the hip joint freely with no stiffness so I don't think it's hip arthritis.I do have one leg that is a little shorter than the other but I can't remember which one.

The male chiropractor is very good with adjustments and it relieves the pain for up to a week but then it returns again.

I'm wondering if some exercises are making it worse? Are there exercises just for the L2/3 area?

I would really appreciate any more advice or suggestions.
Thanks,
Dana

Hello Dana,
Ask your chiropractor to do a Femoral nerve stretch; you can try doing it at home, but difficult. Lying on tum with knees bent, ask hubby to raise the good knee; now compare with the painful leg. Is it much tighter in the front of the thigh?

I suspect you have a mid to high disc lesion; it causes extreme leg pain in the front of the thigh and inner lower leg, depending on the nerve root.

Watch for weakness and wasting developing in the quadriceps muscle in the front of the thigh.

I've actually had this myself, so I know what you're going through. See Femoral nerve damage at Chiropractic Help if you're interested.

This isn't Maigne's syndrome, but similar area of the spine, so the Maignes syndrome exercises may help. Use the search function at C-H.

Good luck, and sterkte. It hurts.

Dr B

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