Published on: 3/5/2025
Numbness in the lower right abdomen in females can sometimes be caused by nerve irritation or injury, such as problems with the ilioinguinal nerve or other abdominal cutaneous nerves.
The skin in the lower abdomen gets its feeling from small nerves that run from the spine to the skin. Sometimes, one of these nerves, like the ilioinguinal nerve, can become irritated or injured. This injury might happen after surgery, due to an accidental injury, or even because of nerve entrapment, where a nerve gets squeezed by surrounding tissues. When a nerve is stressed or pinched, it may not send proper signals to the brain, causing numbness or tingling in the area it covers. Research in case reports has shown that people, including younger women, can have sudden problems if a nerve like the ilioinguinal nerve is affected. In other cases, a condition called abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome can cause similar symptoms. This happens when the nerve in the abdominal wall is compressed or trapped. If someone is experiencing numbness that lasts or is worrisome, it is important to visit a doctor so that they can perform tests like ultrasound or electromyography to see how the nerve is working and decide on the best treatment.
(References)
Patterson SL, Jafri K, Narvid JA, Margaretten M. A Young Woman With Sudden Urinary Retention and Sensory Deficits. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018 Apr;70(4):635-642. doi: 10.1002/acr.23473. Epub 2018 Feb 18. PMID: 29125903; PMCID: PMC5876077.
Cho HM, Park DS, Kim DH, Nam HS. Diagnosis of Ilioinguinal Nerve Injury Based on Electromyography and Ultrasonography: A Case Report. Ann Rehabil Med. 2017 Aug;41(4):705-708. doi: 10.5535/arm.2017.41.4.705. Epub 2017 Aug 31. PMID: 28971057; PMCID: PMC5608680.
Kanakarajan S, Dharmavaram S, Tadros A, Pushparaj H, Rose A. Abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome: A cross sectional survey of treatment outcomes. Br J Pain. 2022 Oct;16(5):538-545. doi: 10.1177/20494637221101719. Epub 2022 May 20. PMID: 36389004; PMCID: PMC9644107.
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