Meralgia paraesthetica is a nerve (neurological) condition that causes an area of skin over the upper outer thigh to become painful, numb or tingly. Meralgia paraesthetica is known as a nerve entrapment syndrome. This means it is a collection of symptoms caused by a trapped or compressed nerve.

Understanding the Context

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 condition that causes tingling, numbness and burning pain in the outer thigh. It's caused by compression of the nerve that provides feeling to the skin covering the thigh. Meralgia paresthetica also is known as lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment.

Key Insights

What is meralgia paresthetica? Meralgia paresthetica is a medical condition that causes pain and sensations of aching, burning, numbness or stabbing in your thigh area. The condition results from compression (pressure on or squeezing) of your lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a sensory mononeuropathy affecting the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Diagnosis is typically made clinically, often utilising multiple diagnostic aids such as imaging and electrophysiology.

Final Thoughts

If you have a painful, burning sensation on the outer side of your thigh, it may mean that one of the large sensory nerves to your legs—the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN)—is being compressed. This condition is known as meralgia paresthetica. Meralgia paresthetica is a condition that causes numbness, pain, or a burning feeling in your outer thigh. You might also hear it called Bernhardt-Roth syndrome. It happens when there’s too... Meralgia paresthetica is caused by the compression of one of the large sensory nerves in the leg — the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.

This nerve provides sensation to the skin along the outer thigh starting from the inguinal ligament and extending down toward the knee.