Inner Thigh Pain or Pelvic Issue? Why Your Hip and Groin Are Aching During Your Cycle

Inner Thigh Pain or Pelvic Issue? Why Your Hip and Groin Are Aching During Your Cycle

Pain in the inner thigh, hip, or groin during your menstrual cycle can be confusing and uncomfortable. Many people wonder whether it's a muscle problem, like an adductor strain, or something deeper related to the pelvis, hormones, or reproductive organs. The short answer is: it can be either—or a mix of both.

Understanding why this pain happens during your cycle can help you decide what's normal, what deserves attention, and when it's time to speak to a doctor.

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Why Menstrual Cycles Can Trigger Hip, Groin, or Inner Thigh Pain

Your menstrual cycle affects far more than just your uterus. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone influence:

• Muscles and connective tissue
• Joint flexibility
• Pain sensitivity
• Fluid retention and inflammation

During your period, prostaglandins (chemicals involved in inflammation and pain) increase. These can cause cramping that radiates outward from the pelvis into the lower back, hips, groin, and inner thighs.

At the same time, hormonal changes can make muscles and ligaments slightly looser, increasing strain on areas like the inner thigh and hip.

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When It's Likely a Muscle Issue: Adductor Strain

The adductor muscles run along your inner thigh and help pull your legs together and stabilize your hips. Pain from an adductor strain can sometimes feel worse during your period due to increased sensitivity and inflammation.

Signs your pain may be muscular:

• Aching or sharp pain along the inner thigh
• Pain that worsens with walking, exercise, or standing up from sitting
• Tenderness when you press on the inner thigh
• Tightness or weakness in the hip or groin

Even if you didn't have a clear injury, everyday activities—like exercise, lifting, or prolonged sitting—can cause small strains that become more noticeable during your cycle.

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Pelvic Causes That Can Radiate to the Inner Thigh

Sometimes the pain doesn't start in the muscle at all. The pelvis is a crowded area with organs, nerves, muscles, and lymph nodes. Pain from one structure can "refer" to another area, including the inner thigh.

1. Pelvic Floor Tension or Dysfunction

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports the bladder, uterus, and bowel. During menstruation, these muscles may tighten in response to cramping or pain.

Symptoms of pelvic floor involvement may include:

• Deep aching in the groin or hips
• Pain that worsens when sitting
• Pain during bowel movements or urination
• A feeling of pressure or heaviness in the pelvis

Tight or overactive pelvic floor muscles can refer pain into the inner thighs, sometimes mimicking an adductor strain.

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2. Uterine Cramping That Radiates

Menstrual cramps don't always stay in the lower abdomen. They can spread through shared nerve pathways into:

• The hips
• The groin
• The inner thighs

This kind of pain often:

• Comes in waves
• Coincides closely with menstrual flow
• Improves as the period ends

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3. Endometriosis or Adenomyosis (Not Always Severe)

Conditions like endometriosis are often discussed in extreme terms, but they can also present more subtly.

Possible clues include:

• Cycle-related pain that worsens over time
• Pain in the hip, groin, or thigh that follows a monthly pattern
• Pain with sex or bowel movements

Not everyone with these conditions has severe symptoms, but persistent, cycle-linked pain deserves medical evaluation.

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Could It Be Lymph Nodes? Understanding Lymphadenopathy

Another possible cause of groin discomfort is lymphadenopathy, which means swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes in the groin can become tender during your cycle due to immune and hormonal changes.

Signs of lymph node involvement:

• Small, round or oval lumps in the groin
• Tenderness to touch
• Swelling that fluctuates with your cycle

In many cases, mild lymph node swelling is temporary and harmless. However, lymph nodes that are:

• Hard
• Fixed in place
• Rapidly growing
• Or associated with fever or unexplained weight loss

should be checked by a healthcare professional.

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Hip Joint or Nerve-Related Pain

Hormonal changes can affect joint stability, including the hip joint. This may irritate nearby nerves, causing pain that travels into the groin or inner thigh.

You might notice:

• Pain when rotating the hip
• Clicking or stiffness
• Discomfort on one side more than the other

This type of pain can be worse during your period due to inflammation and increased pain sensitivity.

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How to Tell What's Most Likely

While only a medical professional can diagnose the cause, these patterns can offer clues:

• Pain with movement or exercise: more likely muscular (adductor strain or hip issue)
• Pain that follows your cycle closely: more likely pelvic or hormonal
• Deep, aching pain with pressure or heaviness: pelvic floor involvement
• Tender lumps in the groin: possible lymphadenopathy

If you're experiencing pain that radiates from your pelvis to your thighs or groin, it may help to use a free Abdominal pain symptom checker to explore possible causes and determine whether your symptoms warrant further medical attention.

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What You Can Do Right Now

For mild to moderate pain, conservative care often helps:

• Gentle stretching of hips and inner thighs
• Heat therapy to the lower abdomen or groin
• Light activity instead of prolonged sitting
• Over-the-counter pain relief (as directed)

If pelvic floor tension is suspected, a healthcare provider may recommend pelvic floor physical therapy, which can be very effective.

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When to Speak to a Doctor

It's important to speak to a doctor if your pain is:

• Severe or worsening
• Interfering with daily life or sleep
• Lasting beyond your period
• Associated with fever, unexplained weight loss, or night sweats
• Accompanied by new lumps, numbness, or weakness

Anything that feels sudden, intense, or life-threatening should be evaluated urgently.

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The Bottom Line

Inner thigh, hip, or groin pain during your cycle is common—and often manageable—but it's not something you should ignore if it's persistent or disruptive. Causes can range from a simple adductor strain, to pelvic floor muscle tension, to lymph node swelling (lymphadenopathy) or gynecologic conditions.

Understanding your body's patterns is a powerful first step. Tracking symptoms, noticing what makes them better or worse, and seeking professional guidance when needed can help you get clear answers—and relief.

If you're ever unsure, trust your instincts and speak to a doctor about anything that could be serious. Your pain is real, and you deserve to understand it.