Thigh Pain and Numbness

Thigh pain with numbness is quite annoying and uncomfortable. It not only spoils your days but also prevents you from sleeping well at night. There can be a number of causes behind the pain and numbness in the thighs. Effective medical treatments ranging from pain management to surgery are available. However, there are certain things that, when done on regular basis, can at least minimize the thigh pain, if not completely relieve it.

Causes of Thigh Pain and Numbness

Meralgia Paresthetica: The condition of entrapment or squeezing of the nerve that brings information from the thigh to the brain is known as meralgia paresthetica. Many factors can give rise to this disorder. The most common among them are swelling, trauma and an increased pressure in the groin caused by enlarged belly, pregnancy and obesity. The symptoms of meralgia paresthetica include burning sensation, more sensitivity to light touch than to strong force, thigh pain at night and numbness.

Myositis Ossificans: Sometimes, a severe injury or a fracture causes the deposition of calcium, and eventually bone, in thigh muscle. The calcium deposits get reabsorbed without leaving any long-term effect but the reabsorption process may take several months. In some cases, the deposits of calcium near the muscle insertion or origin, do not get absorbed. This causes a lot of discomfort and can be removed only surgically. Recurrences of myositis ossificans often causes mild to severe thigh pain and numbness.

Deep Vein Thrombosis: The condition of deep vein thrombosis is described as the formation of blood clot, called thrombus, in a deep vein. It may occur in any of the deep veins present in thighs and legs. This leads to thigh pain and is certainly a cause of great concern. Immediate medical attention is required.

Hamstring Strain: Hamstring is one of the tendons at the back of the knee. It is of three types. These are semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris. They are collectively known as hamstring muscle group. A pull, tear, injury and inadequate or over-stretching in one or more of these tendons can produce strain which further results in sharp thigh pain, especially at the back side. With the agreement of an orthopedic, you can take help of hamstring strengthening exercises to relieve such disorders of thighs.

Groin Pull: An injury to the muscle of the inner thigh is called groin pull. In majority of the cases, only a few muscle fibers are torn while bulk of the muscle tissues remain intact. Groin pull can cause mild to very sharp thigh pain. Depending upon the severity of the injury and the intensity of pain felt, it is categorized as Grade I, II and III. This is a common cause of lateral thigh pain.

Sciatica: Sciatica is the result of irritation of sciatic nerve. The common causes of irritation of sciatic nerve include pressing of the nerve by a herniated disc and inflammation of sciatic nerve. The pain is originally felt in the lower back. It further radiates down to the thighs and knees. Medical treatment includes avoiding the movements that can further irritate the nerve, physical therapy, medications and surgery, if required. In majority of the cases, sciatica is the cause of left thigh pain and numbness.

Charley Horse: Charley horse is described as a cramp in the muscle of leg, most often caused by strain or injury. It lasts for a few seconds. However, there are cases reported of experiencing it for about 30-45 minutes. This is another very common cause of thigh pain. Generally, the painful symptoms go away as the muscles get unstrained.

Home Treatments for Thigh Pain and Numbness

• Regular massaging will help a lot in preventing recurrences of thigh pain. Use warm mustard or olive oil for massaging. For best possible results, massage before going to bed.
• Keep the thighs heated. Place hot water bottles on your thighs for a period of 10-15 minutes daily. This will provide great comfort from thigh pain over time.
• Follow a healthy diet. Keep your diet low in starch. Increase the intake of vitamins and minerals.
• Quit smoking as it hinders with the proper flow of blood in your body.
• For fast relief, keep the area of pain wrapped with red flannel.
• Perform inner thigh exercises and thigh and butt exercises to ease the painful symptoms.

Though, the above mentioned home remedies for thigh pain and numbness are very effective and comforting yet you should seek medical attention for the correct diagnosis, timely treatment and stopping of the prognosis of any underlying disease. Get well soon!