Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medications, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• A history of previous groin injuries, problems, or surgeries
• An untreated hernia
• Surgery to remove the spleen

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• High-risk sexual behaviors, such as:
  • Unprotected intercourse without male or female condom use, except in a long-term single-partner (monogamous) relationship
  • Unprotected mouth-to-genital contact, except in a long-term monogamous relationship
  • Early sexual activity (before age 18)
  • Having multiple sex partners
  • Having a high-risk partner (one who has multiple sex partners)
  • Having anal or homosexual sex (or have partner who does)
  • Having sex with a partner who uses illegal injectable drugs
  • Prostitution
  • Genital piercings with or without jewelry

Medications

• Anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, or aspirin
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medications used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Heart disease
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP)
• Kidney disease
• Kidney stones
• Lupus
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteomyelitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sickle cell disease
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke