Topics > Ankle > Burning Thigh Pain
Burning Thigh Pain
A painful, burning sensation on the outer side of the thigh may mean
that one of the large sensory nerves (lateral femoral cutaneous nerve)
to your legs is being compressed. This condition is known as meralgia
paresthetica (me-ral'-gee-a par-es-thet'-i-ka). This condition may be
caused by obesity. It is often seen in patients who wear tight clothes.
Sometimes it affects young people with muscular bodies, such as cheerleaders
who repeatedly extend their hips, or cross-country athletes. It may result
from complications from surgery or trauma to the hip.
Symptoms:
- Hypersensitivity of the thigh skin with light touch
- More painful than
deep pressure
- Burning sensation, numbness
- Tingling
- Pain of the side of the thigh, may extend to the knee
- Pain of the groin
Your doctor will perform a careful history and physical
exam to assess the causes of your pain. Sensitivity of your nerves will
be examined.
X-rays
will help identify any bone abnormalities that might be putting pressure
on the nerve. An MRI or CT (computed tomography) scan may also be needed.
In rare cases, a nerve conduction study may be advised.
Treatments vary
depending on the source of the pressure. There are two common reasons
for pressure on a nerve—restrictive clothing
and weight gain. Your physician may recommend a weight loss program. The
burning pain
may take time to resolve and, in some cases, numbness will persist despite
treatment.
The goal is to remove the cause of the compression either by
rest from aggravating activity, losing weight, or wearing loose clothing.
In severe
cases, an injection of a corticosteroid may help to reduce inflammation
and the symptoms for some time. In rare cases, surgery is needed to release
the nerve.
