numbness and tingling in left front thigh

[abbyt123]

For the past month the front of my thigh where my leg bends from my pelvis, has been numb and tingling. I can excercise and walk just fine but I can't feel anything if I touch it. It does become painful at night when I'm sleeping and wakes me up. It has grown in size but is only in a certain spot. Does anyone know anything about this? Is this somthing that needs immediate treatment like going to an ER?

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Thank you for your question. This numbness you are having can occur due to impingement, irritation or compression of nerve of thigh or in back. Most frequently involved nerve is lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh (which is branch of femoral nerve). This condition is called meralgia paraesthetia which manifests itself as pain, tingling or burning sensation of outer thigh. It may occur due to injury to nerve either due to spinal deformity or along its path to thigh by any ligament or tendon stretch, excessive tight clothing (therefore it is also called "jeans disease"), diabetic neuropathy or damage to nerve after laparoscopic hernia repair etc. Another nerve which may cause pain in legs is sciatic nerve compression. I would advice a CT scan of spine and thigh, blood sugar levels, and EMG to check out abnormal muscle responses.  Once the diagnosis is reached then treatment modalities available are strict rest, loose clothing, painkillers (NSAIDS and opioid), pain modifier medicines like carbamazepine may also be prescribed by the doctor. Therefore a neurologist’s consultation may help you in this regard.  Hope this information proves helpful to you. Take care.

[Londres70]

I don't think it requires a trip to the ER, but I would be following up with your PCP/family physician ASAP about this.  He/she might need to refer you out.

Keep us posted.