Feeling Tightness And Pain On Inner Thigh. How To Get Relief?

Posted on Sat, 30 Mar 2013

Question: Hi. I'm 43. Female. Have always been physically strong and while fat, have worked very hard on my fitness in the past 10 years. My inner thighs are tender, have been for some time. When I get a massage, getting any work done in this area can be excruciating. It's not up near my groin, it's from the knee and up about 10 inches. There is no one spot that's more tender than another, just the entire area that doesn't want to be touched with any real pressure. I've tried really concentrating on stretching in this area, thinking chronic tension may be an issue, since hip tightness is something I regularly have to address in yoga. The tenderness is getting out of hand. Discs L4 and L5 are ruptured. I thought it might be nerve pain from that, but I've never noticed any other spine pain to be able to be manipulated. When this area is touched, the pain gets worse. Other referred pain I experience is completely immune to manipulation, unless it's a muscle cramp. Do you think I'm in the right area thinking about nerve pain, or should I just keep hitting the yoga and hoping for the best?

Answered by Dr. Shivakumar S. Kupanur (2 hours later)

Hello.

Thanks for posting your query.

The symptoms you have mentioned doesn't point to the disc as a cause. It looks more of chronic, localized and inflammatory pain.

In case of disc, it will be radiating pain from back to entire leg, not tender, usually unilateral (one sided) rarely bilateral and more on the posterior aspect.

To comment exactly, I need to see your MRI and also physical examination is mandatory. I would suggest you to see your primary care consultant who can do initial evaluation and refer you to specialty care if needed. Treatment will follow as per the diagnosis.

As you already have L4-5 disc problem, you need to be very careful while doing forward bending and lifting weight.

I hope, I have answered your query. I will be available for follow up query if any.

I wish you speedy recovery.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shivakumar S. Kupanur (11 hours later)

Thank you. The pain is very, very similar to the pain I sometimes get in my forearms from working in the garden too much (too much gripping), which as you say is an inflammatory issue. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't somehow strangely related to my back issues, so I didn't start chasing rabbits. I'll see my doctor.

The discs have been ruptured since 2008. I've learned how to work around them and not aggravate them in my fitness. It's possible, it just means that you can never, ever let your mind relax. No mindless movement. I bend forward by tilting the pelvis, not by bowing my back. Thank you for your advice in that area.

You've been very helpful. Thank you.
XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Shivakumar S. Kupanur (12 hours later)

Hello.

I am glad that my information was useful to you.

Good to hear that you are taking proper care for the disc issue.

Regarding your thigh pain, I strongly feel it is not due to disc and could be an inflammatory pathology or any other issue. However, physical examination is must to confirm.

Kindly XXXXXXX your primary care physician for the evaluation and treatment.

I wish you good health.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar