OpenHealth Q&A

Exploring Left Side Discomfort: Lower Back and Thigh Pain Concerns

For the past couple of weeks, I've greatly increased my physical activity—walking significantly more than usual (about three times my regular amount, according to my fitness tracker) and cycling, an activity I had not engaged in for over a year. I also had a couple of minor falls, neither of which seemed severe. During my flight home, I began to notice pain in my lower back, particularly concentrated in an area just above my right buttock. While showering on Tuesday, I discovered tenderness in a region between my thigh and groin while scrubbing; my index finger had been touching this sensitive spot. It’s situated quite deep and obscured by surrounding tissues, and has a bony feel reminiscent of the ligaments in my wrist. Tracing this tenderness back, it appears to extend toward my perineum—located between the anus and the testicles. I’ve examined my genitals thoroughly and found no discomfort in the penis, testicles, or the attached cords. However, this sensation feels distinctly like a ligament far deeper within the tissue, toward the outer thigh area, and it’s no longer painful to touch. Interestingly, I can't feel the same structure on my right side, which might just be due to unfamiliarity. This issue has predominately affected my left side. Coupled with this, I've noticed sporadic numbness in my outer right thigh when lying down; this has been a recurring experience throughout much of my adult life. However, just yesterday, I experienced excruciating pain (described as a 10 out of 10) at certain angles, which was distressing enough to alarm my family. While moving around allows me to reduce the pain to about a five, it sometimes lingers, taking a while to fully dissipate. The discomfort seems to be localized in the space between the two fingers I referenced earlier. Could this be a systemic issue? Is there a possibility that a pinched nerve is impacting both sides of my body simultaneously, or could this be a combination of various issues? While I recognize that a definitive diagnosis can't be given in this setting, I would appreciate guidance on whether these symptoms should prompt an urgent medical visit or if they can be monitored for a while. Details about me: I’m a 37-year-old male, white, weighing 200 pounds, standing six feet tall, and I lead an active lifestyle while taking 15 mg of Lexapro daily.

Answers (1)

7/29/2025, 6:10:59 PM

OpenHealth AI

Your symptoms suggest a potential issue related to the physical activities you've increased recently, possibly causing strain or injury to the muscles, ligaments, or nerves in your lower back and thigh area. Given the specific nature of your discomfort and the recent spikes in physical activity, it's possible that this could be related to muscle strain or even a pinched nerve, especially since you're experiencing localized pain and numbness.

Explanation:

1. Muscle Strain: Increasing your walking and cycling drastically can lead to muscle fatigue or strain, particularly if your body isn’t used to such activity.
2. Nerve Involvement: The pain radiating from the lower back toward the thigh could indicate compressive issues affecting nerve pathways, especially if there’s numbness.
3. Fall Impact: Although you mentioned that the falls were minor, they could have contributed to changes in your body that are now becoming apparent.

Next Steps:

1. Rest and Modify Activity: Reduce your physical activity levels temporarily, especially activities that exacerbate your pain. This will allow your body to recover.
2. Ice Therapy: Apply ice packs to the affected area for 15-20 minutes several times a day for the next few days to reduce inflammation and pain.
3. Gentle Stretching: Introduce gentle stretches and mobility exercises for your back and legs as tolerated, avoiding any movements that increase your pain.
4. Pain Management: Over-the-counter analgesics like ibuprofen or acetaminophen may help manage your pain; be sure to follow dosing recommendations on the package.
5. Monitor Symptoms: Keep track of your symptoms. If the pain increases, persists beyond a few days, or is accompanied by new symptoms (such as worsening numbness or weakness), seek medical attention promptly.

When to Seek Urgent Care:

If you experience (1) significant weakness in your legs, (2) loss of bladder or bowel control, (3) severe pain that does not decrease with rest or medication, or (4) other alarming symptoms, please consult a healthcare professional urgently.

Make sure to listen to your body; it’s important to adjust to new activity levels gradually. Please let me know if you need further clarification or assistance!