Left Front Thigh Pain

by Tim
(Hong Kong)

Pain locations

Pain locations

Left Front Thigh Pain can be a diagnostic saga.


Dear webmaster. It is Tim, male, 41 years old from Hong Kong. I've read several of your articles before writing this query to you. I will keep the descriptions here as neat as I can.

I've suffered from front thigh pain for 6 months now with no back pain or buttock pain. It all started in one morning when I got up from bed I felt a pain in my left front thigh. The area of the pain, at the beginning, was localized just above my left knee (I've made a simple diagram to show the areas of my pains in areas. It is area A shown in the diagram.) There is no pain on the sides or the back of my thigh but just the front area.

The pain was really a bad one and had a burning sensation. At the same time, I felt my left lower leg and foot(top & bottom) had tingling feelings (Area B in the diagram.) My lower leg and foot had no pain at all, but just tingling. I've experienced no weakness on my whole leg so far but both the burning pain and the tingling feeling were persistent all-day-long suffering. Although the pain had low and high magnitudes over time, it usually makes me hard to sleep at night. Sometimes the pain even wakes me up at night and I need to take pain-killer or sleeping pill to manage it.

During this period, I've had two MRI scans to examine (1)the whole left thigh, (2)the lumbar spine; and two X-rays to examine (1)the left hip joint area, (2)the whole spine. The results of my left thigh MRI and 2 X-rays are all normal, no abnormalities are found. However, my lumbar spine MRI turned out to have 2-3mm broad-based disc protrusions at 3 levels: L3/4, L4/L5 and L5/S1. The wording "broad-based disc protrusion" was used by the radiologist who wrote my MRI report, though I don't know how it differs from a disc bulging/slipping etc. I've attached both the written report as well as the relevant MRI image here. At L5/S1 level, the report reads a suggestive annular tear; but there are no cauda equina or focal nerve root compression at all 3 levels.

My doctor, who is an orthopedic trauma specialist, explained to me my condition of disc protrusions is a rather mild one, which is commonly found among my age group. So it is hard to relate this to my severe thigh pain, he said. He guessed the pain is due to my femoral nerve damage. I'm now on Celecoxib(an NSAID) and Gabapentin(a drug work on nerves pain). The front thigh pain and lower leg tingling have subsided a bit but they still last for a whole day long. Two things I need to mention is that (1)the thigh pain area has recently spread out to a higher position (Area C in the diagram). (2) There are burning spot pains along the hip joint, from the very left top hip bone to the inner groin area. The spot pains are indicated as red dots along the line D in the diagram.

I can barely sit now, because once I sit the front thigh pain would slowly emerge. Lying down in bed doesn't seem to help ease the pain. Only slow walking seems to be a better choice for me now because I felt better after I walked for about 20 minutes in the park every night. Strangely, the wind made by a fan can aggravate the pain if it directly hits the thigh area.

Actions that causing pressure on the thigh such as kneeling or lying down on the stomach would make it more painful. Tight pants and high relative humidity(>80%) seem to worsen the pain too.

The front thigh pain and lower leg tingling have changed my whole living in this six months. I even quit my job because the pain makes me hard to concentrate on anything. I can't sleep well at night and the persistence of the pain causes depression on me. I need to go to the psychiatrist every week. Would you have any suggestions on my current condition? Anything I can do to improve my condition now? I would appreciate any suggestions from you. Thank you so much for your reading.

Hello Tim,
I agree with the orthopaedist's conclusion; it's almost certainly a femoral nerve lesion. Has the knee jerk reflex not been affected? Bounce on your knee to see if it's tending to give.

What is unusual is that you have no back pain at all, and the scan to my mind at the expected area is clear. You do have L5/S1 disc degeneration but that would give you posterior thigh pain.

Do bending and twisting in various directions, including backwards have absolutely no effect on the lower back or leg pain?

Ask a strong friend to help with the femoral nerve stretch test, preferably off of all painkillers for 24 hours. Lie on your stomach, with the knee bent, foot towards the ceiling. Ask him to first raise the healthy knee towards the ceiling stretching the front of the thigh; now repeat with the naughty leg. Is there a significant different; describe it as accurately as possible.

No abdominal issues?

Prod around in the groin; any lumps or bumps, is much more tender than the other side?

What you describe is typical of meralgia paresthetica, but the location of the pain is not typical; that would affect the outer thigh.

Lie on your back and pull your knee to the chest; is it stiff or painful in the groin and around the hip joint?

Give me some answers.

Dr B


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Apr 13, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		Burning sensation on front of left tigh
by: Mike

Hi,
For the past year I have been having a slight pain on the front of my left side that at times gives a burning feeling. It comes and goes. When my kids jump on my legs is when it comes back but I only started noticing it when I got a standing desk and started standing majority of my time at work. Everything is is fine there is no soreness or aches anywhere. It’s only in that one area where there is slight pain and burning sensation.

Hello Mike, apologies for the very long delay in answering.

First step is to check if your hips are level. A mildly short leg is not uncommon and often no problem unless you are standing in one place for long periods. Ask someone to stand behind you, place their hands on the iliac crests and see if there's a marked difference.

Second with anterior thigh pain, always check the hip. Pull the knee to your chest, rotate, tug this way and that. Is it much stiffer than the other, especially in and around the hip.

More difficult is a condition called meralgia paresthetica. Do a site search of Chiropractic Help for more information.

And then there are a trillion other possibilities. As always, if it does not improve with time, see a professional for a diagnosis.

I hope this contributes.

Dr B
Aug 15, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pain radiating down the front and back of the leg
by: Josie

Hi

I have pain and clicking; first it started in my knee to my ankle that would be painful.

Now it seems to vary from front of my hip down towards the front of my leg in line with my tibia bone.

Sometimes it painful, at other times I get a tingly cold sensation down that area.

Also the back of my left leg muscle aches.

Can you please help?

This seemed to progress after decorating and hasn't been right ever since.

35yr old mum

Hello Josie,
You make no mention of back pain; is that correct?

Sitting in a kitchen chair, straighten first your right leg parallel to the ground, and then the naughty leg. Is there a difference? Where?

Bend slowly and carefully forwards, and then backwards and to the side. Is there back pain, and is the left leg much tighter that the other?

Please reply on a computer, not a cellphone.

Dr B.R. Lewis DC
Jun 16, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Left Front Thigh Pain with left side lower back and hip joint.
by: Suman

Thank you so much for your response. I'll do all the things that you have suggested me and I'll start it from today.

Be diligent about it; the next few weeks are critical if you are to recover without surgery.
Jun 15, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Left Front Thigh Pain with left side lower back and hip joint.
by: Suman

I'm Suman, a female, 27 years old from India. Now I am suffering same pain for the last 2 days and several times before now. A pain in my left front thigh. The area of the pain, at the beginning, was localized just above my left knee. There is also, pain on the sides or the back of my thigh but just the front area.

The pain was really a bad one and had a burning sensation. At the same time, I felt my left lower leg and foot(top & bottom) had tingling feelings. My lower leg and foot had no pain at all, but just tingling. I don't know what is happening with me please give me suggestion actually right now I'm more worried about it because of COVID-19. I'm not going out from home.

Hello Suman,
There are two main nerves from the lower back that supply the leg; you have a pinched femoral nerve. The other is called sciatica; you do not have that.

I have personally had this condition, so I know what you are going through. It hurts a lot.

It has nothing to do with the coronavirus but I understand you not wanting to go out for treatment.

Firstly, place an icepack wrapped in a towel on the area of your back where it hurts. You can also move it to the area around the hip and front of the left thigh; it may help the pain there too. You can follow it with a hot shower; I would avoid the bath at the moment.

Secondly, no housework, lifting of children and so on; difficult I know. You need help. Does your mother or sister live nearby?

You may be able to do some cooking.

You must not bend at all; if needing to pick something up off the floor, go down on one knee.

At the top of each page at chiropractic help you will find in the menu some lumbar exercises for slipped disc; three very simple procedures done on your bed. Do them every half an hour. Do them for the rest of your life, every morning before getting out of bed; they take less than one minute.

You probably have a slipped disc; it will take at least 8 weeks to heal. The herniation really needs to be reduced by a chiropractor, but you may be lucky and be gradually reabsorbed given a chance.

The pain is frightening, I know. If you can get through the next month, you may recover. There is a lot on the subject at my site; keep reading. And be very careful for the next month; you are close to a big lumbar operation.

Let me know in a month how you are getting on.

Dr B.R. Lewis DC

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