Pelvic Nerve Condition
Obturator Neuralgia
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
The pain sits deep in your groin and runs down the inside of your thigh, sometimes all the way to the knee. It gets worse when you walk, stride out, or cross your legs, and your hip scans look fine. The obturator nerve travels right through the pelvic floor region, and when it is irritated, it produces exactly this pattern.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Obturator Neuralgia
The obturator nerve comes from the lumbar spine, runs along the inside wall of the pelvis next to the obturator internus muscle, and exits through a small opening called the obturator canal. It controls the adductor muscles of the inner thigh and supplies sensation to a patch of skin on the inner thigh.
Obturator neuralgia is pain along this nerve. It is often mistaken for a groin strain, hip joint problem or sports hernia. Causes include pelvic surgery, hernia repair, childbirth, athletic activities that load the adductors, and tension in the obturator internus and externus muscles that surround the nerve. Pelvic floor tension can add to the pressure on the nerve as it runs along the pelvic wall.
Your physician should evaluate the hip joint, spine and hernia risk. Dr. Gordon focuses on the muscles around the nerve's path, including the obturator internus inside the pelvis, the obturator externus and the adductors, which are often where the irritation is maintained.
Obturator Neuralgia at a Glance
Also called
Obturator nerve entrapment, obturator nerve pain
Where it is felt
Deep groin, inner thigh, sometimes down to the inner knee, and pelvic side wall
Common triggers
Pelvic surgery, hernia repair, childbirth, sports with cutting or kicking, prolonged sitting
Often mistaken for
Adductor strain, hip joint problems, sports hernia
Main drivers
Obturator internus and externus tension, adductor trigger points, pelvic floor tension, scar tissue
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Hip imaging and groin exams focus on joints, tendons and hernias. The nerve and the muscles it passes through are rarely examined directly.
What routine testing is looking for
- Hip joint damage or labral tears
- Adductor tendon tears
- Hernias
- Spine problems on MRI
What often keeps symptoms going
- Obturator internus tension along the pelvic wall
- Obturator externus tightness near the canal
- Adductor trigger points that refer to the groin
- Pelvic floor tension that adds pressure
- Scar tissue from surgery near the nerve
These are found by tracing the obturator nerve's path.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Deep groin pain
An ache or burning deep in the groin that is hard to pinpoint.
Inner thigh pain toward the knee
Pain or numbness running down the inner thigh, sometimes to the knee.
Worse with walking or striding
Pain that increases with long strides, running or walking.
Pain crossing the legs
Discomfort when bringing the leg across the body.
Inner thigh weakness
Reduced strength when squeezing the knees together.
Pelvic side wall pain
Pain inside the pelvis on one side, sometimes with pain during sex.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Obturator internus tension
This muscle lines the inside of the pelvis next to the nerve. When tight, it compresses the nerve along the pelvic wall.
Obturator externus and adductors
Tension near the obturator canal and in the inner thigh muscles adds pressure and referred pain.
Pelvic floor tension
A tight pelvic floor adds pressure around the nerve's path.
Surgical scar tissue
Scar tissue from pelvic or hernia surgery can tether the nerve.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Obturator Neuralgia
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your physician's findings, imaging, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
Nerve tracing
Dr. Gordon follows the obturator nerve from the lower back through the groin and inner thigh to find points that reproduce your pain.
External pelvic floor assessment
The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam. With you draped for comfort, gentle pressure around the perineum, sit bones, tailbone and inner thighs checks tone, tenderness and trigger points.
Hip and movement testing
Dr. Gordon tests hip movement, adductor strength and walking to separate nerve pain from joint pain.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician or pelvic floor PT when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Fever with groin swelling or redness
- A painful bulge in the groin that does not go back in
- Sudden, severe pelvic or abdominal pain
- Rapidly worsening leg weakness
- Visible blood in the urine or stool
- New numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for obturator neuralgia, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Intrapelvic & Extrapelvic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in both intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling. Treatment releases the obturator internus, obturator externus and adductor muscles that surround the obturator nerve. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum.
Learn about pelvic floor treatmentNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture along the obturator and lumbar nerve pathways to calm nerve irritation.
See servicesBetween visits
Movement Plan & Team Coordination
Guidance on walking, training and sitting while the nerve settles, coordinated with your physician or PT.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"As a professional ballet dancer I'm always looking for a knowledgeable doctor with effective treatment methods for my injuries. Within 3 visits my hip injury, which I had been dealing with for months, was gone. I've worked with several physical therapists and tried many alternative treatments and none compared to the dry needling I received here!"
Max Lippman, Google Review
Obturator Neuralgia Questions
Answers About Obturator Neuralgia
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
Nerve pain tends to burn, travel down the inner thigh and change with nerve tension, while joint pain is more local. The exam helps separate the two.
The obturator nerve runs alongside the obturator internus and pelvic floor. Tension there can compress the nerve.
No. The obturator internus and surrounding muscles are assessed externally, with no internal exam. Treatment options are explained before anything begins, and nothing is done without your consent.
Usually with modifications. Dr. Gordon helps you adjust activities that aggravate the nerve.
Most people need eight to twelve sessions with reassessment.
Yes. Scar tissue and muscle guarding after surgery can irritate the nerve.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For obturator neuralgia, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
It is a technique that reaches the deep pelvic floor muscles, including the levator ani, obturator internus and coccygeus, to release trigger points and restore normal muscle function. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum. Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in this technique, which few practitioners in New York have.
Yes. Your privacy and comfort come first. When undressing is needed for the area being treated, you are fully draped. Needles are placed through the skin only, and nothing is ever inserted into the vagina or rectum. You can pause or stop at any time.
Yes. Obturator neuralgia can affect people of every gender, and Dr. Gordon treats adults of all genders and identities.
It helps to have had a medical workup so serious causes have been checked. If you have not seen a physician for your pelvic symptoms yet, call the clinic to talk through the best order of steps.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Obturator Neuralgia
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find out whether the obturator nerve is behind your groin and inner thigh pain.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
Symptoms
Common Symptoms of Obturator Neuralgia
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