Thigh Pain

Thigh pain can develop along with other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Additional symptoms can involve other body systems or areas, such as the cardiovascular and neurological systems. Other symptoms that may accompany thigh pain include:

• Bleeding

• Bruising, laceration or abrasion

• Burning or prickling feeling

• Change in gait such as limping

• Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, aches and pains)

• Joint pain

• Muscle spasms

• Reduced range of motion

• Swelling

• Tingling, pain, or other abnormal sensations in the toes

In some cases, thigh pain may occur with other symptoms that might indicate a serious or life-threatening condition, such as deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in the leg that can travel to the lungs and cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Other serious conditions include a fracture or infection. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have other serious symptoms, with or without thigh pain, including:

• Change in consciousness or alertness such as fainting

• Chest pain

• Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath

• Discolored, unusually pale, or cold leg

• Inability to walk or put weight on your leg

• Popping sound at time of injury

• Red, warm and swollen calf or leg

• Severe pain

• Severe swelling or deformity of the knee, thigh or hip

There are a wide variety of conditions that can cause thigh pain. For example, thigh pain can be caused by physical activity, injury, or age-related wear and tear on the hips and knees, which may cause pain or discomfort in the thigh area near the joint. Thigh pain can also be caused by infections as well as diseases and disorders that affect multiple body systems or areas, such as diabetes or peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Thigh pain may be caused by injuries and other trauma including:

• Bone fracture (broken bone) or dislocation, especially of the hip or thigh bone (femur)

• Groin pull or strain

• Laceration, abrasion or contusion of the thigh

• Ligament sprains and tears, especially of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knees, which ensure leg and knee stability. Sprains and tears may cause pain or discomfort in the thigh area near the joint.

• Meniscus tear (tear in the shock-absorbing cartilage of the knee)

• Muscle cramp (charley horse), commonly caused by dehydration or overuse

• Strained or pulled thigh muscles, such as a hamstring or quadriceps muscle strain

• Tendinitis (inflammation or irritation of tendons due to overuse or injury)

Thigh pain can be caused by various infections including:

• Cellulitis (invasive infection of the skin and surrounding tissues)

• Infection of a wound or sore

• Infection of the knee or hip, which can lead to septic arthritis and cause pain in the joint that radiates to the thigh area

• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)

Thigh pain can be caused by neurological conditions that cause inflammation, entrapment, compression, or damage to the nerves including:

• Peripheral neuropathy (disorder that causes damage and dysfunction of nerves that lie outside your brain and spinal cord) and diabetic neuropathy (neuropathy caused by long-term diabetes)

• Piriformis syndrome (buttock muscle compressing or irritating the sciatic nerve that causes pain, tingling or numbness down the leg)

• Sciatica (compression, injury or inflammation of the sciatic nerve that causes burning or shooting pain running from the buttocks down the back of the leg)

Thigh pain can be due to other causes including:

• Compartment syndrome (pressure within muscles builds to dangerous levels, reducing vital blood flow to nerve and muscle cells)

• Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the leg that can break loose from the leg, causing a pulmonary embolism in the lung, a heart attack, or stroke)

• Fibromyalgia (chronic condition causing widespread muscular pain, stiffness and tenderness)

• Peripheral artery disease (PAD, also called peripheral vascular disease, or PVD, which is a narrowing of arteries due to a buildup of fat and cholesterol on the walls of arteries, which limits blood flow to the extremities)

• Restless legs syndrome (RLS; a movement disorder characterized by a powerful urge to move your legs, especially when lying down or sitting)

• Varicose veins

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care provider will ask you several questions related to your thigh pain. Giving complete answers to these questions will help your health care provider diagnose the cause of your symptoms. Questions may include:

• In what part of the thigh do you feel pain?

• When did the pain start?

• How long does the pain last?

• Are there any activities that improve or worsen the pain?

• Are you experiencing any other symptoms?

Complications of thigh pain can vary depending on the underlying cause. Pain due to a minor condition, such as a mild muscle strain or contusion, usually responds to rest, ice, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. However, some underlying causes of thigh pain, such as diabetic neuropathy and peripheral artery disease, can lead to serious and possibly life-threatening complications including:

• Chronic pain

• Difficulty walking

• Disability

• Loss of hip or knee joint mobility

• Permanent nerve damage

• Poor quality of life

• Pulmonary embolism associated with deep vein thrombosis

• Spread of infection and serious infections, such as gangrene, which can lead to amputation

• Weakness or paralysis

It is important to contact your health care provider when you have persistent pain or other unusual symptoms. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, following the treatment plan outlined by your health care provider can lower your risk of complications.