Introduction
The thigh refers to the section of the leg that lies between the hip and the knee and consists of the thigh bone, front, side and rear muscles, vessels and nerves as well as fat and connective tissue. Thigh pain can have many different causes and often occurs in the context of sports injuries. Frequently, the knee joints or hip joint are also affected by the thigh pain, which can lead to incorrect loading and a resulting pain event.
Various subdivisions are made to describe thigh pain in more detail: Also, accompanying symptoms such as sensation, numbness and tingling or back pain and knee pain must be considered in order to get to the bottom of the cause of the thigh pain. The pain event can lead to restricted gait and certain movements and also to incorrect loading of the joints and muscles. Thus, this problem can quickly increase and pain symptoms can develop throughout the body.
Especially the chronic and very severe thigh pain can have a considerable influence on the quality of life of the person affected and should therefore be treated by a competent physician if possible.
- Pain characteristics: Pain can be sharp, dull, punctual, diffuse, with or without radiation into adjacent body regions. For example, it can be pain due to a cramping event or due to stiffness.
- Pain duration: This can be sporadically recurring, one-off or chronic pain.
- Pain triggers: The pain can occur, among other things, at rest, after sitting for a long time, lying down or after physical exertion such as climbing stairs or doing sports, or during extreme movements such as squatting.
Causes for acute thigh pain
Thigh pain can have many causes and should therefore be examined by a specialist. Injury to the thigh muscles is the most common explanation for acute thigh pain. This can be caused by overloading the muscles due to physical activity such as jogging and similar.
This pain should then subside and disappear completely after a few days. This is also known as a severe muscle ache, in which overstraining causes micro-cracks in the muscles. This form of thigh pain can be largely prevented by a targeted warm-up program, not too much physical exertion and sufficient stretching before, after and during physical activity.
If the pain is caused by an external force, e.g. a fall, blow or kick, it could also be due to a contusion of the thigh. Inflammation of the tendons in the thigh can also be caused by overloading or incorrect loading, but it can also be caused by a leg malposition. This pain usually lasts for several weeks even with adequate protection.
Alternatively, it can even be a rupture of the muscle fiber, which is responsible for a longer lasting pain event. This is also caused by overexertion of the musculature and should be treated with physical protection, cooling and a drug-based pain therapy (see: Torn muscle fiber of the thigh). In very rare cases there is an injury to the thigh bone or a tumorous change.
By means of an imaging procedure, for example in the form of an X-ray, this suspicion can be ruled out or confirmed very quickly. Aching muscles refers to a painful sensation in the muscles that occurs one to two days after heavy sporting exertion, in this case the thigh muscles. The muscle soreness is not, as long assumed, caused by an accumulation of lactic acid, but by the smallest injuries to the muscle fibers.
The injuries cause water accumulation (edema) in the muscles, which leads to pain and stiffness in the thigh. The pain can be felt during movement, touch and muscle stretching. If the musculature is warmed up, the pain may improve.
A visit to the sauna can thus relieve sore muscles. Furthermore, the muscles should not be immobilized, but treated with sports of mild intensity such as cycling, swimming or jogging. As a rule, the sore muscles disappear again after a maximum of one week.Pain shortly after a hip TEP (total endoprosthesis) is normal and is treated with painkillers.
However, this may be caused by an infection of the prosthesis or a dislocation of the artificial joint. A fracture of the femur can also be promoted by the operation. If the prosthesis has been in use for several months or even years, the pain can be caused by a loosening of the prosthesis.
It is advisable for patients with hip TEP to consult a physician in case of newly occurring hip or thigh pain, so that a serious cause can be excluded and treated if necessary. A herniated disc, which usually affects adults between the ages of 30 and 50, causes the disc to protrude into the spinal canal, where the spinal cord runs along. If the spinal cord is irritated by the disc, the nerves are irritated.
At the level of the lumbar spine, the nerves that supply the legs emerge from the spinal cord. Therefore, a herniated disc can cause pain in the thighs, which can move from the back to the legs. In addition, numbness and tingling sensations and muscle weakness may occur.
To exclude a serious prolapse, the herniated disc should be clarified by a doctor. Read more about the topic of a slipped disc in the lumbar spine here. An abscess describes a collection of pus caused by bacteria, which is separated from the surrounding tissue by a capsule.
On the one hand, the abscess can be caused by bacteria that have entered through a wound. On the other hand, an abscess can occur as a result of a surgical intervention. In addition to pain, symptoms such as redness, swelling and overheating of the skin can be observed. Furthermore, fever and a weakened general condition can occur. It is important to treat the abscess in order to prevent the bacteria from spreading into the bloodstream and sepsis (blood poisoning).
