I am 27 years old female and have had left outer thigh pain for about 8 years now. Recently it has been much worse. The pain sensations vary between burning, tingling, stabbing, electric shock and crawling. It seems to be worse at night when I am laying down or after standing for long periods. It even wakes me up at night.
I recently sought help from a neurologist who ordered multiple tests including X-ray, EMG, MRI (of lower spine), blood work and physical therapy.

After extensive bills and pain, everything has come back normal. The doctor who did the EMG said that I have Meralgia Paresthetica, which is what I suspected. I have no risk factors, however, I am quite thin so it is possible that nerve compression from my clothing is causing it. But, I get no relief from wearing loose clothing. It appears to have a mysterious cause!
I prefer not to take medication unless absolutely necessary. So I'm wondering what are some other options for managing or eliminating pain? What could be the cause of meralgia paresthetica symptoms?
How do others "deal with" the constant pain and will it ever go away?
Thanks for any help,
Christian

I'm not familiar with your condition. But I know what pain you have. I have peripheral nueropathy which causes me tingling, burning, numbness, stabbing etc in my feet and legs up to my knees. The general concensus on the PN forum is that vitamins like benfotiamine and b12 are helpful. Is MP from nerve compression? Can you do physical therapy for that?

I used Lidoderm patches with success. After 2 weeks of everyday use, the nerve quieted down, and I had a remission to this day. (after 10+yrs of pain following a C-section).

I put 1/2 at the top of the outer thigh at panty line, and
1/2 more near the center of the groin at the top of the thigh.
This is where the nerve exits the abdomen, and enters the leg, under the inguinal ligament.

12 hrs on and 12 hrs off. I didn't expect a remission, only temporary relief.

This is my first post so, I hope I'm doing it correctly. I was diagnosed with MP about a year ago after having a core decompression surgery to my right hip. The pain you described is exactly what I experienced. I tried neurontin for months and a nerve block with no success.The surgery I had to try and save my hip did not work and in October 2012 I had a total hip replacement. Two weeks after the surgery the MP came on strong. I started tried Lidoderm patches, but it seems like I might not have given it enough time. I'm currently taking Lyrica for the nerve pain and it seems to be helping some. I was concerned about the side effects, but they seem to be minimal and I haven't had anything bad happen. I will be at full strength at the end of next week. My leg feels somewhat numb and sort of dead on the outer thigh. I tried acupuncture for about 6 weeks with no help. Looking to see if anyone has had any other successful treatment. Both the patches and medication are very expensive. I have RX insurance, but have to pay the max co-pay which is very high. Thanks.

Dobeck

Hi Tally! congratz on them finally figuring out it was MP! It took them 15 years to figure it out for me. The years of every test in the world coming up negative really sucks the life out of you. All to find out that it points right to MP. Anyway! Lidocaine Patches!!!! for quick relief! But make sure you shave the area you are putting the patch on! MP is light touch only, and just brushing the hairs as you probably well know, feels like tearing burning flesh from your leg. I wasted 2 years not using the patches before I figured that one out!

I took Lyrica and Cymbalta for many years with great success, Lyrica if prescribed properly will take away all the never pain most of the time. There are two sides to pain though, the intensity of the pain is controlled by the Anxiety and Depression part of your brain, and you need to actively work on calming your brain down with someone like a CBT. Also there is great fear mainly with women with weight gain. The pills do not cause weight gain, they cause hunger sensation. If you can manage and record your food intake, as well as work with your medical professional to curb the hunger sensation, the benefits are well worth it.

Number one cure for MP is losing weight! Yea right... like I could exercise without the ability to stand more than 15 minutes. 1 Hour on my feet equaled 1 day of recovery. But! there is a solution! Deep Water Aqua Aerobics, offered at almost all rec centers and YMCA's including the Arthritis foundation having classes all over for $1 at least once a week. I was also lucky we have a Lazy river at our Rec Center that I was able to walk without putting much pressure on the pinched nerve.

I was recommended to have bariatric surgery to help with the MP. My MP probably like your own started with a non-weight gain related incident. So I went to one of the Top Neurosurgeons at the Cleveland Clinic who does decompression surgery. He ended up cutting the nerve at my Hip. There was too much scar tissue from 15+ years of irritation, I had no normal feeling anyway. After 6 months now I've lost 35lbs, I have 4 hours of standing tolerance, and enjoying things like being able to go to the movies... Or walk in a Mall (I have yet to build up the courage but I could if I wanted too)

How to confirm you have MP: Is to have a injection of Lidocaine just at the notch on your hip bone. If the pain goes away it is MP! They can give you long term Steroid injections just under the surface of the skin in that same spot to relieve the pain. It works for many, again I was far too damaged. Tenz units will also work. This is a mechanical nerve irritation, though it seemed like nothing ever works, you just gotta remember that being on your feet or walking make it worse. Once you learn your limits, etc.. you can start getting some positive gain.

Best of luck! Very few doctors even know what MP is. Dr. Manu Matthews at the Cleveland Clinic Confirmed my Diagnosis that Mary Patterson from the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland Clinic figured out. If you are stuck and do not want medication, the CPRP meantioned above will show you how to do it, top program in the world. Milind Deogaonkar was my neurosurgeon. Kinda amazing that 15 years of torture was fixed with 2 hours of surgery and a little 1" incision on my hip.

Hi there christian,I am a 22 year old female suffering from M.P & have been for the past ten years.. i was in and out of hospital when i was a child, to which they said my hips irritated due to my height of 6ft1 & all the sport i played.
My symptoms came and went over the years until 2 years ago. I had worked hard to get my dre job working abroad as a holiday rep. 4 months into my job randomly one night i felt slight pain, so the doctors injected me and sent me on my way. My condition got so bad i was in hospital for days being injected. I wasnt in my home country so had to make the decision to come home. 2 years later im still suffering. From injections to two operations where he transected my lateral nerve so my thigh is now numb. I still feel painote so in my hip bone area is veryyyy sensitive to touch im in tears if anything comes into contact with it. This condition has really really affected my life.After my latest operation i did improve alot. 95% i could walk without aids and painfree. It hasnt lasted long for me though so now the pain clinic are trying to desensitise the area with acupunture and different ways. What i will say to you is my condition went ten years un noticed & no matter how many mri or xrays you have it will probibly come back fine. The only way he knew the extent of how damaged compressed & trapped my nerve was until he went in and look and that was on the 2nd op he seen that. I havent found something that stops pain completly but tens machine as that gave me lil relief. Also hot compression.If surgery is not an option then weight bare less and rest. looks like we have this condition for life. My consultant said he dont think i will have it for life but i disagree.
hope to hear from you
I hope i have helped in some way
Jayda.

I wish I could give you some hope but I have been suffering with MP for over 30 years. Lidoderm patches would drop the pain down one level. Nothing else gave me any relief. Tried physical therapy, oral meds, TENS unit, spinal injection, direct LFCN injection. I have become a shut-in. I used to be able to sleep but it has now intruded upon that part of my life, too. I had abdominal surgery in 1977 and my MP began a few months after the surgery. I think that is what caused my entrapment. The direct injection into the nerve lessened the severity of the pain for a while. Dropped it to a level of 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.