Internal Medicine

Answer 7 Meralgia paresthetica. Meralgia paresthetica causes numbness and pain in the anterolateral thigh as a result of an entrapped lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Risk factors for meralgia paresthetica include obesity, pregnancy, and ascites. In this case, the patient’s weight gain likely caused nerve entrapment. Upon further history, the patient reported that he was still wearing the same size of clothing; nerve entrapment may be due to wearing clothes that are too tight. Trochanteric bursitis and iliotibial band syndrome cause lateral hip pain as a result of overuse rather than compression. Sciatica is unlikely because it causes posterior hip pain. Click here to return to the questions

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