Oh mama, hang in there, 8/10 pain affecting your sleep at 21 weeks sounds really tough, and you are definitely not alone in this! From what I've heard around, meralgia paresthetica during pregnancy is more common than people think, and it usually comes from the growing uterus pressing on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, so the outer thigh burning, tingling, and numbness is very classic. A physio friend of mine mentioned that gentle targeted exercises can actually help relieve the nerve compression, so seeing a women's health physiotherapist sooner rather than later is probably your best bet. On the Salonpas and arnica gel question, I'd honestly hold off until you check with your OB first, since not all topical products are cleared for pregnancy use. Do loop in your doctor or a specialist just to be safe, especially since the pain is this intense!
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