Meralgia paraesthetica
| Meralgia paresthetica | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Bernhardt-Roth syndrome |
| Innervation of lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (shaded area) on the right leg. | |
| Specialty | Neurology |
| Symptoms | Pain, dysthesias, paresthesias, and hyperesthesia on the anterolateral thigh |
| Causes | Anything that compresses the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, such as tight fitting clothes at the waist and injuries. |
| Risk factors | Obesity, pregnancy, diabetes, middle-age |
| Diagnostic method | Clinical examination and patient history |
| Differential diagnosis | Lumbar L2/L3 pathology, lumbar plexopathy, another entrapped peripheral nerve, and pelvic tumors |
| Treatment | Steroid injections, nerve decompression, and neurectomy |
Meralgia paresthetica or meralgia paraesthetica is pain or abnormal sensations in the outer thigh not caused by injury to the thigh, but by injury to a nerve which provides sensation to the lateral thigh.
Meralgia paresthetica is a specific instance of nerve entrapment. The nerve involved is the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). The symptoms are purely sensory because the LFCN has no motor function. This syndrome can be caused by anything which places prolonged pressure on the LFCN, such as wearing a tight belt. The diagnosis is typically done via clinical examination and patient history, followed by a diagnostic nerve block. The condition will often resolve on its own within two years even without treatment. Non-surgical treatments include lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and therapeutic injections. Surgical treatments include nerve decompression and neurectomy.