What is the cause of pins and needles in my thighs?

Meralgia: The most common cause of tingling in the lateral (outside) of the thighs is pressure on the lateral cutaneous nerve. This nerve is shallow at the front of the pelvic bone, and can be compressed there by tight, low belts; injured by a bump at that level, or by a belly that is enlarged, like in pregnancy. It is particularly common in diabetics. If you can avoid pressure on the nerve it may recover.