What Causes Sharp and Stabbing Pain in Your Thigh?

A sudden stabbing pain in the thigh is not only painful, but it shoots through the leg causing discomfort. It could happen when you twist the leg, sit in a wrong position, or because of muscle dysfunctions. Early diagnosis of the condition prevents chronic conditions that can impede movement and routine operations. Some symptoms could be signals of serious infections.

image001

Causes of Sharp Pain in Thigh

1. Prolonged Sitting

Sitting for long hours without moving can prevent blood flow in the leg causing numbness. The blood circulation is restored to normal once the leg begins to move causing the pain. This often occurs due to prolonged travel, or office sitting.

2. Muscle Strain

This is a muscle pull which occurs suddenly as you walk. It could be as a result of a hamstring pull from the back of the thigh. It could also happen in sports activities. When the pain happens in the anterior part of the thighs it is due to the abductor and quadriceps.

3. Overexertion

Heavy work and exercise leads to strains and sprains. These cause pain in the thighs and legs because of the weakened ligaments and muscles.

4. Pregnancy

Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) happens during pregnancy when pelvic muscles stretch. The overproduction of the relaxin hormone as the body prepares for childbirth causes pain in the inner thighs. The over softened ligaments of the pubic bone joint loosen up causing the thigh pains.

5. Underlying Diseases

The sharp pain in the thigh could be due to other potential diseases. These include osteomyelitis, Ewing's sarcoma, septic arthritis, osteosarcoma, sciatica, compartment syndrome, among other infections. It could also be because of a tumor in the bone, thigh bone fractures and nervous disorders like tendinitis. Such conditions can be detected through a clinical operation.

Remedies for Sharp Pain in Thigh

In order to avoid worsening the pain in the thigh, it is advisable to seek immediate solutions. This is because certain pains in the thigh and lower back could require treatment.

1. Home Remedies

There are simple and effective ways to reduce the pain in the thigh and lower back areas. These are reliable solutions to relieve the pain and discomfort. The solutions depend on the extent of pain. Homemade solutions to the pains should provide quick relief from the discomforts. They are simple and easy steps for you to implement on your own.

  • RICE Method. Recommended medically, the RICE method is an effective remedy for pain in the thigh. It involves Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.
  • Compresses. In order to remove sudden sharp pains in the thigh areas, apply a hot or cold compress in the affected parts to reduce any swelling and pains. The inflammation will fade gradually.
  • Warm Bath. A warm water bath or soaking the thighs and legs in warm water is relieving. To do this, soak legs in a bucket filled with warm water and add Epsom salts to reduce the pain and sore muscles.
  • Massage. Massaging the legs with essential oils reduces the muscle pulls and pains. To relieve sore muscles, use a massage balm made from olive oil, coconut oil, and tea tree oil to reduce the pain. You can mix some of these for an effective remedy. A repeated massaging process clears the pain effectively. The oil mixture also helps to ease the pain by warming the legs and improving blood circulation.
  • Yoga and Exercises. You can also perform Yoga exercises for pain relief. Some of the most effective Yoga exercise types include Janusandhi, Gomukhasana and Uttanpadasana. These are meant to cool the pain in the thigh and legs. A physiotherapist could also recommend further anti-thigh pain exercises.
  • Others. Obesity is another cause of leg, thigh and back pains. Therefore, losing weight is recommended in cases where the victim is overweight. Proper diet and an exercise program will help to reduce the weight. It is also advisable that you reduce on caffeine consumption for reduced muscle pains.

2. Clinical Treatments

Often, when symptoms persist, it is advisable to consult a medical expert in the area. Such pains have different underlying causes which determine the mode of treatment. Prolonged severe pain is particularly a medical concern. A medical doctor will diagnose, and recommend the appropriate treatment. Some of the clinical solutions include:

  • Pain Killers. For pain relief, an anti-inflammatory drug is appropriate. You can take aspirins or ibuprofen to ease the pain and reduce the inflammation.
  • Thigh Wraps. A physiotherapist could recommend the use of elastic bands in the case of muscle pulls. This reduces the swelling and muscle strains. Thigh wraps are effective in sports related muscle pains.
  • Injection. An injection to reduce pain is one solution to the inflammation. A corticosteroid injection reduces the risk of severe swelling and pain. It should be offered by a doctor. In case of severe pain, the physician can administer an injection of a corticosteroid preparation to reduce the risk of inflammation.
  • Surgery. Sometimes surgery is an option in the treatment of thigh pain. It is often recommended for cases of growth, benign cancer, and compartment syndrome. In such conditions, surgery becomes an effective solution to ease the pain in the affected area.

When to See a Doctor

Signs and symptoms of stabbing pain in the thigh depend on the causes. An early diagnosis facilitates treatment to prevent harm to the thigh bone. These include:

  • Outer thigh and knee pains
  • Shooting pain around the groin radiating from the buttocks
  • Swollen thigh areas
  • Numbness and burning sensation in the thigh area
  • Stiff muscles of the thigh
  • Inability to move due to thigh strain
  • Thigh pains during movement and when sitting
  • Excruciating pain when any weight is placed on the thigh