Efficacy of Neural Prolotherapy in Treatment of Meralgia Paresthetica
Condition: Meralgia Paresthetica
MeSH terms: Femoral Neuropathy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Meralgia paresthetica is an entrapment neuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Its
      main manifestation is neuropathic pain on the lateral aspect of the thigh. Neural
      prolotherapy has shown improvement and relieve of neuropathic pain.

      The aim of the current study was to assess the efficacy of neural prolotherapy (subcutaneous
      perineural injection of dextrose 5% solution) on reliving pain and improvement of function
      and quality of life in patients with meralgia paresthetica.
    

Detailed description: 
      Meralgia paresthetica is a mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (i.e.
      lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh). It is known as the lateral cutaneous nerve of the
      thigh neuralgia. It is due to a lot of etiologies. It is characterized by neuropathic pain,
      tingling, paresthesia and numbness in the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. The symptoms may
      be provoked or worsened by prolonged standing and walking. Sitting may alleviate the pain
      because there is reduction of the tension over the nerve, The treatment of meralgia
      paresthetica is directed towards the improvement of the symptoms which is mainly pain with
      subsequent improvement of function and quality of life, as well as, treatment of the
      etiology. The treatment includes conservative and surgical treatment. Conservative treatment
      consists of non-pharmacologic treatment and pharmacologic treatment. Surgical treatment takes
      place in case of failure of the conservative treatment. Surgical options consist of
      neurolysis and neurectomy.

      Neural prolotherapy was reported to improve and relieve of neuropathic pain including that of
      meralgia paresthetica. Neural prolotherapy is the subcutaneous perineural injection of
      isotonic dextrose (5%) solution especially at the points of fascial penetration of the
      sensory nerve. It is the site where the sensory nerve reaches the subcutaneous plane. There
      are scanty studies assessed this issue.

      The aim of the current study was to assess the efficacy of neural prolotherapy (subcutaneous
      perineural injection of dextrose 5% solution) on reliving pain and improvement of function
      and quality of life in patients with meralgia paresthetica.
    

Intervention name(s): Isotonic dextrose 5% in water solution
Intervention type(s): Drug
Intervention description(s): The isotonic dextrose 5% in water solution (a total volume of about 5 ml). Subcutaneous perineural injection of dextrose (5%) in sterile water was given once. The injection was administered by using the Lyftgot technique of neural prolotherapy on the lateral aspect of the thigh along the tender areas.
Other intervention name(s): Subcutaneous nerual prolotherapy
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Meralgia paresthetica; Neural Prolotherapy; lateral femoral cutaneous nerve