| Meralgia paresthetica | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Bernhardt-Roth syndrome[1] |
 | |
| Innervation of lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (shaded area) on the right leg. | |
| Specialty | Neurology |
| Symptoms | Pain, dysthesias, paresthesias, and hyperesthesia on the anterolateral thigh[2] |
| Causes | Anything that compresses the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, such as tight fitting clothes at the waist and injuries.[3] |
| Risk factors | Obesity, pregnancy, diabetes, middle-age[3] |
| Diagnostic method | Clinical examination and patient history[2] |
| Differential diagnosis | Lumbar L2/L3 pathology, lumbar plexopathy, another entrapped peripheral nerve, and pelvic tumors[3][4] |
| Treatment | Steroid injections, nerve decompression, and neurectomy[3] |
Meralgia paresthetica or meralgia paraesthetica is pain or abnormal sensations in the outer thigh not caused by injury to the thigh, but by injury to a nerve which provides sensation to the lateral thigh.
Meralgia paresthetica is a specific instance of nerve entrapment.[5] The nerve involved is the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN).[6][7][4][8] The symptoms are purely sensory because the LFCN has no motor function.[4] This syndrome can be caused by anything which places prolonged pressure on the LFCN, such as wearing a tight belt.[4][2][3] The diagnosis is typically done via clinical examination and patient history, followed by a diagnostic nerve block.[4][2][6][3] The condition will often resolve on its own within two years even without treatment.[9] Non-surgical treatments include lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and therapeutic injections.[3] Surgical treatments include nerve decompression and neurectomy.[3][5]
- ^ Pearce JM (2006). "Meralgia paraesthetica (Bernhardt-Roth syndrome)". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 77 (1): 84. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2005.072363. PMC 2117390. PMID 16361600.
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:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cheatham SW, Kolber MJ, Salamh PA (December 2013). "Meralgia paresthetica: a review of the literature". Int J Sports Phys Ther. 8 (6): 883–93. PMC 3867081. PMID 24377074.
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