There may be a link between cruralgia and tumor. In short, when a tumor forms near the crural nerve or one of its roots, it can put pressure on the crural nerve, thus causing cruralgia.
The link between cruralgia and tumor is not common, but the presence of a tumor is indeed one of the rare causes of cruralgia.
Cruralgia and tumour: what is the link? Discover in this article all the information and explanations related to this subject.
Contents
Anatomy
Let's start with a little simplified anatomy reminder on the crural nerve, this will make it easier to understand:
Le crural nerve (femoral nerve) is a mixed nerve of the lower limb. This nerve arises from rootes lumbar L2, L3 and L4 in the groin.
It performs motor roles such as thigh flexion and knee extension. It is also responsible for the perception of sensations felt on a part of the lower limb.
Definition of cruralgia
Cruralgia is a type of neuralgia caused by irritation or injury to the crural nerve. Sometimes called sciatica from the front, it causes the same symptoms as sciatic neuralgia.
But in general, the pain part of the groin, descends to the anterior aspect of the thigh and arrives at the internal aspect of the leg. It can even radiate to the plantar hollow.
Causes of cruralgia
Many pathologies can be the cause of cruralgia. The most common being:
As mentioned recently, there are a link between cruralgia and tumor. Indeed, the tumor is one of the rare etiologies of cruralgia.
In medicine, a tumor means volume increase of body tissue. In other words, several cells are formed following a disruption of cell growth.
The disruption leads to the neoformation (neoplasia) of the tissue (set of cells). Neoplasia can affect any type of tissue in the body.
An enlargement of the tissues near the crural nerve roots can compress the latter, thus forming the link between cruralgia and tumour.
Types of tumors that can cause cruralgia
Among the types of tumor that can be linked to cruralgia are:
a sarcoma : Sarcoma is an example of a tumor associated with cruralgia. This type of tumor affects connective tissue cells. The latter includes bone, fat, cartilage, vascular and blood cells. For example, bone sarcoma or cartilage sarcoma can directly affect the lumbar vertebrae, thus causing cruralgia.
Metastases : A metastasis means the relocation or displacement of cancer cells from a malignant tumor away from it. Thus, a bone metastasis which develops in the lumbar region (Lumbar spine) can oppress the roots of the crural nerve, thus forming the link between cruralgia and tumour.
Primary spine tumor : In this case, it isthe rachiss himself who is cancerous and the cause of cruralgia. The link between cruralgia and tumor is direct, literally.
Neurofibromatosis : This is a genetic disorder that causes tumor formation on nerve tissue including the brain, spinal cord or even the nerves themselves.
Characteristic symptoms
Apart from the characteristic symptoms of cruralgia felt in the affected lower limb, which are:
Tingling or numbness due to the alteration of the sensory role of the crural nerve.
A decrease in the muscular strength of the muscles innervated by the crural nerve.
Loss of patellar reflex.
We also distinguish these few characteristic symptoms when cruralgia is caused by a tumor:
A type of pain cruralgia which increases in intensity even when the person is at rest. Sometimes even while sleeping.
Fever
Sometimes even paralysis or anesthesia of the lower limb affected during a metastasis of the spine or a spinal tumor.
THINGS TO DO
An emergency consultation
If you notice the presence of the symptoms listed below, in full or not, then you must consult urgently at all costs. Only one health professional will know how to guide you on the diagnosis, the care and the different actions to take.
He will first proceed with the history of your disease, then he will carry out clinical examinations to confirm the case.
Know if it is a benign or malignant tumor
Once the diagnosis confirms the link between cruralgia and tumor, it is also important to know if it is a benign or malignant tumor.
On the one hand, a benign tumor is not serious and rarely life-threatening. But it is still necessary to check the evolution and proceed to a management in order to reduce the risk of evolution towards a malignant tumor. Neurofibromatosis is an example of a benign cancer causing cruralgia.
On the other hand, the tumor can be malignant, in this case we speak of cancer. The latter is the one that produces metastases that spread throughout the body (rachis lumbar for cruralgia). Bone sarcoma is one of the malignant tumors causing cruralgia.
Do tests
You can also perform tests to confirm diagnoses and to find out if there is really a link between cruralgia and tumor. Generally, the tests must be done under medical prescription.
Thus, the tests make it possible in a way to confirm the presence of a tumor which is linked to cruralgia. For example, you can perform an imaging test (MRI) or a biopsy of the cancerous tissue. This will determine if the tumor is benign or malignant.
Young medical student passionate about writing, I was able to find the perfect compromise between these two activities by being a web editor. Writing health articles allows me to increase my knowledge, but also to share my knowledge. My name is Joanna Ray Ariselina and I'm proud to be a health writer.
