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Possible femoral hernia
I experienced a sharp pain in my left groin approx. 11 weeks ago, just 4 days before I was to have an hysterectomy for uterine fibroids. I told the gynecologist about the pain which she attributed to my fibroids, which I had had for 12 years. I said I didn’t think so and that I was working in the yard when the pain started very sharply. Anyway I went ahead with the hysterectomy. 3 days after being released from the hospital I was taken by ambulance to the ER with excruciating pain. I was in the hospital for 3 days as they were trying to control the pain accompanied by nausea. The CT scan of the abdomen did not show anything, MRI of low back showed nothing and x-ray of low back and hip showed nothing. The pain was sharp in the left groin, radiating to my left hip and then nerve pain down the front outer side of my leg. There was no diagnosis given by the internist at the hospital but he thought it was my hip or back. I then went to internist and then to an orthopedist who was puzzled and thought it could be hip or back and wanted me to see a neurologist after I had been on gabapentin for 10 weeks. I told him I was going to another orthopedist first and finally went to the 2nd orthopedist, Dr. James London in San Pedro, who is about 50 miles away. I have gone to him on several occasion and he is an orthopedist expert I used while defending medical malpractice claims. He does not think it is my hip nor my back. He thinks it my be a femoral hernia. I told him that I mentioned it to the doctors in the hospital and they said it couldn’t be as the CT scan did not show anything. Dr. London told me that sometimes it does not show up and I am now scheduled for the MRI of the pelvis w/o Contrast in 2 weeks and then plan on making an appointment with your office. Any pointers you can give me until then? Am I on the right path?
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16 Replies
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Possible femoral hernia
Good luck!
Let us know what your consultation results in.
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Possible femoral hernia
Hi, I was diagnosed with Femoral hernia too. It appeared as a small bulge at the groin crease just above my left thigh. I have got an appointment at the Shouldice Hospital for further treatments. Reading to all the comments above has helped me. Its good to know that someone understands what I go through.
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Possible femoral hernia
I had Inguinal Hernia surgery on July 2nd , 4 weeks ago today, by Dr. Towfigh. Dr. Towfigh did find a small hernia on the MRI and because of my other diagnosis of a torn labrum I was uncertain as to which symptoms I was having were from which diagnosis. During the surgery Dr. Towfigh said that the small hernia was right where I indicated the pain was, which she marked right before the surgery. The surgery was uneventful, however, 4 days later I felt the same pain again. I saw Dr. Towfigh in her office and she felt that the pain was due to fluid filling the space where the hernia had been and that it should be absorbed by my body within the next two weeks. After 2 weeks that pain was gone. It is now 4 weeks and I only have a little discomfort from the surgery. All the other symptoms are gone. I can feel a little instability in my hip, which must be from the labrum tear, but no pain. I just started back to my lower weight training last week and have been running for the past 2 weeks. I even painted my toenails which I was unable to do for 5 1/2 months. Thank you so much Dr. Towfigh for your talents as a surgeon, great expertise in this field, and putting up with all my questions while educating me. I felt I was in good hands. I have let 4 of the prior physicians who saw me know about these hidden hernias and shared the New York Times article with them. It may keep others from prolong suffering.
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Possible femoral hernia
Dr. Towfigh found it on the MRI because she knew what to look for. The radiologist that initially read the MRI did not find
a hernia. That is why you need someone that is a hernia specialist as others don’t really know what to look for if it’s not
obvious. I was lucky to have a orthopedist that really pushed me to a specialist in hernia’s. I saw him today and he said
that the symptoms told him that’s what it was. -
Possible femoral hernia
I’ll be praying for your surgery on July 2nd, and I hope that it takes care of all of your pain! You had said earlier that the MRI did NOT show a hernia, so I am wondering what test Dr. Towfigh did to FIND your hernia? Or was she able to tell from examining you?
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Possible femoral hernia
I did go to Dr. Towfigh on June 10 th and she did find a hernia, besides being diagnosed with a torn labrum by my orthopedist. My orthopedist had also said that a torn labrum would not cause all the pain I was having and pushed me to see a hernia specialist, and he was right. The MRI report did not show a hernia so you really need to find a hernia specialist that knows what they are looking for. You’re right, I was lucky to have Dr. Towfigh in my backyard to consult. I’m having hernia repair surgery on July 2nd by Dr. Towfigh. After that I’ll be able to see what the symptoms are from the torn labrum.
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Possible femoral hernia
Hi LKPittman,
Did you find out if your pain was due to the labral tear in your hip or a hernia, or both? I hope you have gotten help and are in less pain now. I’m in a similar situation. The MRI of my hip shows torn labrum, so I was given shot of cortisone into hip but it did not help. I was then sent to a total of 3 orthopedic surgeons who told me the type of pain I had could not be from the torn labrum. They did NOT suggest what it could be. It’s just been from reading Dr Towfigh and others online that I’ve gotten the idea to check for a hidden hernia. Just finding it hard to get a doctor who knows about it. I’m happy for you that you live near enough to see Dr. Towfigh…if I lived on the west coast, that’s who I’d be seeing. If you are willing to write, I’d like to hear how you are faring.
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Possible femoral hernia
It was nice seeing you today! It just occurred to me that you are from this post!
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Possible femoral hernia
Dr. Towfigh, I did make an appointment to see you on June 6th. Thank you.
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Possible femoral hernia
Glad your orthopedist found something that is treatable.
I also agree that it’s best to have a hernia specialist review the MRI, as a hernia is typically under-called by radiologists. In fact, in my practice? Less than ¼ of images are accurately diagnosed for hernia.And, yes, I have seen patients with both problems, but it is rare.
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Possible femoral hernia
I just received the results of the MRI and am now really confused. My orthopedist ordered both an MRI of the pelvis w/o contrast and the left hip. The MRI of the pelvis did not show a hernia and no acute abnormalities. The MRI of the hip showed degenerative tearing of the anterosuperior and superior labrum of the left hip. I saw my orthopedist yesterday and he said the tear of the labrum could cause my groin pain and some of my other symptoms. He was still not sure that there was not a hernia as some of the symptoms could not be explained by the tear of the labrum and the severity and consistency of the pain. He said even though the MRI did not show the hernia he would still like me to see a hernia specialist to make sure. I was thinking the same thing before I saw him yesterday, that I had too many hernia symptoms, but what are the odds of having both conditions. I am thinking that I will make an appointment with your office Dr. Towfigh, what do you think?
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Possible femoral hernia
I have been posting in the femoral hernia topic section and when I read your post it sounds so much like the symptoms I was having at the start of my ordeal. I think, after my experiences, it is so important to see a Dr. That specializes in hernia repair and knows about hidden hernias in women and also about the involvement of nerves and how to address the pain caused by nerve involvement. I wish I had seen one at the beginning of my journey and could have avoided nerve problems and the possibility of mesh removal. Dr. Towfigh gives excellent advice and guidance. Hopefully someone will read MRI that knows what to look for and this can be resolved quickly and you can get back to living life! I am still working towards that, but haven’t given up.
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Possible femoral hernia
As you said, no one knows our body like we do. That is why it’s so important to have a doctor that
respects and gives you credit for that and really listens. Luckily I knew this doctor professionally so
he knows that what I say is what is really happening. I will let you know after I have the MRI done
next week. One thing that has helped with the nerve pain down the leg is that I have been treating with
acupuncture and taking Gabapentin. At least I have gotten some relief. -
Possible femoral hernia
Thanks for your input Dr. Towfigh. I really feel I am on the right track. My MRI is scheduled for next Friday May 16th.
I feel lucky to have such a good doctor in my orthopedist and optimistic that I won’t have to go through this for
a really long period of time as some have done. I will let you know after I get the results of the MRI. -
Possible femoral hernia
Dear IKpittman,
This is a good discussion board and I am lucky that I have found it.
I have the ‘exact’ same pains as you have. Look at my post; SEVERE pain pelvic – hip, down front leg and side
Now that Dr Towfigh has responded to you and I, I am feeling hopeful.
I will check back on what you may do next and I will post back on what I will be doing thanks to the feedback of Dr Towfigh.
No-one knows their own body like WE do. Stay the course!!
Faith
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Possible femoral hernia
Yes! And thanks for your post.
First, my research had shown that CT scan is very unhelpful for small or hidden hernias in the groin. Ultrasound and MRI is better. So the fact that CT scan was negative despite your symptoms means 1) it was not read specifically to look for hernias. 2) the hernia is too small to see on CT. When symptoms are suggestive and CT is negative for hernia, I recommend MRI.
Femoral hernias can present with pain radiating down the from of the upper thigh. Sometimes it can also radiate up and out to hip and lower back. They are often too small to be felt on exam. So, symptoms are important to determine the plan of care. Pain is often activity related, with pain while sitting for a long time, sneezing, standing on your feet.
I recommend MRI pelvis, without contrast. I have developed a hernia protocol which includes Valsalva and dynamic images to accentuate very small hernias. In my experience, women are more likely to have small or hidden hernias and they can be very painful.
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