Understanding Femoral Nerve Pain

Femoral nerve pain, also known as femoral nerve dysfunction, can be a debilitating situation for a pain patient. It can cause pain and weakness in all areas of your leg, especially the front and inner parts of your thigh. Read on to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of femoral nerve pain.

What is Femoral Nerve Pain?

 The femoral nerve controls the muscles that allow you to move your hips. It also helps you straighten your legs and allows feeling in the front of your thigh and throughout your lower leg. Located in the area of your groin, this large nerve branches out to control the various leg muscles. Damage to this nerve can affect sensations in your foot and leg. It can also affect your ability to walk. Nerve pain is not always a traditional pain. In many cases, its primary effect is a loss of sensation or numbness. When the femoral nerve is damaged, it can also cause paralysis. 

Symptoms of Femoral Dysfunction

There are several symptoms of femoral dysfunction. They include:

• Numbness or a tingling sensation in your leg
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramping
• Sharp jabbing pain in your legs and/or hip
• Difficulty walking due to weakness of the muscles
• Difficulty extending your knee
• Reduced sensations to touch
• Shrinking of the thigh muscle, which is also known as atrophy
• Paralysis in the leg

Causes of Femoral Dysfunction

Femoral dysfunction can be caused by direct trauma due to injury or surgery on the hip or in the abdominal area. It can be caused by nerve entrapment. Femoral nerve pain can also be the result of a complication from other medical conditions including:

• Kidney tumors or growths
• Fractured pelvis
• Abdominal bleeding
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Masses occurring on the thigh muscles
• Inflammation related to an infection
• Exposure to toxic substances
• Vitamin deficiency

How Femoral Dysfunction is Diagnosed

Your doctor will do a physical examination of your leg and hip. He or she will examine the various muscles that are controlled by the femoral nerve. They will ask you about your medical history, including any recent injuries or surgery. The doctor will want to know about your lifestyle to determine if there are any risk factors that could be contributing to your condition. 

Your doctor might want to order some tests, including:

• MRI
• CT Scan
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests

Treatment Options for Femoral Nerve Pain

Your treatment options will depend on your diagnosis. Your treatment will depend on the extent of the damage to the femoral nerve and what caused the damage. For example, if your pain is the result of pressure on the femoral nerve, then your treatment will be focused on reducing that pressure. Your treatment options may include:

Medication and Non-Surgical Options

If your treatment will be medicinal, you may be prescribed corticosteroids as well as pain medication to make you more comfortable. In many cases, over-the-counter pain medication is enough to provide relief from your symptoms. You may be referred for a nerve block procedure where a local anesthetic is used to interrupt the pain signals that come from the femoral nerve.

Surgical Options

If it is determined that there is a tumor or other growth that is blocking the femoral nerve, your doctor may decide that it needs to be removed surgically. 

If your femoral nerve pain is due to pressure or an entrapped nerve, a surgical procedure known as femoral decompression may be recommended to relieve the pressure. This procedure can also increase blood flow to your upper thigh.

Physical Therapy

You may be referred for physical therapy to improve your mobility and regain your muscle strength. Physical therapy for femoral nerve pain will include a variety of stretches and exercises focused on increasing the movement of your hip. Your doctor might also recommend that you wear a knee brace to help you walk.

Lifestyle Changes

In many cases, some simple lifestyle changes can help to reduce your symptoms. These changes could include:

• Avoid wearing tight clothing.
• Avoid activities that may require you to sit for an extended period of time which can put pressure on the femoral nerve.
• If you have diabetes or your doctor believes that obesity is a contributing factor, you may need to lose weight.

When to Consult a Doctor

If you are experiencing pain or reduced sensation in any part of your leg, you need to consult a doctor. Complications can arise from femoral dysfunction due to the numbness that is common for these patients. They are at risk of further injuring their leg and not noticing it due to the loss of sensation. If you do have damage to your femoral nerve, neglecting to seek treatment can lead to permanent nerve damage. It can even lead to nerve death. The good news is that with treatment, most people will see signs of improvement in their symptoms.

If you are experiencing femoral nerve pain, fill out the form below to request a consultation with a pain management professional.