How should I proceed with a suspected inguinal hernia?
Hi all, I've been having some deal of discomfort in the last 5 months. It all started when I moved some furniture (heavy bedframes), and initially I thought it's just some minor muscle strain, so I didn't pay much attention to it. There was no bulge or constant pain, only some discomfort during/after physical activity.
Well, 2 months later, I started feeling confident enough to start going to the gym, but after only 2 sessions, I started feeling some discomfort/dull ache near my V-line, on the inside part of my right side. I did what the responsible person would do and went to both a physiotherapist visit and a general practitioner appointment. The physical therapist said that my muscle balance was okay and they can't find a problem, recommended I should check with a GP. So I did, but the doctor checked for a bulge (there isn't one), and immediately said that it's not a hernia, recommending rest and ice, even saying I can try going back to the gym, just pay attention to warmup before and stretch after. I did so, but the dull ache immediately came back after the first two sessions.
Now the dull ache by itself would be fine, but anytime I go for a longer walk (especially if with a backpack), after several minutes I start feeling a dull ache/discomforting pain in my lower abdomen, near the V-line, and shortly after, some radiating pain and sensitivity in the testicles. Touching or lifting them causes sharp pain behind/above the testicle (sounds like nerve inflammation?), to the point that I sometimes have to stop walking and sit down. Sitting down for a few minutes instantly dissolves the pain, but a bit more time is needed for the discomfort to fully go away and not instantly come back when I start walking again. Sitting down, resting, icing and anti-inflammatory drugs (nurofen) seem to all help.
Do you think it's a muscle (hip flexor/psoas, possibly adductors) issue, or possibly a hidden hernia? The doctors seemed to really dismiss the idea of a hernia, but I am kind of concerned, even though there is no visible bulge.
For reference, I'm a 22 year old male, I was physically very active up until last autumn when I moved to a colder country and stopped doing sports/much activity. My body fat is very low, a bulging hernia would easily be visible on my body. Any help and advice is welcome. Thank you! 🫡