What is causing my mother’s outer thigh pain and stiffness?

Question

Hello doctor,

My mother has been experiencing pain in her left thigh for the past two to three months. The discomfort initially started after she spent a long time standing and cooking, but the pain has continued ever since, instead of improving.

The pain is mainly along the outer side of her thigh and is usually sharp in nature, along with a feeling of stiffness. If she stands for too long, she sometimes gets sudden episodes of very sharp pain. She does not have any visible swelling, redness, hip pain, or lower back pain.

She also describes an unusual sensation at times, almost like an “itching from the inside.” Initially, the pain was limited to the upper part of the thigh, but over time it seems to have gradually spread further down the leg.

She tried applying ointment, but it did not provide significant relief.

Could you please advise what this could be?
Should she undergo any tests or imaging?
What would be the appropriate next steps for diagnosis and treatment?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and can understand your concern.

Based on the symptoms you described (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity), and since there is no noticeable redness or swelling, this could possibly be related to muscle or fascia strain along the outer thigh, or irritation of the tendons around the outer hip region. These kinds of problems are quite common after prolonged standing, especially during activities such as cooking or household work.

For now, a few lifestyle adjustments may help reduce the strain and improve her symptoms gradually:

Avoid standing continuously for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
While cooking, she can intermittently place one foot on a small stool to reduce pressure on the hips and thighs.
Take short sitting breaks between activities.
Apply a warm compress over the outer thigh for about 10 to 15 minutes, twice daily.
Gentle stretching exercises for the hip and thigh muscles may also help.
Avoid sleeping on the painful side, as this can sometimes worsen irritation.

I would also like to ask a few important questions to understand the cause better:

Does the pain increase while climbing stairs?
Is it more painful when she lies on the affected side?
Is there any numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg?
Does the discomfort become worse at night?
Any fever or unexplained weight loss?
Does she have diabetes or any other medical conditions?
Has she ever had lower back pain or pelvic pain in the past?

If none of these concerning symptoms are present, then following the above measures consistently, along with avoiding prolonged standing, may gradually improve the pain over the next two to three weeks.

However, if the pain continues to spread, becomes severe, or is associated with weakness or numbness, then a clinical examination and possibly imaging may be needed to rule out nerve-related or hip-related causes.

I hope this answers your query.

Please let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and can understand your concern.

For the next few days, ask her to limit walking to a single session of about 30 minutes per day and avoid overexertion. Once the pain starts improving, she can gradually increase her activity and consider walking twice daily as tolerated. The key is to increase activity slowly without triggering worsening pain or stiffness.

I hope this answers your query.

Please let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.