Meralgia Parasthetica can certainly--
 

--be caused by traumatic injury, or even constant chronic strain.

It is primarily a compressive neuropathy after all, with the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve being compressed somewhere along its length, usually in the narrow space that if passes through on its way through the pelvis.

Certainly it's more common in diabetics, but all compressive neuropathies are more common in such people, as the type of microvscular damage of diabetes predisposes one to become symptomatic when nerves are compressed, due to the "double crush" phenomenon.

Take a look at:

http://www.emedicine.com/pmr/topic76.htm

http://www.tifaq.org/archive/double-crush.txt

Please let me know how you are doing and what helped you and who helped you. dr...location

Hi sidster,

I posted a reply to you under another thread on the MP forum.

I think it was the one about a support group.

Hello. I'm a new user here and I hope not to be here very long. I've just got a few quick questions. I've read several stories here and I think I am lucky. I got a doctor fairly on who was able to figure out what was causing my problem. (He used the words "entrapped lateral femoral cutaneous nerve." Now, if I understand it, this is another way of saying meralgia paresthetica. I did not have to wait months or years for a diagnosis. He was only the second medical professional I had consulted about it.

If you do not mind, I have some questions. How long should it take to get over the symptoms? The initial doctor said no medications would help. (I had no insurance and had to go to a free clinic. I should resolve this issue soon.) He also said losing weight was the most likely cause in my case. His solution is to lose more weight. I hope this is correct, although his solution seems counter intuitive.

This is not helping me in the meantime. I have two jobs. I am a freelance writer. Because that pays inconsistently, I also am an event specialist. (I work for the company that hands out food at Sam's Club.) This job requires me to stand all day. By the end of the day, I am almost crying because of the pain. Today someone asked me if I was about to faint. Now, I'd like to go armed to the next appointment with possible ways to reduce the pain.

Is the doctor right and how long should I expect this to last? I assume, with the exception of the quick diagnosis, that my case is typical. I hope it is. I don't want to deal with this any longer than I have to.

It Varies
 

Hi Sinisterporpoise,

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear you are suffering with MP. Yes, you have it exactly correct. That depends. Some people have a spontaneous resolution, some live with it forever. In my opinion, as long as the LFCN remains compressed, one will continue to experience the symptoms of it being compressed. IF excess weight is what caused the compression, then losing weight will be beneficial. If one's weight has nothing to do with it, then weight loss is not going to change anything. The key is to remove the cause of the compression.

It is a purely sensory nerve but can certainly cause pain. Standing will exacerbate it in many people. If standing is what precipitates an episode for you, and you must do that for your work, you may try to keep the affected leg bent by propping it up on something and shifting your stand to the other leg. That was the advice given me by a neurosurgeon. Sit whenever possible. Are you allowed to sit if you have no customers from time to time? Does sitting help resolve the pain? Many years ago, the only time I would have episodes of intense pain was upon standing or walking. Sitting would resolve it in a short time until I stood again. Then it progressed to pain in all positions. I did not have to stand to experience the pain. Sitting would bring it on and then even laying down. Then it began to interfere with sleep.

If you have not had MP for very long, there is a very good chance that it could resolve on its own. The longer the nerve is compressed, the less likely it will resolve. It can take months for recovery.

Physical therapy is an option. (Especially aquatic) Pain patches help some people. Wishing you better days and hoping you can have a spontaneous and complete resolution. Remember, the key is to avoid compressing the nerve.

How your LFCN became compressed is important for knowing the prognosis.

The trick is to keep the LFCN "happy". As I call it after many years of dealing with MP, when the LFCN gets angry, it will let you know. You need to find out how to make it happy. My LFCN hates me and I can no longer make it happy. Hope you can find a way to appease the monster.

Understand
 

Hello Sinisterporpoise,

I am also new to MP and completely understand the feeling of pain to point of tears and people keep asking me, as I am hunched over in pain if I am ok. My MP is caused by injury but from what I read loosing weight can help reduce the pain of the trapped nerve or correct the issue all together. What meds did they put you on?

Losing 50 pounds caused it. I was doing fine with excess weight. The fat was protecting me.

At the moment, I'm almost at the two month mark. I hope it does resolve on its own.

Someone asked what medication the doctor prescribed. I went to the emergency room initially. They said it was muscle spasms and gave me 800 milligrams of ibuprofen. The ibuprofen did nothing. The second doctor prescribed nothing. He only said to lose ten more pounds. Because it was an unusual encounter at a free clinic, I understand their reluctance to prescribe expensive pain medications.

During this time, I did break into some pain medication left over from a kidney stone. I was reluctant to keep it, but it did work. Fortunately, I only had a small amount left. If anyone wonders, the pain from the kidney stone was worse, but this is almost as bad at times.

As for work, I am going to have to do something. The job requires standing the whole time, although I'm sure I might be allowed to sit down with a doctor's note. The supervisor is letting me sit down from time to time, but it's not helping when I need to stand for long periods of time. I also have to go off the floor to do it. In the meantime, I've started using a cane to relieve some of the pressure on the nerve.

I've had MP for 8 years now. Standing too long bothers it, laying on my bac kin one place too long bothers it. There are other triggers as well. I've had injections, the nerves cauterized, tried multiple meds. The only med that makes it bearable is GAbapentin. My leg is still numb and I have the burning pains when I aggravate it but it is at the tolerable point. Good luck in finding what works for you. I understand the frustrations you are going through.

jmy1155
 

I have had MP for about 5 years in both legs and have tried everything the doctors have given me for this pain. The only other option I have is surgery. I feel for anyone that has to live with this pain. The pain at times is so unbearable, you can't sleep, sit or walk for too long. I was told by my doctor once I have the surgery you will have numbness forever in your legs. I can live with the numbness if the pain is gone. My heart goes out to anyone with this pain. :)

Hi jmy1155,

Thanks for your post. Are you considering having the surgery?