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Can a damaged lateral nerve in the thigh be fixed?
I have meralgia paresthetica in my thigh and my doctor thinks the nerve is damaged because I’ve had the pain for 17yrs. I’ve tried all kinds of pills, physical therapy, steroid injections and nothing helps. I was told all those years that it was my sciatic but had a nerve test done and that’s how they knew it’s meralgia paresthetica. Is surgery an option since the nerve is damaged?
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@agray8503 Hello, I had to look and see exactly which nerve was involved. It looks like surgery (not sure whether it is to sever or release the trapped nerve) is sometimes considered as a last resort.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meralgia-paresthetica/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355639
Now that you have a diagnosis, what does the doctor recommend?
Sue
I started having MP in December, the pain is not severe. I use sport therapy tape, this has help a lot on the nerve pain.
This might help you decide on a treatment. Although, surgery should be your last option after all others failed.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11575913/
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1 ReactionI have had Meralgia Paresthetica, damage to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, since my hip replacement in July 2022. I have felt this pain since the day of my hip replacement surgery. It has felt like I have a rock in my hip area, and that my IT band no longer works properly. I have pain down the side of my thigh to my knee, and in the groin and lower abdomen, plus up the side of my body from the incision to the top of the hip. It continues to tingle, burn, and itch with nonstop 24/7 pain (level varies from 5-8). I have been to 10 doctors, and Doctor #8, a neurologist, diagnosed the problem, but he doesn't work on peripheral nerve damage of the hip. He told me to go out of state to PA, Mayo, UofW, etc. He knew no doctor who could help me. He referred me to have the cryololysis procedure and nerve block. I can't take the medication for nerve issues, have had cortisone shots, physical therapy, and 4 months ago a cryonolysis procedure of the LFCN and 2 other nerves that are in the groin and lower abdomen area. I had a nerve block before the procedure, which verified it was LFCN damage. The cryo treatment helped with the stabbing electrical shock pain I got in my thigh, which made my leg buckle. It loosened my leg a bit so I do not limp as badly. Now I have a larger area of thigh numbness, although not entirely numb, since the leg hurts and is tender to the touch. Now, after 4 months from the cryo procedure, what little relief I had, which was never pain-free, has increased back to before the procedure. I must take Tylonel to even function a little. If I try to have any kind of a life, then I am paying for it in recovery mode with ice, infrared pads, and more Tylenol. The area that has felt like a rock, very tight, etc, is the same. It has never been touchable; at one point, having clothes touching it hurt, but that has improved. The tingling and pain are back to level 5-8, and my leg is very weak. There is no comfortable position, but in a recliner, which I have to sleep in because a bed is too painful. I need a doctor who can address this issue and give me some alternatives to living in this pain. I am left to find a doctor on my own. I have gotten my Medicare plan to agree that I can go anywhere. I have lost 32 months of my life from this surgery. And before I had this hip replacement, I was riding my bike 14+ miles regularly, I can barely walk 1-2 miles per day with a cane, and I can't sleep well.