Leg Pain Facts

Characterized by aches, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness, leg pain quite often is not caused by a problem in the leg or foot, but rather by a condition in the lower back. In fact, with many low back problems, there is actually little or no low back pain.

Compression or pressure on any of the nerve roots in the low back can cause pain, numbness, or weakness along the different nerves as they travel down through the leg and into the foot. Because the sciatic nerve is commonly affected, leg pain and related symptoms are often generally referred to as sciatica, although medical professionals prefer the term radiculopathy.

How do you describe leg pain?

Leg pain can be constant or intermittent, develop suddenly or gradually, and affect your entire leg or a localized area, such as your shin or your knee. It can take a number of forms — stabbing, sharp, dull, aching, or tingling.
How do I know if my leg pain is serious?
Call for immediate medical help or go to an emergency room if you:
  1. Have a leg injury with a deep cut or exposed bone or tendon.
  2. Are unable to walk or put weight on your leg.
  3. Have pain, swelling, redness, or warmth in your calf.
  4. Hear a popping or grinding sound at the time of a leg injury.
What is the medical name for leg pain?
Because the sciatic nerve is commonly affected, leg pain and related symptoms are often generally referred to as sciatica, although medical professionals prefer the term radiculopathy.
What is the meaning of radiculopathy?
Radiculopathy describes a range of symptoms produced by the pinching of a nerve root in the spinal column. The pinched nerve can occur at different areas along the spine (cervical, thoracic or lumbar). Symptoms of radiculopathy vary by location but frequently include pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling
Why does my right leg ache at night?
Pain in your legs and feet at night, or when trying to sleep, is often a symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Peripheral artery disease leg pain can occur anywhere in your leg, but the most common places to feel pain are in the muscles of your calf, thigh, or buttocks.
Why do I have a dull ache in my leg?

Muscle strains, tendonitis, and shin splints

Injuries to the muscles, such as muscle strains when muscle fibers tear, are a common cause of leg pain. The muscles in the leg commonly affected are the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. Sports injuries are a common cause of muscle injuries.

Why does my right leg ache?
Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons, or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins, or poor circulation.
What does leg pain from blood clots feel like?
You can often feel the effects of a blood clot in the leg. Early symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include swelling and tightness in the leg. You may have a persistent, throbbing cramp-like feeling in the leg. You may also experience pain or tenderness when standing or walking.
What are the symptoms of a blocked artery in your leg?
Claudication is a symptom of a narrowing or blockage of an artery. Typical symptoms of claudication include Pain, a burning feeling, or a tired feeling in the legs and buttocks when you walk. Shiny, hairless, blotchy foot skin that may get sores.
What is the exercise for leg pain?
1. Seated Forward Bending — Hamstring stretch. This exercise for leg pain helps to stretch your hamstring muscles (back of thigh) and also to some extent the lower back muscles also. Sit on the floor, with your back straight, shoulders down, abs engaged, and legs extended in front of you
What is the exercise for leg pain?
1. Seated Forward Bending — Hamstring stretch. This exercise for leg pain helps to stretch your hamstring muscles (back of thigh) and also to some extent the lower back muscles also. Sit on the floor, with your back straight, shoulders down, abs engaged, and legs extended in front of you.
Can dehydration cause leg pain?
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of leg cramps. A cramp is an involuntary contraction of a muscle. The fluids in your body allow your muscles to relax, but—when those muscles are dehydrated—they get irritable and prone to cramping.
Can High BP cause leg pain?
High blood pressure can impair the function of the kidneys, leading to fluid retention and swelling of the legs, and even kidney failure. High blood pressure can affect the eyes, causing vision loss. High blood pressure can seriously affect circulation causing pain in the legs with walking, cold feet, and stroke.
Can High BP cause leg pain?
High blood pressure can impair the function of the kidneys, leading to fluid retention and swelling of the legs, and even kidney failure. High blood pressure can affect the eyes, causing vision loss. High blood pressure can seriously affect circulation causing pain in the legs with walking, cold feet, and stroke.
Does a blood clot in the leg hurt constantly?
A DVT blood clot can cause a calf cramp that feels a lot like a charley horse. Like leg pain, the cramping sensation with DVT will persist and even worsen with time.
How would you know if you had a clot in your leg?
Arms, Legs
  1. Swelling. This can happen in the exact spot where the blood clot forms or your entire leg or arm could puff up.
  2. Change in color. You might notice that your arm or leg takes on a red or blue tinge, or gets or itchy.
  3. Pain. …
  4. Warm skin. …
  5. Trouble breathing. …
  6. Lower leg cramp. …
  7. Pitting edema. …
  8. Swollen, painful veins.
Can you walk with a blood clot in your leg?
Following a DVT, your leg may be swollen, tender, red, or hot to the touch. These symptoms should improve over time, and exercise often helps. Walking and exercise are safe to do, but be sure to listen to your body to avoid overexertion.
Which leg is your main artery in?
femoral artery
The main artery of the lower limb is the femoral artery. It is a continuation of the external iliac artery (terminal branch of the abdominal aorta). The external iliac becomes the femoral artery when it crosses under the inguinal ligament and enters the femoral triangle.
Is walking good for leg pain?
Dr. Knepper says walking encourages small arteries in the legs to enlarge, which increases blood flow. “Keep in mind that the pain you might feel while walking is not causing further damage,” he says. If your doctor approves, you can begin a simple walking routine that will start to improve your leg health.
What is a natural remedy for leg pain?
Natural Remedies for Leg Pain
  • Ice the area in the early stages of recovery in order to reduce inflammation.
  • Use heat (hot baths, use of a heating pad) to increase blood flow to the area (which speeds up healing)
  • Get a massage, which also will increase blood flow to the area.
Which oil is best for leg pain?
Use these oils for pain and swelling
  • Lavender oil. Lavender is prized for its ability to calm and relax. …
  • Eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus has a cooling effect on muscles and reduces pain and inflammation.
  • Roman and German chamomile oils. Chamomile oils can help with pain and inflammation. …
  • Rosemary oil. …
  • Yarrow oil.
How long can leg pain last?
Most leg cramps occur in the calf muscles and, less commonly, in the feet and thighs. Cramps can last from a few seconds up to 10 minutes. Thigh muscle cramps tend to last the longest. During a cramping episode, the affected muscles will become tight and painful and the feet and toes will be stiff.
What is the best muscle relaxer for leg pain?
Flexeril or Amrix (cyclobenzaprine): Cyclobenzaprine is a popular and relatively inexpensive generic muscle relaxant often used short-term to treat muscle spasms and pain related to sprains, strains, etc.
trigger points leg pain
Trigger points of leg pain

 

 

 

Causes

Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons, or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins, or poor circulation.

Some common causes of leg pain include:

  1. Achilles tendinitis
  2. Achilles tendon rupture
  3. ACL injury (tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee)
  4. Ankylosing spondylitis
  5. Baker’s cyst
  6. Bone cancer
  7. Broken leg
  8. Bursitis (joint inflammation)
  9. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
  10. Claudication
  11. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (DVT)
  12. Gout (arthritis related to excess uric acid)
  13. Growing pains
  14. Growth plate fractures
  15. Hamstring injury
  16. Herniated disk
  17. Infection
  18. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)
  19. Knee bursitis (inflammation of fluid-filled sacs in the knee joint)
  20. Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
  21. Meralgia paresthetica
  22. Muscle cramp
  23. Muscle strain
  24. Night leg cramps
  25. Osgood-Schlatter disease
  26. Osteoarthritis (disease-causing the breakdown of joints)
  27. Osteochondritis dissecans
  28. Osteomyelitis (a bone infection)
  29. Paget’s disease of bone
  30. Patellar tendinitis
  31. Patellofemoral pain syndrome
  32. Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
  33. Peripheral neuropathy
  34. Posterior cruciate ligament injury
  35. Pseudogout
  36. Psoriatic arthritis
  37. Reactive arthritis
  38. Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease)
  39. Sacroiliitis
  40. Sciatica
  41. Septic arthritis
  42. Shin splints
  43. Spinal stenosis
  44. Sprains
  45. Stress fractures
  46. Tendinitis
  47. Thrombophlebitis (a blood clot that usually occurs in the leg)
  48. Torn meniscus
  49. Varicose veins

Is leg pain at night often interrupting your sleep?  It could be more than a normal sign of getting older.  Pain in your legs and feet at night, or when trying to sleep, is often a symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Peripheral artery disease leg pain can occur anywhere in your leg, but the most common places to feel pain are in the muscles of your calf, thigh, or buttocks. The pain can range from mild to so severe you can barely walk a very short distance. PAD is a progressive disease. For some people, the pain only occurs during the daytime. Others have pain when resting or at night.

The leg pain or muscle cramping caused by PAD is known as claudication. Symptoms of claudication can be triggered by activity, especially walking or climbing stairs. However, once you stop and rest for a few minutes, it’s not uncommon for the pain to subside.

Nighttime leg pain could be a sign of the worst form of PAD – critical limb ischemia (CLI). With CLI, the pain attacks in your legs or feet can persist for minutes to hours.  Leg pain at night can be a sign of a serious condition, and only a healthcare professional can diagnose you with PAD.

Peripheral Artery Disease is a circulatory disease in which blocked arteries reduce blood flow to the extremities, most commonly, the legs and feet. PAD is a relatively common condition – in fact, an estimated 8.5 million people, and nearly 15% of people over the age of 70, in the United States have been diagnosed with it.

PAD is caused by atherosclerosis, or of the arteries. Hardening of the arteries is a condition that causes both coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks, and PAD, which, if severe enough, can lead to amputation of a limb, or even death.2 And like coronary artery disease, PAD is a serious condition.

 

leg pain at night is a warning sign

Trigger Point Leg Pain

trigger points leg pain 1
trigger points leg pain

more info at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_leg

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003182.htm

https://www.everydayhealth.com/leg-pain/guide/

 

Therapeutic Swedish Massage, Sports Massage Therapy in Santa Barbara, Goleta

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