Meralgia paresthetica is a disease characterized by compression of the lateral femoral nerve of the thigh, leading mainly to decreased sensitivity of the lateral region of the thigh, in addition to pain and a burning sensation.
This disease happens more frequently in men, however it can be quite common in pregnant women, obese people or people who wear many tight clothes, compressing the nerve and causing pain in the thigh.
The diagnosis is made mainly based on the symptoms described by the person and the treatment is done with the aim of relieving the symptoms, being recommended for example weight loss and the use of loose clothes. Surgery to decompress the nerve is only indicated when symptoms are persistent and do not improve with conventional treatment.
Main causes
Meralgia paresthetica can happen due to any situation that can make compression in the thigh nerve. Thus, the main causes of this condition are:
- Overweight or obesity; Use of straps or very tight clothes; Pregnancy; Multiple sclerosis; After hip surgery, abdominal and inguinal region; Carpal tunnel syndrome, in which there is involvement of peripheral nerves; Direct thigh strike, affecting the nerve.
In addition to these causes, meralgia paresthetica can happen when sitting with legs crossed or during physical exercise, for example, causing the sensation of numbness or tingling, but that disappears when uncrossing the legs or when stopping the exercise.
How to treat
The treatment of meralgia paresthetica is done with the aim of relieving symptoms, and can be done with the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, for example. Depending on the cause, specific measures may be indicated, such as weight loss, if the meralgia is a consequence of obesity, or the use of looser clothes, if it happens due to the use of belts or very tight clothes.
It is also indicated for people who have meralgia paresthetica who, if they stay standing for a long time, try to support the foot on something, such as a low bench, for example, to decompress the nerve a little and relieve the symptoms a little.
In addition, physical therapy or acupuncture may be indicated, which is done by applying needles to specific points of the thigh in order to decrease nerve compression and relieve symptoms. Find out what acupuncture is and how it works.
If treatment with physiotherapy, acupuncture or medication is not enough or if the pain is very severe, surgery is indicated to decompress the nerve and thus improve the sensation of numbness, tingling and burning.
Symptoms of meralgia paresthetica
Meralgia paresthetica is relatively common and is characterized mainly by the sensation of tingling or numbness in the lateral part of the thigh, in addition to pain and burning sensation from the hip to the knee.
Symptoms usually get worse when the person stands for a long time or walks a lot and relieves when the person sits, lies down or massages the thigh. Despite the symptoms, there is no change in muscle strength or movement-related.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of meralgia paresthetica is mainly clinical, in which the doctor assesses the symptoms described by the person. In addition, the doctor may order additional tests to confirm the diagnosis and exclude other diseases, such as hip and pelvic X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and electroneuromyography, which is able to assess the conduction of an electrical impulse in the nerve and thus, checking muscle activity. Understand how the electroneuromyography exam is done.
