Meralgia Paresthetica (nerve issue between hip and upper leg) -- anyone have this problem?

[Dan Druff]

About 4-5 years ago, I started noticing that occasionally my front upper right leg would hurt when walking for awhile, especially if there was stuff in my pocket. I noticed this enough to where I started actively avoiding leaving anything in my right pocket when hiking.

In recent months, it has gotten considerably worse. I was having a hard time diagnosing the issue, and the only doctor I asked about it had an unconvincing answer which seemed like a guess.

After searching more on the internet, I think I found it: Meralgia Paresthetica

Here's a Canadian website which does a pretty good job describing it: http://drangelini.ca/sciatica-in-the-front-of-my-thigh/



Basically it's a compressed nerve located between the hip and the thigh. Notice that the website indeed mentions that stuff in your front pocket can cause it to compress, and cause the pain! Between that and the other descriptions (the location of the pain, the feeling of the pain, and what brings it on), I'm fairly convinced that's what I have.

Unfortunately there is no medication or surgical treatment for this, from what I can see. It appears that you can somewhat control it by wearing looser pants, and keeping stuff out of your pocket, but sometimes this happens when I'm in my underwear at home, so I can't entirely blame the pants or the pockets.

I might try to lose weight for this and other reasons, and see if that helps, but that's not trivial at my age, especially when this condition makes it too painful to vigorously exercise for too long. I tried to take a moderate 3-mile hike a few weeks ago and I was in awful pain by the time it was over, though the pain resolved within 90 minutes of getting home.

Anyone else have this condition? Did you find anything that works?

Please no trolling in this thread. Thanks.

[Cerveza Fria]

Try Voltaren. Also try some deep tissue massage.

[splitthis]

Join a gym and strengthen yourself. Any pain can be overcome by strength. Fix your diet. Health issues will compound if you continue on you current path. Ben needs you healthy.

[limitles]

Join a gym and strengthen yourself. Any pain can be overcome by strength. Fix your diet. Health issues will compound if you continue on you current path. Ben needs you healthy.

Oh my God, dear Jesus, you are an insufferable moron.

[BCR]

Never heard of it. It’s probably weight induced from what I’ve read, but also seems to correlate with type-2 diabetes. Everything I read stops short of saying there is a causal relationship, merely a correlation, so it might just be the fact many people with excess weight have type-2 diabetes. If you haven’t had your glucose checked though recently, might want to get an AIC and rule that out.

Just pure speculation here, but I have scapular pain that originates from cervical spine. Strangely myofascial release massage and interventions that focus on my upper chest relieve it far greater than any shot or procedure. I’ve had injections guided by fluoroscopy that did nothing, but those get me back to gym in a few days during bad times.

That nerve affected in that condition runs from your lumbar area around to the thigh. I assume given you play online and are on the computer a lot that you sit a lot. Obviously try to lose weight, but I’d try someone going at my lumbar area for a myofascial release procedure first as it seems most people I’ve ever known that run into hip and thigh problems that are impingement type things, that’s often the origin.

You need someone qualified and strong. A massage therapist or chiropractor can do it, but pick the middle aged dude rather than some hot chick. I’d try massage therapist first as chiropractors will try to start x rays and pad your bill.

They really have to go at it. When they get done with mine it feels like I’ve worked out and done 100 reps of incline the next morning, but it works far better than any injection or other more costly procedure.

[Dive_Bar_Dave]

Your main exercise is hiking right? For most hiking related aches and pains, I recommend: new shoes, stretches of the legs and lower back, and maybe mix in some cycling one day a week. Also, consider if you might have any limb-length discrepancy (90% of the population does, and it leads to hip and knee issues).

[Dan Druff]

BCR: I don't have diabetes, nor pre-diabetes. My A1c level is great, and my glucose level is good. I had this checked as recently as mid-October. You are probably correct that weight brought it on, as I have gained weight this year.

Dave: It's definitely far worse when I hike, simply because I'm moving the leg so much. However, it can be brought on by as little as walking around the house. Therefore, I don't think any kind of change in hiking shoes will help this particular problem. It seems to worsen with hiking because I'm extending the hip more often and further compressing the nerve, until it becomes unbearable. However, once I get back and sit down for awhile, it resolves.

[Ryback_feed_me_more]

Join a gym and strengthen yourself. Any pain can be overcome by strength. Fix your diet. Health issues will compound if you continue on you current path. Ben needs you healthy.

Pretty sure that phantom nerve pain folks who get shit cut off doesn't go away with strength there Split. I know your one of those medical types but yeah I dunno some shit ain't fixable by going to the gym sweety. Also pretty sure if somebody has some tumor pushing on some nerves or their spinal cord strength wont do shit about that either. Maybe alot of the time but not ANY pain thats a global statement easy to disprove.

[Dan Druff]

Join a gym and strengthen yourself. Any pain can be overcome by strength. Fix your diet. Health issues will compound if you continue on you current path. Ben needs you healthy.

Pretty sure that phantom nerve pain folks who get shit cut off doesn't go away with strength there Split. I know your one of those medical types but yeah I dunno some shit ain't fixable by going to the gym sweety. Also pretty sure if somebody has some tumor pushing on some nerves or their spinal cord strength wont do shit about that either. Maybe alot of the time but not ANY pain thats a global statement easy to disprove.

Correct. The only way out of this might be to lose weight. Sometimes it resolves or at least partially resolves on its own. I've dealt with this on and off for the last 4-5 years, but it's worst by far right now.

[limitles]

Pretty sure that phantom nerve pain folks who get shit cut off doesn't go away with strength there Split. I know your one of those medical types but yeah I dunno some shit ain't fixable by going to the gym sweety. Also pretty sure if somebody has some tumor pushing on some nerves or their spinal cord strength wont do shit about that either. Maybe alot of the time but not ANY pain thats a global statement easy to disprove.

Correct. The only way out of this might be to lose weight. Sometimes it resolves or at least partially resolves on its own. I've dealt with this on and off for the last 4-5 years, but it's worst by far right now.

Yes. Many physical ailments are associated with a high body mass index. Exercise is great but not for all and comes a distant second to calorie control.

Best of all results are soon realized. Nothing to lose. Well, you know.

[splitthis]

Pretty sure that phantom nerve pain folks who get shit cut off doesn't go away with strength there Split. I know your one of those medical types but yeah I dunno some shit ain't fixable by going to the gym sweety. Also pretty sure if somebody has some tumor pushing on some nerves or their spinal cord strength wont do shit about that either. Maybe alot of the time but not ANY pain thats a global statement easy to disprove.

Correct. The only way out of this might be to lose weight. Sometimes it resolves or at least partially resolves on its own. I've dealt with this on and off for the last 4-5 years, but it's worst by far right now.

Rofl. Comparing phantom limb and tumor pain to poor diet and little conditioning. Keep making excuses for the obv. Rofl.

[splitthis]

This shit belongs with tines diabetic toe.

[Sanlmar]

Nerve impingement L4 L5.

In order you will
Chiropractor who isn’t a fraud - I know the other one. There are only two. He/She/They will confirm
MRI
epidural cortisone

See what’s what in 3-4 weeks

-or-

Lay-off the deadlifts at the gym.

[Ryback_feed_me_more]

Correct. The only way out of this might be to lose weight. Sometimes it resolves or at least partially resolves on its own. I've dealt with this on and off for the last 4-5 years, but it's worst by far right now.

Rofl. Comparing phantom limb and tumor pain to poor diet and little conditioning. Keep making excuses for the obv. Rofl.

Hey Split Yo. Look the fuck over here ya snarky bitch. I was the one that brought it up not Druff. You wrote a check with your typing that was a fraud. You literally said ANY pain can be resolved with exercise when that's wrong. You were wrong and you won't admit it. You need to check your ego and add a little humility to your self-righteousness, or maybe just not make asinine blanket statements in the future such as you did.

[FRANKRIZZO]

I had tingling from calf to thigh then leg couldn't support weight a few years years ago. I used to do brisk walk on treadmill for hour soemtimes 2x a day. Leg pain went away can only do 15 minutes on treadmill with max of 30min. now I have a bad back obv because of my advanced age of 60. Opah, where is the Greek haven't seen him post in a while.

[Dan Druff]

I had tingling from calf to thigh then leg couldn't support weight a few years years ago. I used to do brisk walk on treadmill for hour soemtimes 2x a day. Leg pain went away can only do 15 minutes on treadmill with max of 30min. now I have a bad back obv because of my advanced age of 60. Opah, where is the Greek haven't seen him post in a while.

I know his real name so I looked him up, out of concern for him since he's the oldest active PFA member to my knowledge. I saw that he had a death in the family in July. From what I can see, he is still alive, but his last login was 4 days before that person passed away. My guess is that it probably affected him a lot and he lost interest in frivolous stuff like PFA.

I hope he's okay and comes back.

[JoeD]

No trolling here - get a fanny pack for your hikes.

I don't have any of the pains you are describing but I cannot stand having things like keys or even my phone in my front pocket when I take hikes or long walks. Yeah I know fanny packs are for your really old crazy uncle and those who love Broadway musicals, but its almost 2023 and times have changed.

[Sloppy Joe]

I had a nerve issue with my leg 7-8 years ago from running; localized massage helped and it dissipated over time.

Hard to do cardio with such pain but every little bit helps. I'm guessing you probably think yoga is woke bullshit for women but it has done wonders for me in maintaining flexibility as I stave off father time after 15+ years of running consistently.

[Dan Druff]

I had a nerve issue with my leg 7-8 years ago from running; localized massage helped and it dissipated over time.

Hard to do cardio with such pain but every little bit helps. I'm guessing you probably think yoga is woke bullshit for women but it has done wonders for me in maintaining flexibility as I stave off father time after 15+ years of running consistently.

Interestingly enough, I was never flexible. Even when I was a kid/teen and one of the fastest runners in school, I still wasn't flexible.

Unfortunately the solution to this particular problem is very likely weight loss.

[limitles]

I had a nerve issue with my leg 7-8 years ago from running; localized massage helped and it dissipated over time.

Hard to do cardio with such pain but every little bit helps. I'm guessing you probably think yoga is woke bullshit for women but it has done wonders for me in maintaining flexibility as I stave off father time after 15+ years of running consistently.

Interestingly enough, I was never flexible. Even when I was a kid/teen and one of the fastest runners in school, I still wasn't flexible.

Unfortunately the solution to this particular problem is very likely weight loss.

I would counter that the solution may fortunately require a loss of weight