What to do if your right thigh hurts?

Many people say that they have unexplained right thigh pain and have difficulty walking. They have no external injuries and are not tired from walking or standing for a long time. They also have back pain, foot pain, and leg numbness. In order to relieve the pain, patients will bend over and bend their knees. In severe cases, they cannot move, which seriously affects their lives. So, what causes right thigh pain and what should you do?

This needs to be checked to see if it is caused by the sciatic nerve or the lumbar disc herniation compressing the sciatic nerve.

Symptoms of lumbar disc herniation

1. Lower back pain: Most patients with lumbar disc herniation have this symptom. Low back pain may occur after a clear sprain or trauma, or it may occur without any obvious cause. The range of low back pain is relatively wide, but it is mainly in the lower back and lumbosacral region, with dull pain that varies from time to time. In the acute phase, there may be tearing sharp pain. The pain can be relieved when lying flat, and the pain will be aggravated when standing for a long time or bending over. The mechanism of pain is that the metabolic products produced by the herniation of the nucleus pulposus and the rupture of the annulus fibrosus stimulate the nerve fibers of the surrounding tissues. When the pain is severe, the lumbar spine movement can be significantly limited.

2. Numbness and abnormal sensation in the lower limbs: The onset of numbness in the lower limbs usually occurs after the pain is relieved or at the same time. The mechanism is mainly the mechanical compression of the proprioceptive and tactile fibers of the nerve roots by the protrusion. The area of ​​numbness or decreased sensation corresponds to the affected nerve root. The main sensory abnormalities in the lower limbs are cooling and lowering of the temperature of the affected limbs, especially at the tips of the toes. This is because the paravertebral sympathetic nerve fibers are stimulated, causing vasoconstriction in the lower limbs.

3. Radiating pain in one or both lower limbs: Radiating pain in the lower limbs may occur before, after, or simultaneously with low back pain. The pain mainly radiates along the buttocks, thighs and posterior calves to the heels or insteps of the feet, and can be electric shock-like. In order to relieve pain, patients often adopt protective postures such as flexion of the waist, hips, knees, and scoliosis. Radiating pain usually occurs in one lower limb, that is, the side where the nucleus pulposus protrudes. A small number of patients with central protrusion may have radiating pain in both lower limbs, which is usually milder on one side and heavier on the other. The direct cause of radiating pain in the lower limbs is the stimulation of the nerve roots by the protrusion and its inflammatory metabolites.

4. Muscle weakness or paralysis: When the protruding intervertebral disc severely compresses the nerve roots, it can cause nerve paralysis and lead to muscle weakness or even paralysis. This is mostly caused by L4-5 intervertebral disc herniation and L5 nerve root compression and paralysis. Generally, paralysis of the tibialis anterior, peroneus long and brevis, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus may occur, which manifests as decreased thumb extensor or flexor strength and, in severe cases, foot drop.

The correct diagnosis can be made through necessary examinations (such as physical examination, lumbar X-rays, and laboratory tests), so that the right medicine can be prescribed, such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and other rehabilitation treatments. It may be a lumbar disc herniation or bone hyperplasia. First, do a lumbar spine X-ray or MRI. In addition, it is also related to the fact that patients usually sleep on spring mattresses and work in the same posture for a long time.

It is recommended that patients go to the hospital for a check-up. Do not take painkillers blindly. Blindly taking medicine will affect the results of the hospital examination. You can try calcium supplementation first to see if it can relieve the symptoms. The doctor will analyze and examine the cause of your illness and the location of the disease. You can take an X-ray to see if there is a problem with the femoral head. Acupuncture is also a good idea.