Why do I have burning skin pain without any rash?

Question

Hello doctor,

A part of my skin has become extremely sensitive for no apparent reason. The skin does not look different at all, and it seems to literally be the skin and nothing deeper or muscular. It is an area roughly 3.9" by 3.9" on the front of my upper right thigh; the bottom of the area is around where my boxers end. I can clearly outline it by tracing my fingers up my thigh.

If I just stand still, I cannot really feel it. Lightly tracing my fingers over it, even though my pants, it hurts a fair bit. Rubbing and such hurts more. But applying a lot of pressure straight down does not make it hurt particularly more than the initial touch. Light-fast rubbing hurts the most.

Walking or just moving also hurts because my clothes interact with the area. The pain feels sort of like burning, or like touching a burned part of your skin. It started two weeks ago, got worse over the first few days, and now I am not sure if it is still getting slowly worse (more painful) or if it is just bothering me more and more.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

I am glad you chose icliniq for your medical-related queries.

I understand your concern and will try to help you with it.

Please provide a clear photograph for better understanding. With the description given, it can be frictional dermatitis or tinea if it is itching. If there is no itching and only a burning sensation, avoid friction of both legs by wearing suitable clothes and applying some moisturizers or aloe vera cream.

If there is itching, try Miconazole cream 2 % for 10 days and see if there is any improvement. If there is a visual photograph, then we can give better advice.

Thank you for consulting me.

You can always reach me at icliniq.com.

Answer 2

Hi,

I am glad you chose icliniq for your medical-related queries.

I understand your concern and will try to help you with it.

Based on what you have described, it does not seem like a skin (dermatological) condition, because such problems usually show visible changes on the skin.

Instead, your symptoms are more suggestive of a neurological issue. In particular, it could be a condition called meralgia paraesthetica, which occurs when a peripheral nerve in the upper thigh gets compressed. These nerves run close to the skin, and when they are pressed, they can cause burning, tingling, or numbness.

This kind of nerve compression can happen due to external pressure, for example, from wearing tight shorts, belts, or fitted clothing. If you are using any tight garments, it would be a good idea to avoid them for now and see if there is any improvement.

The reassuring part is that this condition is usually not serious and often improves on its own with simple changes. For now, you can start with supportive care such as taking multivitamin supplements containing vitamins B1, B6, and B12 once daily for about 30 days, which may help with nerve health.

Along with this, try to avoid tight clothing around the waist and thighs. If you do activities like cycling, consider stopping for about two weeks and observing whether your symptoms reduce.

If the symptoms persist, worsen, or do not improve despite these measures, it would be advisable to consult a neurologist for further evaluation and guidance.

Thank you for consulting me.

You can always reach me at icliniq.com.