Diagnosis

To diagnose meralgia paresthetica, a healthcare professional might start by asking about your symptoms and examining your body. You may be asked to describe the pain and show where the thigh feels numb or painful. Strength testing and reflex testing might be done to help rule out other causes of the symptoms.

The healthcare professional also may order tests to rule out other conditions, such as a nerve root problem or femoral neuropathy. Recommended tests might include:

  • Imaging studies. An X-ray won't show any specific changes if you have meralgia paresthetica. But images of the hip and pelvic area can help exclude other conditions as a cause of the symptoms. A CT scan or MRI may be ordered to check if a tumor could be causing the pain.
  • Electromyography. This test measures the tiny electrical discharges that muscles give off. During this test, a thin-needle electrode is placed into specific muscles to check their electrical activity. The test may be used to rule out other conditions.
  • Nerve conduction study. In this test, a healthcare professional tapes two electrodes to the skin and passes a small shock to check electrical impulses. The electrical impulse helps diagnose damaged nerves. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve on both sides of the body may be checked to compare the results.
  • Nerve blockade. This involves a shot of numbing medicine into the thigh where the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve enters. If the shot eases pain, this can confirm that you have meralgia paresthetica. Ultrasound imaging might be used to guide the needle.

Treatment

For most people, treatment for meralgia paresthetica isn't needed because the symptoms ease in a few months. Treatment focuses on lessening pressure on the nerve.

Conservative measures

Conservative measures include:

  • Wearing loose clothing.
  • Losing excess weight.
  • Taking pain relievers that you can buy without a prescription, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).
  • Seeing a physical therapist, who can design an exercise program to strengthen the back, neck and stomach muscles and relieve pressure on the nerve.

Medicines

If symptoms last for more than two months or the pain is severe, treatment might include:

  • Corticosteroid shots. These can reduce swelling and provide short-term pain relief. Side effects may include joint infection, nerve damage, pain, and whitening or lightening of skin around the injection site.
  • Tricyclic antidepressants. These medicines might lessen pain. Side effects may include feeling drowsy, dry mouth and constipation. They may worsen sexual functioning.
  • Antiseizure medicines. Gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin), phenytoin (Dilantin) or pregabalin (Lyrica) are antiseizure medicines that may help lessen nerve pain. Side effects can include constipation, nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness. They also may make you feel drowsy.

Surgery

Rarely, surgery is used to decompress the nerve. This option is only for people with severe and long-lasting symptoms.

Lifestyle and home remedies

The following self-care measures can help treat meralgia paresthetica:

  • Wear loose clothing.
  • Lose weight if you're overweight.

Preparing for your appointment

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

Before your appointment, it's a good idea to:

  • Write down any symptoms you have, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason you scheduled the appointment, and when they started.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medicines, vitamins or supplements you take and how much you take.
  • Write down questions to ask your healthcare team.

For meralgia paresthetica, some basic questions to ask include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms?
  • What tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely to last a short time or a long time?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • What are the alternatives to the primary approach you're suggesting?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • Are there restrictions I need to follow?
  • Should I see a specialist?

Don't hesitate to ask any other questions you have.

What to expect from your doctor

A healthcare professional may ask you questions, such as:

  • What part of the leg is affected?
  • Have you had recent surgeries?
  • Have you had recent injuries to the hip area, such as from a seat belt in a motor vehicle accident?
  • Do you regularly do repeated actions involving the hip, such as cycling?
  • Have you gained weight?
  • Have you recently been pregnant?
  • Do you have diabetes?
  • Does the burning or tingling come and go, or does it persist?
  • How severe is the discomfort?
  • Are there things you do that worsen the symptoms?
  • Is there weakness in the leg?

What you can do in the meantime

If the pain bothers you, pain relievers that you can buy without a prescription may be helpful, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Wearing loose clothing can help too.

By Mayo Clinic Staff