The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (skin nerve located on the side of your thigh) is a branch of the lumbar (low back) spinal nerves that travel under the inguinal ligament (groin area) and provides sensation to the side of the thigh. Because the nerve travels under the inguinal ligament, it is susceptible to impingement at the inguinal ligament. This is similar to carpal tunnel wherein the wrist’s median nerve becomes trapped.
Symptoms may include:
- Numbness in the lateral thigh
- Neuropathic pain, sometimes severe
When pain does not respond to medical management, a nerve injection block at the site of impingement can provide both diagnostic and therapeutic advantages.
Cryoablation (cold therapy) may provide pain relief as well asspinal cord stimulation (neuromodulation) versus a selective L2 nerve stimulation.
To Learn More
If you have been diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica, or are interested in learning about treatment options to manage your pain, please contact our pain management experts at the California Spine and Pain Institute. We would be happy to make an appointment for a consultation and provide additional information about other treatment options.
