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UTI? Cystitis? Psoas? Hernia? What is it?!?!
I am a 35-year-old woman who has been experiencing an unusual sensation of bloating, fullness, dull pain and pressure in my lower right pelvis, as well as frequent urination. This has gone on for over a year. I’m starting to become obsessed with figuring out what the problem is. My father has had a hernia (not sure about my mother), I have IBS (spastic colon) and a long history of “holding” both my urine and my feces longer than I should. I have not had children or any surgeries in that area. My symptoms started immediately after the onset of what I can only describe as a possible severe UTI, where I had visible blood and possibly tissue(?) in my urine. Typically, I only experience UTIs right after sexual activity that involves accidental spreading of anal bacteria. There was no sexual activity prior to this onset. My internist found white blood cells in my urine, so he prescribed a week of Cipro, followed by a week of Macrobid after symptoms returned a month later. I was also told to see a gynecologist, and to not hold my urine anymore. A few months later, I noticed a hard, pea-sized lymphnode in my front pelvic area, right where the leg meets the hip. I know not how long it has been there. I saw a gynecologist, who performed a vaginal ultrasound, blood and urine test. All of them were negative. She said that lymphnode was probably just shotty, and I should return if it got larger. It hasn’t gotten larger. Eight months later, I still felt the pressure/pain and was tired of having to urinate at 4 am every day, and every hour on the hour. I saw a urologist, who found microscopic hematuria in my urine. He ordered a CT scan, which turned out negative. He then said I “may” have had such a severe UTI, it just never went away, and I should drink lots more water and take cranberry pills. I was not satisfied with this explanation, but I have been following his and my internist’s advice. I was driving the other day and had to pull over to urinate at a local store, and I could barely walk because the pain was radiating around my whole right abdomen. I also felt vaguely nauseous, but did not vomit. I recently saw a massage therapist for general stress relief, and he commented that my psoas muscles were much too tight. It was excruciatingly painful when he pressed on them. (I sit all day at work and do light walking and barre workouts only a few times a week.) I’ve been actively stretching these muscles daily for about a week now, and the pain seems to be improving. It has localized itself to a small, melon-ball-sized area about two finger widths up from the crease where my leg meets my lower abdomen. That spot is SUPER tender, and I can feel very small bumps or texture underneath my skin. (Note, I cannot see them, I can only feel them.) Could this be some sort of hernia? Would that ever be linked to hematuria and frequent urination? I’m so confused and I just want my life to go back to the way it was before this all started! It’s so disruptive!
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1 Reply
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UTI? Cystitis? Psoas? Hernia? What is it?!?!
The palpable areas seem to be where a small groin hernia may be. The symptoms of tight psoas muscle, tight pelvic floor muse are consistent with an inguinal hernia. It definitely deserves to be evaluated by a general surgeon with an interest in hernias. Go to the American Hernia Society website to look for a surgeon in your area or let us know where you live andwe can refer you.
Have you been evaluated for interstitial cystitis?
That said, bladder spasm, in the same scope as pelvic floor spasm, can be an uncommon manifestation of inguinal hernias that are symptomatic.
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