An injury to the genital area can cause severe pain. Usually the pain subsides over the course of a few minutes to an hour. Severe pain does not always mean that your injury is severe. After an injury to the genital area, it is important that you watch for urinary problems.

Other injuries that can cause problems with the urinary tract include:

• A blow to your back.
• A penetrating injury (trauma) or a pelvic fracture.
• Sexual abuse.
• Placing an object in the urethra.

You may feel uneasy if your health professional brings up the issue of sexual abuse. Health professionals have a professional duty and legal obligation to evaluate the possibility of abuse. It is important to consider this possibility, especially if there were no witnesses to an injury.

A visit to a health professional is usually necessary if you have increasing pain, increasing difficulty urinating, cannot urinate, or have blood in your urine.