Why does pain in the lower abdomen radiate to the leg? What diseases can cause such unpleasant symptoms? How to diagnose and treat them? We will present the answers to all these questions in the materials of the article under consideration.
Basic information
Sharp pain in the lower abdomen in the fair sex is a fairly common symptom. It can be associated with disorders of the genitourinary system, and with pathologies of other systems, including neurological, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal.
Most often, acute pain in the lower abdomen develops in women aged 24-35. The development of such a symptom is observed in approximately one in seven patients.
Specialists say that such a pathological condition may be a sign of a serious illness that requires immediate surgical or conservative treatment.
What organs can provoke pain in the lower abdomen?
Symptoms that manifest as abdominal pain depend on which organs are susceptible to a particular disease. Most often thisthe pathological condition is associated with changes in:
- small and large intestines;
- fallopian tubes;
- bladder;
- womb;
- ovaries.
Inflammatory processes
Causes of pain in the lower abdomen may be associated with inflammatory processes occurring in one of the following structures and organs:
- internal genital organs (including vagina, uterus, cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes);
- muscles of the pelvis or the so-called piriformis muscle;
- small intestine;
- kidneys;
- large intestine, as well as appendix, caecum, rectum and sigmoid colon;
- ureter;
- bladder;
- sciatic nerve.
Main causes of pain in the lower abdomen
This pathological condition can be caused by completely different disorders. However, experts say that most often the syndrome in question occurs due to:
- ectopic reproductive disorders;
- urological disorders;
- uterine disease;
- intestinal disorders;
- neurological lesions.
Ectopic disorders
Pain in the groin, radiating to the leg, may occur due to diseases of such genital organs as the fallopian tubes, vagina and ovaries. Symptoms of these gynecological problems are:
- discharge of leucorrhoea (often mucopurulent);
- pain that gets worse before menstruation begins;
- infertility;
- menstrual irregularity;
- weakness and general fatigue;
- severe itching in the perineum (especially with inflammation);
- frequent urination.
Such signs can occur due to endometriosis, adhesive disease, ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst, adnexitis, residual ovary syndrome, vaginitis and ovulatory syndrome.
Uterine disorders
Why does pain in the lower abdomen radiate to the leg? This condition may be associated with the development of one of the following diseases:
- uterine polyps;
- adenomyosis, or the so-called genital endometriosis;
- cervicitis;
- endometritis;
- dysmenorrhea;
- uterine fibroids;
- genital prolapse;
- cervical stenosis;
- Incorrectly fitted or inserted intrauterine device.
It should be especially noted that uterine disorders can be accompanied not only by pain in the lower abdomen, but also by discomfort before and during menstruation, as well as during sexual intercourse. In addition, such pathologies are characterized by heavy menstrual bleeding, menstrual irregularities, fever, uterine hardening and soreness.
Urological disorders
Frequent pains in the lower abdomen often indicate pathologies in the urinary system, which may be associated with damage to the ureters, kidneys, bladder and urethra. In particular, discomfort may occurdue to the development of such diseases:
- cystitis;
- urolithiasis;
- bladder tumor.
The listed diseases are manifested by renal colic, pain in the lumbar region, fever, vomiting, nausea, blood in the urine, frequent urination, piercing pain at the end of urination, pain in the lower abdomen of a aching nature, cloudy urine, weakness, malaise and others.
Intestinal diseases
Why does pain in the lower abdomen radiate to the leg? This condition can occur with intestinal lesions, in particular:
- appendix (vermiform appendix);
- ileum (lower small intestine);
- cecum;
- sigmoid colon (a subsection of the colon);
- rectum.
Thus, intestinal disorders may occur due to the development of the following diseases:
- Crohn's disease;
- ulcerative colitis;
- intestinal obstruction;
- chronic constipation;
- SRK;
- colon polyps;
- colonic diverticulosis;
- appendicitis;
- hernias;
- colon cancer.
Symptoms of appendicitis in women are manifested by acute pain, which is localized first in the epigastric region, and then concentrated on the right lower abdomen. In this case, pain can be given to the right leg and inguinal region. Also common symptomsappendicitis in women and men include nausea, vomiting, stool retention, fever, and gas.
As for other intestinal disorders, they are characterized by bleeding from the rectum, loose stools with mucus or blood, abdominal pain on the left, loss of appetite, fever, weight loss, general malaise, bloating, flatulence and more.
Neurological disorders
Most often, pain in the lower abdomen is given to the leg with neurological diseases. These include the following:
- damage to the lumbar plexus, as well as its branches;
- piriformis syndrome.
The first pathology is caused by a lesion of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric or femoral pudendal nerve. These fibers can be damaged during hernia repair and during surgical operations on the pelvic organs. Such lesions are characterized by severe pain. In this case, the localization of pain depends on which nerve is affected (in the lower abdomen, in the lower back, along the inner surface of the thigh, in the groin).
As for the piriformis syndrome, it is characterized by damage to the deep pelvic muscle, located under the gluteus maximus muscle. It originates from the inner region of the sacrum and goes to the femur.
With the development of a spasm of this muscle, the sciatic nerve is infringed. By the way, the latter is the longest nerve in the human body.
With this pathology, the patient has severe pain in the buttock and thigh. Whereinpain is given to the groin, as well as to the back surface of the lower limb. Discomfort is almost always aggravated by the movement of a person's legs, since in the process the entire affected nerve fiber is stretched.
Diagnostic process
If the pain in the lower abdomen radiates to the left leg or right limb, then you should immediately contact a specialist.
To identify certain diseases that provoked the development of pain syndrome, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- interrogation of the patient;
- examination of the patient's abdomen;
- blood and other tests.
It should also be noted that, depending on the localization of the pathological process, the patient may be prescribed:
- gynecological examination;
- examination of the urinary system;
- intestinal examination.
What to do?
What if there is severe pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the legs? Therapy of the pathology that caused the development of pain in this area should be aimed at restoring the natural functioning of the affected organ, as well as improving the quality of life of the patient and preventing the recurrence of chronic diseases.
When symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease should immediately go to the hospital. Timely detection of such a pathology can prevent an unfavorable outcome of the disease. The symptom in question may be a symptom not onlygynecological problem, but also serious surgical pathology (including appendicitis).
What not to do?
Acute abdominal pain cannot be self-treated, especially in the following ways:
- taking painkillers and antispasmodics, as this can hide the true picture of the disease and significantly complicate the diagnosis;
- by applying warm compresses, since such procedures provoke vasodilation and the spread of the infectious process through the circulatory system;
- colon lavage, especially if the pain was caused by intestinal obstruction;
- taking laxatives.
It should also be said that if pain in the lower abdomen is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, deterioration in general condition, vomiting, uterine bleeding, fever, you should immediately seek medical help.
Treatment methods
Sharp or aching pain that radiates down the leg can be relieved through the following methods:
- taking antibiotics;
- diet therapy;
- hormone therapy;
- laparoscopy;
- endoscopic treatments;
- physiotherapy.
Diet therapy for this symptom may involve the use of the third or fourth table. In this case, the patient should strictly observe the diet. His diet should be varied and rich in vitamins.
Antibacterial therapyinvolves taking antibiotics, that is, drugs that selectively suppress the vital activity of harmful microorganisms. As a rule, such medicines are prescribed for infectious and inflammatory processes.
Hormonal treatment involves the use of drugs containing such sex hormones as progesterone, testosterone and estrogen. Each of them is unique. The latter is responsible for the development of secondary and primary sexual characteristics, testosterone for performance and libido, and progesterone for the onset and maintenance of a normal pregnancy.
Laparoscopy is a procedure during which a special optical system is inserted into the abdominal cavity, which transmits an image of the internal organs to a monitor. With it, you can remove benign and malignant tumors, restore the patency of the fallopian tubes, and so on.
Endoscopic treatments include colonoscopy, cystoscopy and hysteroscopy. Such procedures allow you to remove malignant and benign formations, stop bleeding, eliminate existing blockages, crush calculi, excise polyps, dissect adhesions, and so on.
Physiotherapy involves the use of the following techniques:
- electrophoresis;
- ultrasound therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- ultra-high frequency therapy.
If the pain in the lower abdomen is very strong, then doctors prescribe medication to eliminate the unpleasant syndrome. In this caseuse:
- strong analgesics (including Tramadol or Tramal);
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (eg Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Dexalgin);
- narcotic analgesics (e.g. morphine).
It should be especially noted that only a doctor should prescribe such drugs. This is due to the fact that their uncontrolled intake can cause the following negative reactions:
- violation of the stool (development of diarrhea);
- nausea and vomiting;
- GI ulcer;
- GI bleeding;
- negative effect on the bone marrow;
- toxic effects on the liver and kidneys.
Take all the listed funds strictly after meals.
