Meralgia Paresthetica – Symptoms and Causes

Overview

Meralgia paresthetica affects the outer thigh, causing tingling, numbness, and burning pain. This condition happens when the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve becomes compressed or pinched.

Several factors can trigger this nerve compression.

Common causes include:

• Wearing tight clothing
• Weight gain or obesity
• Pregnancy
• Injuries to the hip or thigh
• Diabetes

Most people find relief through simple changes. Treatment options typically start with wearing looser clothing and weight management. When these don’t work, doctors may prescribe medication to reduce pain and discomfort.

Surgical treatment is rarely needed but might be considered in severe cases that don’t respond to other approaches.

The condition is also known as lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment.

Signs and Symptoms

Meralgia paresthetica typically affects the outer thigh area. People with this condition may notice:

• Tingling sensations
• Burning pain
• Numbness or reduced feeling
• Heightened sensitivity (even light touches may hurt)

Most often, these symptoms appear on just one side of the body. Standing or walking for long periods might make these feelings worse.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider. Early evaluation can help determine the cause and appropriate treatment options.

Causes

Meralgia paresthetica happens when the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve gets compressed or pinched. This nerve provides sensation to your outer thigh surface but doesn’t affect muscle function.

The compression typically occurs when the nerve becomes trapped as it passes through the groin to the upper thigh. The inguinal ligament, which extends from the stomach to the upper thigh along the groin, often pinches this nerve.

Several factors can increase pressure on the groin area, leading to this condition:

• Restrictive clothing: Tight belts, pants, or corsets
• Excess weight: Obesity or recent weight gain
• Occupational factors: Wearing heavy tool belts
• Pregnancy
• Abdominal fluid buildup: Causing increased pressure
• Scar tissue near the inguinal ligament from injuries or previous surgeries

Nerve damage can also trigger meralgia paresthetica. This damage might result from:

1. Diabetes
2. Surgical complications
3. Trauma from seat belt injuries during car accidents

These compression and injury factors disrupt normal nerve function, leading to the characteristic symptoms in the outer thigh area.

Risk Factors

Several factors can increase your chance of developing meralgia paresthetica:

Weight Issues

• Extra body weight puts more pressure on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
• Obesity significantly raises your risk by compressing nerves in the groin area

Pregnancy

• The growing belly during pregnancy increases pressure in the groin region
• This added pressure can compress the nerve as it passes through this area

Health Conditions

• Diabetes can damage nerves throughout the body, including the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
• People with diabetes may experience higher rates of this condition

Age Factors

• People between 30 and 60 years old face a higher risk
• This middle-age group is more commonly affected than younger or older individuals

Other factors that might contribute to developing this condition include tight clothing, wearing heavy tool belts, and activities that require prolonged standing or walking. Some people may also develop symptoms after injury or surgery in the hip or groin area.

Your doctor can help determine if you have risk factors that might be modified to reduce your chance of developing this condition or to help manage existing symptoms.