Leg pain can be indicative of many different things. Because of that, leg pain signs, symptoms, and treatment also vary greatly. Let's take a look at what leg pain is, or can be, and how you can deal with it.
What Is Leg Pain?
Experiencing pain in the leg means that something is affecting the skin, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, muscles, joints, or bones. Furthermore, it can affect any part of the leg, including the back of the leg, the thigh, behind the knee, the knee, the ankle, the foot, or any other part.
Understanding the Leg Pain Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment:
There are many possible signs and symptoms of leg pain. Additionally, people experience the pain at different times. For example:
– They experience it only during the day, or only at night.
– They experience it only when sitting, standing, or lying down.
– They experience it only during certain activities, such as exercising or running.
Each of these varies, depending on what causes the pain. Generally speaking, however, leg pain signs, symptoms, and treatment has to do with pain that is caused by inflammation of the tissue, which in turn is caused by disease or injury.
Chronic disease and injury can all lead to inflammation to any part of the leg's tissue, and this then leads to pain. The leg is made up of various structures, as well as different types of tissues, and this is why so many conditions can lead to pain. It is important to understand the cause of the pain, as this can help you prevent other associated symptoms, including:
– Tingling sensations
– Aching
– Muscle cramps
– Throbbing
– Numbness
– Weakness
– Reduced range of motion
Having these accompanying symptoms will make it easier for a physician to determine what the cause of leg pain is. For instance, you may have experienced nerve damage if you are diabetic, known as diabetic neuropathy. In this case, you are likely to experience numbness, burning, and tingling, sometimes up to painful levels.
Physicians and therapists alike need to understand where the pain is experienced and the type of pain, if they are to diagnose and come up with a treatment plan. For example, claudication can be caused by peripheral artery disease. Most people then also experience worsened pain when they exercise or walk. Pain can also be caused by serious medical conditions such as deep vein thrombosis, which is a potentially lethal condition. If the pain concentrates more on the joints such as the hips, knee, and ankle, it is more likely to be an arthritic condition. Others feel pain radiating down their leg, which means it actually originated from their back. In this case, sciatica may be the culprit.
Treatment inevitably starts with at home care, including rest and over the counter painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, if you feel you do not get any relief, or the pain worsens, it is important to seek medical attention. They will be able to find out what causes the pain, and create a treatment plan that is right for you.