Tight belts and tight clothing around the hips and upper thighs,
compress this nerve.

Also surgeries in the abdomen can injure it. Or compression from the spine where the nerve exits in the lumbar area.

I had this for many years after a C-section (with exploratory additionally done to look for an ovarian tumor).

I used Lidoderm patches when they came out, over the area in the upper thigh were the nerve exits the abdomen. Used daily for me for 14 days, the nerve quieted down, and now I have a remission.

I find this nerve is very sensitive to HEAT so any thing like hot tubs or steam rooms will trigger it for me, now. I had severe lightning like bolts of pain for many years...and am now glad it is gone!

This link to a thread here has a photo of placement of the Lidoderm patch. It also has more detail.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread144042.html

MP can vary from person to person, because the triggers vary, and the anatomy varies. In a young person with no surgical
trigger, I'd look to injury to the hip or back, or tight clothing.

Here is a link to a good article:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0401/p2109.html

and this:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mer...hetica/DS00914