I had this for several years following a C-section.

I have posted on that forum my experiences.... with Lidoderm patches.

But every cause of MP is different. And sometimes it is even misdiagnosed. (the femoral nerve being affected, instead of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve).

So patients should research this problem carefully. Damage to the spine where the nerve exits the spine and enters the abdomen, is one cause. Damage there will give MP symptoms.
Also damage when it exits the abdomen or in the abdomen itself are other causes. Placement of the Lidoderm patches therefore is critical depending on the trigger and anatomy.

Damage can come from wearing tight blue jeans, or girdles.
Wearing tight belts or other clothing. For males, sitting on their wallets in the back trouser pockets, diabetic neuropathies. Falling on your back/buttocks, having a bone marrow biopsy, or donating marrow...places the needle in that area and may damage the nerve. All sorts of things can be triggers.

Mine was surgical. But even though I have a remission of sorts, it will flare if I sit in hot water for any bathing, or steam room, or use a heating pad. This will flare even today, but it is a much smaller issue that before. So I would caution to avoid heat stimulation to the nerve. That forum has the link to AAFP:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0401/p2109.html

Figure 2B shows the proper nerve distribution. (the femoral nerve is shown also in a different placement closer to the midline of the groin.)

MP can be confused with bursitis in the hip, also.