meralgia paresthetica

Etiology

• risk factors
  • obesity
  • diabetes mellitus
  • older age
  • wearing tight-fitting pants or belts

Pathology

• entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve at the inguinal ligament

Clinical manifestations

• paresthesias
• sensory abnormalities (pain, paresthesias) on the anterolateral hip & thigh in the distribution of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
• no motor symptoms (purely sensory nerve involvement)
  • loss of sensation on the anterolateral thigh
• normal lumbar flexion, negative straight-leg-raising
• no tenderness to palpation of lateral hip or mid thigh

Differential diagnosis

• greater trochanteric pain syndrome
  • tenderness on palpation of the greater trochanter
• diabetic amyotrophy
  • pain & weakness followed by wasting of pelvic & femoral muscles
  • may be unilateral or bilateral
• lumbar radiculopathy
  • not localized to anterolateral thigh, low back pain

Management

• weight loss
• intramuscular hydrocortisone

More general terms

• entrapment neuropathy; nerve entrapment syndrome; pinched nerve

Additional terms

• paresthesia; burning; tingling