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An Approach to Inguinal Pain

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Textbook of Hernia

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Abstract

Inguinal pain stems from several different causes and can be a debilitating situation for many individuals. In most cases, the cause of inguinal pain can be easily explained and treated. However, there are often scenarios in which the pain is mysterious in nature and therefore a more investigative approach must be taken to determine a patient’s discomfort. Starting with the basics of a patient’s history and physical exam, a thorough evaluation is the foundation for a successful treatment plan and subsequent recovery. Often, radiology imaging will be necessary to discover the origin of the pain. Diagnostic injection can also provide helpful information. Further, one must keep in mind that inguinal pain can be referred from other regions which may not be immediately obvious. These causes can originate from internal organs, the lumbar spine, various joints, and nerve entrapment. Collaboration with other medical specialties, including general surgery, pain management, spine surgery, gynecology, and orthopedics, can aid in designing treatment modalities to provide the patient with the best outcome. The treatment plan may include surgery, local and ablative injections, electrical stimulation, medications, physical and/or psychological therapy, or a combination of these. The purpose of this chapter is to present ideas on how to provide a thorough evaluation and treatment plan for inguinal pain patients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Greenville Health System, Greenville, SC, USA

    Kevin B. Walker M.D.

Authors
  1. Kevin B. Walker M.D.
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Correspondence to Kevin B. Walker M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

    William W. Hope

  2. USC School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville Health System, Greenville, North Carolina, USA

    William S. Cobb

  3. Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Gina L. Adrales

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© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Walker, K.B. (2017). An Approach to Inguinal Pain. In: Hope, W., Cobb, W., Adrales, G. (eds) Textbook of Hernia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43045-4_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43045-4_19

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43043-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43045-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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