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Dull, Achy Thigh Pain

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Are you experiencing a dull ache in your thigh? The thigh contains one major bone and many muscles, nerves, and arteries, so aching thighs may signify an underlying condition that needs medical attention. Read below to learn why you may be experiencing thigh muscle pain and possible remedies.

10 most common cause(s)

Trochanteric Pain
Femoral Stress Fracture
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Paget Disease of the Bone
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Bone Infections
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
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Repetitive strain injury of the quadriceps
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Compartment syndrome
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Thigh nerve issue (meralgia paresthetica)
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Thigh bruise

Symptoms of dull, aching thigh pain

The thigh is a major weight-bearing component of the body, and injury or pain in this area can make day-to-day activities difficult to perform. The thigh is necessary for flexion and extension of the knee, flexion, and extension of the hips, and generation of power for movements like jumping and running.

Common accompanying symptoms of dull, achy thigh pain

Dull, achy pain in the thigh may signify an underlying condition that needs medical attention. In addition to the pain you may experience the following symptoms:

Timing of symptoms

It is important to pay close attention to your thigh pain and take note of the timing and pattern of your symptoms:

  • Recurring: Have you experienced such symptoms before?
  • Frequency: Does the pain and any associated symptoms occur all the time (chronic) or sometimes (acute or occasionally)?
  • Relief or pain: Are there certain activities or positions that make the pain worse? Anything that makes the pain better?
  • Severity: Does the quality of the pain (dull) change (sharp, burning, tingling, etc.)?

If you have thigh pain and any associated symptoms, make an appointment with your healthcare provider in order to get the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

What causes dull, achy thigh pain?

Thigh anatomy

The thigh contains one major bone and many muscles, nerves, and arteries; damage, disruption or injury to any of its components can result in dully, achy thigh pain.

The bone of the thigh is called the femur. The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the body. The main muscles of the thigh include:

  • Quadriceps: A set of four muscles in the front of the thigh important in straightening (extending) the leg
  • Hamstrings: A set of three muscles in the back of the thigh important in bending (flexing) the leg.
  • Adductors: Muscles important for pulling the legs together.

The main nerves of the thigh include:

  • Femoral nerve: Innervates the anterior (front) part of the thigh.
  • Sciatic nerve: Innervates the posterior (back) part of the thigh.
  • Obturator nerve: Innervates the medial (middle) part of the thigh.

The femoral artery and vein are the main blood vessels of the thigh and provide blood to the muscles and tissues of the thigh and other parts of the leg. Many conditions can affect these different components to produce dull, achy pain. See your medical provider in order to get the appropriate diagnosis.

Traumatic causes

Causes of dull, achy thigh pain related to trauma may include the following.

  • Fracture: A fracture is the cracking or breaking of a bone. Fractures change the shape of the bone and most often occur when there is significant force or impact on the bone. The femur is a difficult bone to fracture given its strength, so high force/impact accidents are necessary for this type of injury. Dull, achy pain may be experienced in the aftermath of the injury during physical therapy and rehabilitation.
  • Bruise: A bruise (or contusion) occurs when the small blood vessels in an area of the body are damaged by trauma. This causes blood to seep into the surrounding tissues, causing the red to blue-black color often associated with bruises.Bruises can result in dull, achy pain that can last for multiple days until the bruise resolves. A bruise will stay visible until the blood is either absorbed by the surrounding tissue or cleared by the immune system.
  • Repetitive injury: Muscles and bones that are over-worked without proper conditioning and stretching can become tight and tense resulting in pain with movement. For example, stress fractures are small cracks in a bone that can occur from activities such as repetitive jumping or long-distance running.

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Circulatory causes

A blood clot that develops or travels to the femoral vein (also referred to as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT)) can result in dull, achy thigh pain in addition to associated symptoms. Blood clots form when blood components called platelets thicken to form a gel-like mass. The primary function of this process is to plug an injured blood vessel (for example after a cut) in order to stop bleeding. However, sometimes blood clots form inside the arteries and veins without good reason and do not properly dissolve. These can be dangerous and cause serious harm as they can cut off blood flow to the body part the muscle or vein supplies or travel to other parts of the body such as the lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE).

Cancer-related causes

In general, any cancer is the result of cells dividing and growing uncontrollably. Sometimes there is a genetic mutation in DNA or a specific protein or failure in an important checkpoint that results in this unchecked growth. These abnormal cells can accumulate to form a lump that can grow and invade throughout the body. A cancerous process in the thigh can present as a dull, achy pain that interferes with daily activity.

This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.

Thigh nerve issue (meralgia paresthetica)

Meralgia paresthetica is a nerve condition that causes an area of skin over the upper outer thigh to feel numb, tingly, or painful. This is caused by compression of a nerve known as the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh as it passes underneath a tough fibrous ligament known as the inguinal ligament.

You should visit your primary care physician to confirm the diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Generally, this condition is treated with rest, physical therapy, pain medication, and occasionally corticosteroid injections.

Thigh bruise

A bruise is the damage of the blood vessels that return blood to the heart (the capillaries and veins), which causes pooling of the blood. This explains the blue/purple color of most bruises.

You can treat this at home with rest (exercise as tolerated), ice (10-20 minutes at a time) and elevation (put your feet up to help blood flow back to the heart using gravity).

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: pain in one thigh, thigh pain from an injury, upper leg injury, thigh bruise, swelling of one thigh

Symptoms that always occur with thigh bruise: upper leg injury, thigh pain from an injury

Urgency: Self-treatment

Thigh bone infection (osteomyelitis)

Osteomyelitis of the thigh, or thigh bone infection, is a bacterial or fungal infection of the thigh bone, typically caused by Staph Aureus (40-50% of the time). It is difficult to diagnose as the infection can come from a break in the skin at the area or anywhere else in the body that spreads by blood.

You should seek immediate medical care at an ER, where diagnosis of osteomyelitis can be established through x-rays and culturing fluids. Treatment involves antibiotics and removing the infected tissue (by surgery).

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: moderate fever, constant upper leg pain, spontaneous thigh pain, painful surgical site, warm red upper leg swelling

Symptoms that always occur with thigh bone infection (osteomyelitis): spontaneous thigh pain, constant upper leg pain

Urgency: Hospital emergency room

Repetitive strain injury of the quadriceps

Repetitive strain injury of the upper leg is caused by consistent repetitive use.

You do not need treatment, just rest from your overuse. Wearing a brace and physical therapy might be helpful.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: upper leg numbness, thigh weakness, thigh pain from overuse

Symptoms that always occur with repetitive strain injury of the quadriceps: thigh pain from overuse

Symptoms that never occur with repetitive strain injury of the quadriceps: upper leg injury, severe upper leg pain

Urgency: Self-treatment

Patellofemoral pain syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is also called runner's knee, jumper's knee, anterior knee pain, chondromalacia patella, and patellofemoral joint syndrome.

Overuse through training for sports is a common cause, especially if there is a misalignment in the knee joint or a previous knee injury. This wears away the cartilage beneath the kneecap and causes pain on exercising.

It is most common in females and in young adults who are active in sports, but can affect anyone.

Symptoms include dull pain at the front of the knee and around the kneecap (patella) while running, squatting, or climbing stairs, or after prolonged sitting with knees bent.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination and through x-rays, CT scan, and/or MRI.

Treatment most often involves rest; over-the-counter pain relievers; low-impact exercise such as swimming or bicycling; physical therapy to strengthen and stabilize the knee; and orthotics (shoe inserts) to help correct a misaligned stride.

Surgery is needed only for severe cases, and is done through arthroscopy to remove any fragments of damaged cartilage.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: knee pain, pain in one knee, knee pain that gets worse when going up stairs, dull, achy knee pain, knee pain that gets worse when squatting

Symptoms that always occur with patellofemoral pain syndrome: knee pain

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Paget disease of the bone

Paget disease of bone is also called PDB, osteitis deformans, or osteodystrophica deformans. It is normal for bone cells to renew themselves throughout life, but in PDB the renewal becomes disordered. New bone cells are produced too quickly, causing the bones to become weakened and overgrown.

The cause of PDB is not known. It may be due to an inherited trait combined with certain viral infections.

Symptoms include enlargement, bowing, and abnormal curving of the bones, with pain and tenderness. The skull, pelvis, spine, and upper arms and thighs are most often affected. However, many patients have no symptoms and the condition is discovered while assessing something else.

If not treated, Paget disease of bone can lead to bone deformity; fractures; osteoarthritis; and hearing loss due to changes in the small bones within the ear.

Diagnosis is made through blood tests and an x-ray or CT scan.

There is no cure, but symptoms can be managed with medication, pain relievers, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome, also called trochanteric bursitis or GTPS, is an inflammation of the bursa of the greater trochanter.

Bursae are the small "cushions" between tendons, bones, and muscles. The greater trochanter is the larger of two bony knobs at the top of the thigh bone. Overuse, trauma, or infection can cause inflamed and irritated bursae around the greater trochanter.

Most susceptible are individuals with low back pain, osteoarthritis, and obesity.

Symptoms include chronic, persistent pain on the outside of the hip that radiates down the outside of the leg, sometimes to the knee.

The symptoms are similar to other conditions such as degenerative joint disease, and so a medical provider should be seen for an accurate diagnosis.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination and observation of simple movements.

Treatment largely involves managing the symptoms through weight loss, physical therapy, and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases, corticosteroid injections into the hip work well to relieve pain, and surgery can sometimes help.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a set of chronic symptoms that include ongoing fatigue, diffuse tenderness to touch, musculoskeletal pain, and usually some degree of depression.

The cause is not known. When fibromyalgia appears, it is usually after a stressful physical or emotional event such as an automobile accident or a divorce. It may include a genetic component where the person experiences normal sensation as pain.

Almost 90% of fibromyalgia sufferers are women. Anyone with rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may be more prone to fibromyalgia.

Poor sleep is often a symptom, along with foggy thinking, headaches, painful menstrual periods, and increased sensitivity to heat, cold, bright lights, and loud noises.

There is no standard test for fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is usually made when the above symptoms go on for three months or more with no apparent cause.

Fibromyalgia does not go away on its own but does not get worse, either.

Treatment involves easing symptoms and improving the patient's quality of life through pain medications, exercise, improved diet, and help with managing stressful situations.

Femoral stress fracture

Femoral stress fracture means there is a break in the femur, or thighbone. The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the body and is important for bearing weight. A femoral stress fracture usually occurs in the top of the bone where it connects to the pelvis.

Stress fractures happen from overuse and/or from weakness in the bone from disease, rather than from trauma. Those in heavy physical training, such as athletes and military trainees, are vulnerable to femoral stress fracture. But anyone suffering from malnutrition or osteoporosis is vulnerable to a stress fracture, even with ordinary activities of daily living.

Symptoms include pain deep in the thigh or groin, especially during exercise. The pain may have started gradually instead of being sudden, as with a traumatic injury. The condition might be thought to be a simple strain.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination, with simple tests such as hopping on the painful leg, and imaging.

Treatment involves rest; improved nutrition; study of proper training and striding techniques; and sometimes surgery.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: dull, achy hip pain, pain in one thigh, thigh pain, spontaneous hip pain

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Compartment syndrome

Acute compartment syndrome describes the damage done to certain muscle groups of the arms or legs after a traumatic injury.

All of the long muscles are bundled into sections – "compartments" – by the white sheets of strong, tough connective tissue called fascia. If something interferes with circulation so that blood flow is trapped within the compartment, pressure rises because the fascia cannot stretch. This causes serious damage to the muscles and other tissues within the compartment.

Acute compartment syndrome is caused by a broken bone; a crush injury; burns, due to scarred and tightened skin; and bandages or casts applied before an injury has stopped swelling.

Symptoms can rapidly intensify. They include severe pain and tightness in the muscle; tingling or burning sensation; and sometimes numbness and weakness.

Acute compartment syndrome is a medical emergency which can result in loss of the limb. Take the patient to the emergency room or call 9-1-1.

Diagnosis is made through patient history and physical examination.

Treatment involves hospitalization for emergency surgery and, in some cases, skin graft.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: arm numbness, hand numbness, foot numbness, pain in one leg, thigh numbness

Urgency: Hospital emergency room

At-home & alternative treatments for aching thighs

At-home treatments for dull, achy thigh pain

Sometimes, you can help your symptoms of dull, achy pain with simple, at-home remedies — especially if your symptoms are caused by a bruise or overuse from repetitive injury. Try the following tips and suggestions below:

  • Use heat: Apply a heating pad or warm compress to the affected area to facilitate relaxation.
  • Stretch: Use stretching techniques to help relax your tense muscle, especially after exercise.
  • Alternative therapies: Try therapies such as massage, yoga and sometimes acupuncture to facilitate relaxation of the muscles.

When to see a doctor for dull, achy thigh pain

If home treatment and remedies do not help your symptoms, make an appointment with your physician. Your treatment plan will depend on the specific cause and your doctor will work with you in order to properly address the underlying reason for your muscle tension. Depending on the cause your physician may suggest medical treatment that involves surgery, medications, physical therapy or a combination of all three.

When dull, achy thigh pain is an emergency

Emergency attention is required if you experience:

  • Intense pain, more than would be expected from the injury
  • Paleness of the thigh
  • Paresthesia of the thigh (numbness or tingling)
  • Paralysis

These may be signs of a limb-threatening condition known as compartment syndrome, where increased pressure in a muscle compartment can lead to muscle and nerve damage and severely reduced blood flow.

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FAQs about dull, achy thigh pain

Will the dull, achy pain in my thigh affect my gait?

The dull, achy pain in your thigh should not affect your gait or ability to walk significantly. It may be more painful to walk depending on the cause; however, your ability to move one foot in front of the other should not be affected. If you are experiencing problems with your gait, see your healthcare provider promptly, this could signal a different underlying condition.

Is dull, achy pain in one thigh life-threatening?

Usually, dull, achy pain in one thigh is not life-threatening. There are life- and/or limb-threatening conditions such as compartment syndrome a situation in which increased pressure within a confined space can lead to the inadequate blood supply to an organ that can also present as dull pain. Usually, these conditions are associated with severe trauma and symptoms such as paralysis, lack of pulse and changes in the color of the extremity.

Will the dull, achy pain spread from my thigh to other parts of my lower body?

Depending on the cause, your pain may spread to other components of the leg such as the knee, especially in situations of overuse or repetitive injury.

How long will the dull, achy pain last?

The duration of your symptoms will depend on the specific cause. For example, dull, achy pain associated with traumatic injuries are usually the result of localized swelling that can resolve, especially with proper treatment. On the other hand, dull pain due to more chronic causes such as overuse or bruising may take longer to heal.

Is a blood clot in the thigh life-threatening?

A blood clot in the thigh can be life-threatening if a life-threatening pulmonary embolism develops. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood vessel in your lung becomes blocked by a blood clot that travels to your lung from another part of your body. The leg and thigh are very common areas for the blood clot to travel from.

Questions your doctor may ask about dull, achy thigh pain

  • Do you run for exercise or sport?
  • What is your body mass?
  • Do your symptoms get worse when you exercise?
  • Do you have any idea what may have caused your thigh pain?

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.

Hear what 1 other is saying
Once your story receives approval from our editors, it will exist on Buoy as a helpful resource for others who may experience something similar.
The stories shared below are not written by Buoy employees. Buoy does not endorse any of the information in these stories. Whenever you have questions or concerns about a medical condition, you should always contact your doctor or a healthcare provider.
Searching for answersPosted November 26, 2023 by A.
Yesterday I worked and when I got home my thigh was throbbing a strange pain. It hurt terribly but I could ignore it. Just this morning when I woke up I noticed that my leg was sore to the touch, it’s been 15 hours since I have noticed this. And it’s not subsiding. What are my options or suggestions on treatment? Immediate care or wait it out?
Dr. Rothschild has been a faculty member at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He currently practices as a hospitalist at Newton Wellesley Hospital. In 1978, Dr. Rothschild received his MD at the Medical College of Wisconsin and trained in internal medicine followed by a fellowship in critical care medicine. He also received an MP...
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References

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  2. Lowe JA. Femur Shaft Fractures (Broken Thighbone). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo. Updated May 2018. OrthoInfo Link
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  4. Muscle Strains in the Thigh. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo. Updated March 2014. OrthoInfo Link
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  6. Blood Clots. Mayo Clinic. Published January 11, 2018. Mayo Clinic Link
  7. Compartment Syndrome. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo. Updated October 2009. OrthoInfo Link
  8. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Mayo Clinic. Published March 6, 2018. Mayo Clinic Link