There is also no one size fits all treatment for mp. Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment meralgia paresthetica mayo clinic are you a healthcare practitioner. Meralgia paresthetica treatment strategies and exercises. The disorder is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve spinal nerve ventral rami of l2 and l3, a sensory nerve to the skin see figures 1 and 2. There are also some medical conditions that seem to increase the chance of the nerve being squeezed, especially diabetes. How to cure numbness in the case of meralgia paresthetica. If the gabapentin does not work for your friend, please have her seek. Meralgia paresthetica symptoms and causes mayo clinic. Ultrasoundguided diagnosis and treatment of meralgia. I have also encountered physicians that have never heard of meralgia paresthetica. The term pinched nerve applies to meralgia paresthetica. First things first, mike, although a longstanding and respected colleague of ours, is not actually a bacc member. For meralgia paresthetica that does not respond to these treatments, the doctor may recommend surgical treatment called sensory nerve surgery to relieve the compression surrounding the nerve. Often, merely the awareness of the condition and knowledge of a few key differentiating factors helps the clinician quickly recognize this disorder.
Compression of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, sensation supplying nerve to the skin surface of the thigh, causes meralgia paresthetica. Treatment of meralgia paresthetica with ultrasound. If you have a painful, burning sensation on the outer side of your thigh, it may mean that one of the large sensory nerves to your legsthe lateral femoral cutaneous nerve lfcnis being compressed. Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment meralgia. Your treatment may involve losing weight, wearing loose clothing, or avoiding certain restrictive items like belts. Meralgia paresthetica is a condition characterized by tingling, numbness and burning pain in your outer thigh. Once diagnosed, the management of meralgia paresthetica poses a formidable challenge to the treating clinician. Pdf meralgia paresthetica solving the diagnostic dilemma.
Burning thigh pain meralgia paresthetica orthoinfo aaos. He is the medical director of the british medical a. Pressure on any sensory nerve can cause pain and paresthesia in its area of distribution. Meralgia paresthetica is a condition that causes numbness, pain, or a burning feeling in your outer thigh. Meralgia paresthetica can also be the result of trauma to the thigh or a disease, such as diabetes. Meralgia paresthetica and disability ortiz law firm. Meralgia paresthetica is a disorder characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the outer side of the thigh see figure 3. Many people with meralgia paresthetica benefit from other interventions like. In 1895 bernhardt described the syndrome of numbness, burning, and paresthesia in the anterolateral aspect of the thigh, corresponding with the distribution of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.
Meralgia paresthetica mp is a condition associated with tingling, numbness and burning pain in the anterolateral part of the thigh, though sometimes characterized by lightning or electric pain, deep muscle achiness or, rarely, local hair loss in the anterolateral thigh. Meralgia paresthetica comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes and treatments of. Atn can have a wide range of symptoms and the pain can fluctuate in intensity from mild aching to a crushing. Meralgia paresthetica mp is a nerve entrapment which may cause pain. Fulford grange, micklefield lane, rawdon, leeds, ls19 6ba.
Meralgia paresthetica is a sensory neuropathy that occurs when the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is compressed approach to hip and groin pain in the athlete and active adult view in chinese lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is exclusively sensory. The symptoms of meralgia paresthetica are relieved by treating the underlying cause. Meralgia paresthetica gbscidp foundation international. Manual therapy treatment for meralgia paresthetica is primarily oriented toward removing the physical stressors that are likely causing the condition. Fifteen cases of meralgia paresthetica were identified in 14 patients in. Meralgia paresthetica diagnosis and treatment mayo clinic. Meralgia paresthetica is a condition in which there is too much pressure on one of the nerves in your leg or other damage to a leg nerve. Meralgia has also been reported after longdistance walking and cycling. Meralgia paresthetica mp, also known as bernhardtroth syndrome, is a neurological condition that causes pain, burning, tingling, or numbness in the outer part of your thigh. It can, however, also be seen in fit and muscular individuals. Surgery techniques include neurolysis, which is surgically freeing a nerve that is compressed by scar tissue or a neuroma tumor. Meralgia paresthetica or meralgia paraesthetica is numbness or pain in the outer thigh not caused by injury to the thigh, but by injury to a nerve that extends from the spinal column to the thigh this chronic neurological disorder involves a single nervethe lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh, which is also called the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and hence the syndrome.
Meralgia paresthetica as a cause of leg discomfort. Advise the client patient to wear clothing that is loose and comfortable and does not press against their hips. Meralgia paresthetica is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, a. A manual therapy and exercise approach to meralgia. Many causes have been suggested including mechanical factors such as. Meralgia paresthetica is a painful thigh condition caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. A manual therapy and exercise approach to meralgia paresthetica in pregnancy. Meralgia paresthetica, which is also known as bernhardtroth syndrome, is a chronic neurological disorder involving a single nerve.
Meralgia paresthetica is a mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve lfcn that can lead to significant disability when the diagnosis is missed or delayed. If the client is overweight, weight loss is important. Meralgia paresthetica refers to the entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve at the level of the inguinal ligament. Meralgia paresthetica is a disorder characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the outer side of the thigh. Meralgia paresthetica mp, a common condition seen by both primary care physicians and specialists, is easily misdiagnosed because it can mimic other disease processes. A cause of thigh pain, meralgia paresthetica can be mistaken for other conditions. I was diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica about a month ago when my outer thigh became completely numbasleep. Meralgia paresthetica is an entrapment neuropathy arising from compression of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve as a surgical complication or diabetic. It is caused by compression of a nerve called the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh. This can also be a side effect of obesity as a large belly can cause that pressure on the nerves in question. Meralgia paresthetica causes, symptoms, pain relief and.
How do we treat meralgia paresthetica with manual therapy. Meralgia paresthetica secondary to abdominal desmoid tumor. In this case, recommended treatment may include medications to relieve symptoms or, in rare. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve can be compressed particularly as it passes under pouparts ligament, leading to pain and paresthesia in the lateral aspect of. Meralgia paresthetica is a rare sensory entrapment neuropathy which leads to burning, tingling and numbness in the anterolateral aspect of thigh. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve a purely sensory nerve arises from the l2 and l3 spinal nerve roots, travels downward lateral to the psoas muscle, and then crosses the iliacus muscle.
Atypical trigeminal neuralgia atn is a rare form of neuralgia and may also be the most misdiagnosed form. The symptoms of meralgia paresthetica can vary in sensation, but they all show up in the same region of your leg the front and lateral region of the thigh, or the area innervated by your lfcn. I was diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica almost 3 years ago. Fifteen cases of meralgia paresthetica were identified in 14 patients in a. Meralgia paresthetica is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, a sensory nerve to the skin on the. Meralgia paresthetica is chronic pain, numbness, and tingling in the outer part of your upper thigh.
See approach to the adult with unspecified hip pain. Manual muscle testing of myotomes l2l5 is critical, because again. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members pm, respond to polls. The available literature regarding manual therapy is composed of two. The veteran contends that he is entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent for his meralgia paresthetica because he believes his symptoms are moderate in severity. Symptoms include burning sensations, numbness, and tingling in the outer thigh.
Meralgia paresthetica is the term used to describe the clinical syndrome of pain, dysesthesia, or both in the anterolateral thigh associated with compression of the nerve. My doctor prescribed lidocaine patches, which really help i use to 12 a patch, depending on the level of pain and how muc. However, it can also be caused due to other reasons such as other medical conditions like diabetes or local trauma. Found a book on it that recommended gabapentin, which worked well enough for me to start the exercise program it suggested. Heres some information to help you get ready for your appointment. Subscription is free for qualified healthcare professionals in the us. Meralgia paraesthetica is a nerve neurological condition that causes pain in the outer thigh. The condition involves a tingling, numbness or burning pain in the outer thigh. Learn more from cleveland clinic about this conditions causes, symptoms, diagnostic approaches, treatment options and outcome. There are also some medical conditions that seem to increase the chance.
The cause of meralgia paresthetica is compression of the nerve that supplies. That same year roth termed this syndrome meralgia paresthetica. The symptoms can be mistaken for migraines, dental problems such as temporomandibular joint disorder, musculoskeletal issues, and hypochondriasis. It i mp pain while sleeping neurotalk support groups. Nothing ive done has cured the numbness, but i really dont care about the numbness as long as there isnt the pain. Meralgia paresthetica and hypothyroidism annals of. Meralgia parestheticaa common cause of thigh pain page 2. The carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common, but nerves other than the median can be involved. I believe you can get the book at amazon and most book stores. To present a case of a pregnant patient with meralgia paresthetica who improved using manual therapy and exercise procedures.
This nerve supplies feeling sensation to the outer thigh. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for meralgia paresthetica is remanded. The authors hypothesized that when the patient is prone the anterior hip gets. The patients medical history can elicit key information to direct the clinician to. Meralgia paresthetica, also known as bernhardtroth syndrome, is a physical medical condition caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Meralgia paresthetica mp is the diagnostic term given to a patient presenting with a mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve lfcn and typically presents with numbness, tingling, paresthesias, or any other sign of nerve impingement along the anterior and lateral thigh. In this area, meralgia paresthetica can cause a painful burning feeling for some.
As the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve passes through the groin to supply feeling to the outer part of the thigh. Mp occurs when the nerve that provides feeling to the area is pinched. Meralgia paresthetica lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. However, it can also be caused due to other reasons such as other medical conditions like diabetes or. We describe 40 patients with clinical features of meralgia paresthetica referred to our pain clinic over a period of 6 yr february 1988 to december 1993 who were managed by a multimodality regimen. Surgical management of meralgia paresthetica is a viable option for patients in.
The condition usually affects only one side of the body, but both sides may be affected in up to 20% of cases. The patients were given detailed information on the procedure, and informed. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for. Meralgia paresthetica mp is a condition that causes numbness, tingling, and burning pain in your outer thigh.
Meralgia paresthetica best exercises for pain relief. The disorder is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, a sensory nerve to the skin, as it exits the pelvis. Meralgia paresthetica management and treatment cleveland. Some of the common causes of meralgia paresthetica are wearing tight fitting clothes, obesity or gaining weight, and pregnancy. The cause of meralgia paresthetica is compression of the nerve that supplies sensation to the skin surface of your thigh. Meralgia paresthetica is a condition characterized by numbness, tingling, and a burning pain in the outer thigh. Tight clothing, obesity or weight gain, and pregnancy are common causes of meralgia paresthetica. Meralgia paresthetica is also quite common in people who are overweight, especially if the weight gain was rapid.