Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Remedies For Pulsating Pain In Thigh
Question: I am experiencing a pulsing pain for the past two days. It is most left side of thigh, but at times travels down the leg. The skin in the thigh is sensitive to touch, it is the whole thigh and inner crouch. If I lay on my left side it gets worst. There is not redness or swelling.
Brief Answer:
Need more information, suspecting radiculopathy
Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxxx, thanks for asking from HCM.
I can understand your concern. You are having left thigh pain radiating to leg, which increases on touching/movement. All these features except pain on touching usually occur in lumbar radiculopathy. As there is no redness and swelling, cellulitis and infection are ruled out.
Another close differential diagnosis can be muscular spasm/tear of thigh muscle or knee joint pathology. All these features except radiation to leg can occur in muscular or joint problem.
To differentiate between these, I need more information about your symptoms
- Is there any history of back pain?
- Is there any history of knee arthritis or pain?
- Is there any history of tingling or numbness?
- Any past history of injury or jerk or heavy weight lifting?
- Any history of trauma/redness to scrotum?
- Is there any history of fever, burning micturition?
Last point will rule out any urinary tract infection. It is to be ruled out as there is pain in scrotum.
For pain relief, you can
- Apply diclofenc gel at pain site (not on scrotum)
- Avoid pressure at pain area
- Take painkiller like Tylenol or diclofenac for relief.
- If the temperature of skin is raised, apply icepack at pain site (not on crouch/scrotum).
Hope you will understand my point. If any doubt, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.
Need more information, suspecting radiculopathy
Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxxx, thanks for asking from HCM.
I can understand your concern. You are having left thigh pain radiating to leg, which increases on touching/movement. All these features except pain on touching usually occur in lumbar radiculopathy. As there is no redness and swelling, cellulitis and infection are ruled out.
Another close differential diagnosis can be muscular spasm/tear of thigh muscle or knee joint pathology. All these features except radiation to leg can occur in muscular or joint problem.
To differentiate between these, I need more information about your symptoms
- Is there any history of back pain?
- Is there any history of knee arthritis or pain?
- Is there any history of tingling or numbness?
- Any past history of injury or jerk or heavy weight lifting?
- Any history of trauma/redness to scrotum?
- Is there any history of fever, burning micturition?
Last point will rule out any urinary tract infection. It is to be ruled out as there is pain in scrotum.
For pain relief, you can
- Apply diclofenc gel at pain site (not on scrotum)
- Avoid pressure at pain area
- Take painkiller like Tylenol or diclofenac for relief.
- If the temperature of skin is raised, apply icepack at pain site (not on crouch/scrotum).
Hope you will understand my point. If any doubt, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
- Is there any history of back pain?
yes, pulled back muscles, one time sciatic nerve 2 year ago. i can say that this pain is different than the sciatic. Most pain is in thigh, a little pain is at hip/
- Is there any history of knee arthritis or pain?
no
- Is there any history of tingling or numbness?
no
- Any past history of injury or jerk or heavy weight lifting?
yes
- Any history of trauma/redness to scrotum?
no
- Is there any history of fever, burning micturition?
no
yes, pulled back muscles, one time sciatic nerve 2 year ago. i can say that this pain is different than the sciatic. Most pain is in thigh, a little pain is at hip/
- Is there any history of knee arthritis or pain?
no
- Is there any history of tingling or numbness?
no
- Any past history of injury or jerk or heavy weight lifting?
yes
- Any history of trauma/redness to scrotum?
no
- Is there any history of fever, burning micturition?
no
Brief Answer:
History analysis
Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxxxx, welcome back.
Thank you for providing me the answers. Now these answers have cleared the doubt of urinary tract pathology, lumbar disc disease pain and knee joint disease.
We are left with - "Thigh muscular tear or spasm". It can be suspected more as there is history of muscle pull. Only exception to this point is pain in scrotum and radiation to leg. Even radiation to leg can occur if there is hamstring muscle pull.
To confirm more, you should check it by pressing the muscle and doing various movements at knee/hip. At specific movements, you will feel sudden pain. If it is so, it will further confirm our diagnosis.
My advise to get relief is
- Take rest for 3 days and then do light work and routine activities.
- Apply diclofenac gel at pain site as mentioned
- In acute muscular pain, icepacks at local site relieves the pain.
- You should take painkiller with muscle relaxant like chlorzoxazone with diclofenac after prescription. Stop it after 7 days.
- After some relief, gradually start physiotherapy. Avoid weight lifting and extreme stretching.
- Massage of the pain site will relieve pain.
- If still no relief, consult orthopaedician and physiotherapist for evaluation and investigation. Xray of thigh and MRI thigh (if confusion) will rule out most pathologies.
Hope it will help. If any doubt, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.
History analysis
Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxxxx, welcome back.
Thank you for providing me the answers. Now these answers have cleared the doubt of urinary tract pathology, lumbar disc disease pain and knee joint disease.
We are left with - "Thigh muscular tear or spasm". It can be suspected more as there is history of muscle pull. Only exception to this point is pain in scrotum and radiation to leg. Even radiation to leg can occur if there is hamstring muscle pull.
To confirm more, you should check it by pressing the muscle and doing various movements at knee/hip. At specific movements, you will feel sudden pain. If it is so, it will further confirm our diagnosis.
My advise to get relief is
- Take rest for 3 days and then do light work and routine activities.
- Apply diclofenac gel at pain site as mentioned
- In acute muscular pain, icepacks at local site relieves the pain.
- You should take painkiller with muscle relaxant like chlorzoxazone with diclofenac after prescription. Stop it after 7 days.
- After some relief, gradually start physiotherapy. Avoid weight lifting and extreme stretching.
- Massage of the pain site will relieve pain.
- If still no relief, consult orthopaedician and physiotherapist for evaluation and investigation. Xray of thigh and MRI thigh (if confusion) will rule out most pathologies.
Hope it will help. If any doubt, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
