Our body is a complicated organic machine of muscles, bones, nerves and tissue. With so many parts, it’s easy for something to go wrong. And occasionally, when that thing goes wrong, it can go horribly wrong. Take meralgia paresthetica, for example. You may have heard of it as paresthetica meralgia or Bernhardt-Roth syndrome, and it can affect your everyday life whether moving or sitting. Luckily, there are some techniques you can use to help take care of the issue, including meralgia paresthetica exercises. We’ll take a look at meralgia paresthetica symptoms, meralgia paresthetica stretches, and meralgia paresthetica treatment exercises. By the end of this piece, you should have a general idea of how to handle your meralgia paresthetica.
What Is Meralgia Paresthetica?
What is meralgia paresthetica? And, what effect does it actually have on you and your health? Meralgia paresthetica is a condition in which there is too much pressure on one of the nerves in your leg or other damage to a leg nerve. The term “pinched nerve” applies to meralgia paresthetica. This can also be a side effect of obesity as a large belly can cause that pressure on the nerves in question. And it is just as unpleasant as you may think it sounds as the symptoms that come with meralgia paresthetica are uncomfortable.
Meralgia Paresthetica Symptoms
Meralgia paresthetica symptoms are pretty clear to recognize. The ailment can cause numbness and severe burning like pain in the outer thigh. The numbness and pain are not mutually inclusive; you may just experience one of the symptoms as opposed to one occurring after another. Don’t fret too much as there are a few exercises you can try to help you treat your meralgia paresthetica and the pain that comes with it.
Exercises to Manage Meralgia Paresthetica
Meralgia paresthetica is usually treated by managing the patient’s weight, pain medication and ultimately, exercise. The exercise can not only help with any weight loss that you may need as well as stretching and building the muscles in the areas that can help relieve the pain.
1. Quadriceps Stretch
Stand facing a wall with one hand on the wall for balance.
While bending one leg at the knee, bring your foot toward your rear end.
Reach back with your free hand and gently guide your foot closer to your body. Do this until you feel a little bit of stretch in the front of the thigh.
Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat them times on each side.
2. Lunges
Stand straight with your hands by your side.
Take a large step forward and slowly bend your knees. Lower the body down until your back knee touches the floor. Take a big enough step so that your front knee does not go past your toes.
Come back to the starting position and repeat the previous movements on the other side.
Do 10 to 15 repetitions on each side and complete three sets.
3. Cat Camel Stretch
Start this exercise on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees directly below your hips at a 90-degree angle.
Slowly arch your back, and let your belly sag while lifting your chest and eyes up to look up at the ceiling.
Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds.
Slowly return to starting position. Repeat the exercise, but tuck your pelvis and arch your back in the other direction while you let your head drop down and relax.
Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds.
Repeat three to five times.
4. Bridging
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
Slowly raise the hips off the ground until the body is in a straight line, pushing the heels into the floor and squeezing the glutes at the top.
Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Return to starting position and repeat.
Repeat 10 to 15 repetitions for two to three sets.
You can also use resistance bands to increase the resistance on some of these exercises and better help build the muscle. Beyond exercising, there are a few other things you can do to help your meralgia paresthetica and get your body back to 100%.
Meralgia Paresthetica Treatment Tips
There are a few other things that you can do to help treat your meralgia paresthetica. Many of them are common sense. If you’ve ever had a pulled muscle, some of these tips will seem familiar.
1. Medication
Certain medications like painkillers can help relieve some of the pain and pressure in your outer thigh. Aspirin, acetaminophen, naproxen, or ibuprofen are all recommended to help out.
2. Weight loss
Many of the cases of meralgia paresthetica are due to the patient being overweight. Losing some weight can help relieve the pressure on the nerves that are causing the issues.
3. Corticosteroid shot
While normally reserved for joint pain, a corticosteroid shot can help relieve the pain and pressure of meralgia paresthetica. This relief can be temporary and multiple shots may be required.
4. Surgery
In the very worst cases of meralgia paresthetica, surgery may be necessary. The surgery should relieve the pressure on the nerve and provide instant relief of any associated pain. That being said, surgery does carry the risks of infection and even possible nerve damage.
Some of these tips also work really well in conjunction with the previously mentioned exercises, especially weight loss and medication.
Don’t Let Your Thigh Pain Drag You Down
Meralgia paresthetica can really drag you down. It can make it difficult to do many of your daily physical activities. It often makes walking an issue. But with any luck, some exercises and stretches, and maybe the use of some medication, you might be able to get back on your feet and have your pain reduced. The pressure on the nerve may even be removed entirely.
Sources:
“Meralgia Paresthetica,” John Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/peripheral_nerve_surgery/conditions/meralgia_paresthetica.html, last accessed May 30, 2017.
Kerkar, P., “ Meralgia Paresthetica: Treatment, Exercises, Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Investigations, Risk Factors, Etiology,” ePain Assist, December 15, 2016, https://www.epainassist.com/sports-injuries/thigh-pain/meralgia-paresthetica-or-bernhardt-roth-syndrome, last accessed May 30, 2017.