The causes of pain in the legs are very diverse and often lie in various disorders and pathologies, ranging from fatigue to serious illnesses. The problem can be localized in the knees, feet, thighs, calves, and even give to the buttocks. By its nature and location, one can judge about diseases of the legs that cause discomfort.
Definition
Problems in the legs are non-specific symptoms of various diseases. Although such pain occurs in people of all ages, ailments mainly affect women, as well as the elderly, due to bone fragility and wear and tear of cartilage and joints. But no one is immune from pain in the legs. Their causes are varied, but only doctors can diagnose the disease and prescribe the right treatment.
How pain manifests
The most common ailments that cause leg pain are:
- Cramps are painful muscle spasms caused by involuntary contractions in the transverse fibers. Most often area sign of fatigue and are caused by an imbalance of hydration. They often accompany women during the menstrual cycle, as well as athletes with excessive loads or when a balanced diet is not followed.
- Edema - this problem is formed due to the large accumulation of water in the body. Manifested as thrombosis or phlebitis, as well as during pregnancy, during menstruation or venous stasis.
- Redness - manifested by a sensation of warmth and discoloration of the skin associated with pain. It is a typical sign of thrombosis and phlebitis, therefore it is a very important symptom.
- Diseases in the back are very often the cause of pain that radiates to the leg. This is due to inflammation of the sciatic nerve or in late pregnancy.
- Tingling is an obvious sign of circulatory or neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with multiple sclerosis.
- Fatigue along with pain in the legs can be a symptom of pathologies such as lymphoma and leukemia.
Physiological signs
The causes of pain in the legs are not always associated with serious illnesses. Very often, discomfort in the lower leg, thigh or foot occurs as a result of training in a fitness club, long walks, or any load that is unusual for the body. They cause discomfort, but quickly pass. Such manifestations are often found in completely he althy people and are not a reason for an immediate visit to the doctor. It happens that the pain does not go away for a very long time.leg joints. There can be many reasons for this, it is possible that the most harmless walk was the impetus for exacerbating the existing problem, and excessive aerobic exercise led to injury. If the discomfort persists and home remedies do not help, then you should definitely consult a doctor. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the main causes that provoke malaise:
- Sport. Active training very often can cause pain not only in adults, but also in children. The main reason for this is the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, which causes oxygen deficiency. In addition, with excessive exercise, there are sprains and muscle tears, leading to very severe problems in the limbs.
- Pregnancy is an important cause of pain in the legs and knees. This is especially evident towards the end of the term and is associated with an increase in weight, which puts an additional load on the back and lower limbs, and venous insufficiency and edema often form.
- Contraceptives. Women taking such contraceptives sometimes complain of pain in their legs, in which case you should immediately go to the doctor and stop taking all drugs.
- Fluid retention. People who are obese, have cellulite, or are on a diet high in s alt and fat may have problems with water retention. Edema often leads to malaise.
- Another cause of pain in the arms and legs is considered a lack of nutrition, especially if a deficiency of minerals (iron, magnesium and potassium) is formed andvitamins. Occurs when a person follows an unbalanced diet with a minimum amount of vegetables and fruits.
- Wrong shoes. Women who are accustomed to wearing very high heels for many hours suffer from severe pain as the muscles begin to tire due to the unnatural position of the foot.
- Climate change. Extreme heat or, conversely, cold can cause pain. This is most often seen with a sudden change from one temperature to another due to vasoconstriction or vasodilation factors.
Pathological causes
There are a huge number of ailments that cause pain in the lower extremities. Their severity can be very different: from mild tingling to severe attacks and numbness of the legs. Such signs are often associated with pathological processes in the ligaments, muscles, joints, blood vessels and nerves. If you have information about the signs of each disease, you can recognize the disease in time and contact the right doctor for qualified help.
The main causes of leg pain in women and men are:
- peripheral nerve injury;
- venous insufficiency;
- backbone problems;
- atherosclerosis;
- diseases of the joints;
- muscle pathology;
- flat feet;
- bone damage;
- injuries.
Atherosclerosis
Artery problems are another cause of pain in the arms and legs. In case of illness, lower and upperthe limbs ache quite strongly, which becomes the main reason for contacting the doctor. As for the legs, negative sensations can be localized in the lower leg and thighs, both on one side and on both. Seizures are possible. A characteristic sign of atherosclerosis is a constant feeling of coolness in the legs, regardless of the weather.
Atherosclerosis of the vessels of the legs progresses gradually, experts distinguish four stages:
- preclinical (pain occurs only after long walking and very intense physical activity);
- at the second stage, the pain manifests itself even with short walks at a distance of 250-1000 m, while the lumen of the vessels narrows by 20-40%;
- critical ischemia is characterized by pain when walking a distance of 50 m;
- at the fourth stage, pain is constantly present, trophic ulcers appear, necrosis and, as a result, gangrene.
Nerve problems
If ailments disturb from time to time in the form of short attacks and end on their own, then the problem must be sought in the activity of the nervous system. In particular, the cause of pain in the left leg or in the right (in a unilateral version) may be a pinched sciatic nerve. The disease often occurs in people suffering from osteochondrosis, and during pregnancy.
Spine
Osteochondrosis, concentrated in the vertebral region, in itself can cause pain. Aching pain often spreads over the entire surface of the limb and gives to the lower leg, thigh and knee. At the same time, in the focus of the lesion of painthere may not be a syndrome, and this makes it very difficult to make a correct diagnosis. Such an attack is easily stopped by intramuscular injections of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Venous insufficiency
Problems with veins are at the top of the list of causes that provoke leg ailments. Everything lies in varicose veins of the lower extremities. In this case, the pathological condition disrupts the normal blood flow, just after which there is severe pain in the limbs. If the disease is not treated, then it can develop into a severe form that provokes thrombophlebitis. The most serious complication is pulmonary embolism, as this disease is deadly. Varicose veins are considered the cause of pain in the calves and thighs. The disease does not develop immediately, but over several years. Middle-aged women are most often at risk. Characterized by aching pain, which intensifies in the evening. If the limbs swell and buzz after a long walk, then this may be a sure sign of venous insufficiency.
Flat feet
Various changes in the arch of the foot (transverse or longitudinal) also deserve attention. The disease can be congenital or acquired and causes many problems for both babies and their parents. Flat feet are the cause of pain in the feet, with a severe degree of the disease, any movement becomes problematic. For therapy, therapeutic exercises and massage are used. An excellent effect is the wearing of specially made shoes. Sometimes requiredsurgical correction of pathology.
Injuries
What to do if the cause of pain in the joints of the arms and legs is a blow, bruise or fall? In this case, you do not need to look for other causes of discomfort. Any trauma, even in childhood, can provoke severe or moderate pain. In the event of a very serious injury, it is imperative to go to the emergency room.
Inactivity
Sedentary lifestyle, standing or sedentary work affect the state of blood flow in the lower extremities. In this case, short-term convulsions are present. If the cause of pain in the legs is a constant stay in the same position, then it is necessary to change the type of activity more often and engage in physiotherapy exercises. Walking or massage can help in this case.
Joint problems
Aching aches is a sign of damage to one of the joints. In case of inflammation of the hip joint, all sensations will be localized in the thigh area, and aching pain in the knee may indicate the development of gonarthrosis. The cause of pain in the feet is the defeat of small joints. Soreness around them indicates microtrauma of adjacent tissues.
Bone damage
Osteomyelitis is a serious purulent disease that affects bone tissue. It manifests itself as severe and sudden pain in the legs. The disease can develop as a result of ordinary bruises, fractures or violations of the integrity of the skin. In his caseof occurrence, there is a noticeable deterioration in the general condition and high body temperature. If left untreated, the cause of pain in the legs and arms, osteomyelitis can lead to death or disability.
Muscle problems
Inflammatory process in the muscles in medicine is called myositis. The problem often occurs after an infectious disease. In this case, the legs hurt a lot. All unpleasant sensations intensify with active walking, after which they gradually subside. A characteristic symptom of the disease is stiffness of movements, limitation of mobility.
Connective tissue
The cause of pain in the joints of the legs and muscles can be an autoimmune lesion. These diseases are often inherited. With such a pathology, active antibodies destroy the body's own immunoglobulins. As a result, inflammation develops in the joint membrane, and then it collapses in the absence of adequate treatment. Characteristic of the disease is its long development with remissions and exacerbations. With the right therapy, the patient can lead a normal life without restrictions.
Doctor's actions
Initially, doctors will ask the patient about his symptoms, and then they will conduct an examination and collect a medical history. The results of the examination can often determine the causes of pain in the legs. Treatment and gymnastics are prescribed only after a detailed diagnosis.
Most often doctors are interested in:
- duration of pain;
- when and in what period of time appearsmalaise;
- intensity of discomfort;
- character of pain (throbbing, pulling or sharp);
- what actions the patient is doing exacerbate the problem;
- disease localization;
- actions of the patient to alleviate the condition;
- whether symptoms such as tingling and numbness occur.
Doctors are trying to find symptoms that may point to the cause of the pain. Very often visible signs greatly simplify the diagnosis. For example, in the case of problems in the back or neck, it can be assumed that the nerve roots are affected, and if there is a fever, then an infection is most likely developing. Rapid heart rate and shortness of breath are symptoms of clot blockage in the arteries. The presence of an uneven pulse helps to identify abnormal heart rhythms that can cause a blood clot to travel and clog arteries.
Be sure to check the foot for swelling, discoloration and various other hair and skin problems. The doctor will definitely check for pulse, crepitus (the presence of crackling in the soft tissues, which may indicate the presence of gas caused by a serious infection) and the presence of tenderness.
Compare sensitivity, strength and reflexes on a he althy and affected limb. Sometimes they can measure blood pressure at the ankle, and then compare the data from the same area, but only a he althy leg. If increased pressure in the sore leg is confirmed, this may indicate a blockage in the arteries.
Diagnosis
The doctor will try to understand the reasonspain in the legs and the treatment that he determines in the future will depend on the diagnosis made earlier.
In general, all surveys are based on the following principles:
- gathering an anamnesis - the patient describes the nature, frequency and location of pain, its duration;
- examination during which a thorough examination of the patient is carried out;
- blood tests, these are done to check thyroid, liver and kidney parameters, and data on glucose, hemoglobin, electrolytes and white blood cells will be collected to determine any changes that may be causing pain in the joints of the legs;
- other diagnostic tests, which include Doppler echo to assess veins and X-ray to detect bone problems.
According to the above studies, you can make an accurate diagnosis, and then prescribe a comprehensive and adequate treatment.
Treatment
Since foot problems are very common, after a qualitative examination, the doctor prescribes complex therapy. With unbearable and severe pain, the doctor will put a blockade of the pathology zone, while using an anesthetic solution: "Lidocaine", "Novocaine" and others. Another common practice is to inject anesthetics or take them in the form of tablets.
The symptomatic treatment of the causes of pain in the joints of the legs and bones includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Ibuprofen, Diclofenac and others. It is possible to use ointments having the same characteristics. Various gels have warming, anti-inflammatory andregenerating properties - chondoprotectors.
In the walls of the clinic, the doctor prescribes the introduction of muscle relaxants, thanks to which it turns out to relieve muscle spasm. Without fail, patients undergo a course of treatment with mineral-vitamin complexes, among which B vitamins occupy a special place, they are required for high-quality support of nervous tissues.
Means are used that can improve peripheral circulation, they remove the products of pathological metabolism. These include Cavinton, Actovegin and others.
Phytotherapy
If the patient suffers from pain in the legs, then natural remedies can be used as an adjunct therapy. Without a visit to the doctor, they are recommended to be used only when the problem is caused by water retention or mild venous insufficiency. In all other cases, without consulting a specialist, you can only aggravate the situation.
A huge number of traditional medicine can be used to relieve pain in both children and adults. The most commonly practiced is the use of infusions and decoctions of the following plants:
- Hazel. It is used when the problem is accompanied by venous edema and heaviness in the limbs. The plant contains such active substances as tarasserol, myricitroside, beta-sitosterol, and, as you know, they have tonic, protective and astringent properties, have a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels. Most often, a decoction is used, for the preparation of which a tablespoon of dry hazel leaves is pouredwarm water, then bring to a boil, remove from heat and leave for 10 minutes. After the broth is filtered and drunk in small portions 2-3 times a day.
- Devil's claw. This plant contains triterpenes and arpagoside, which have excellent anti-inflammatory effects. Devil's claw ointments are used for lower back pain that radiates to the leg. The cause of this disease lies, as a rule, in the pinching of the sciatic nerve. To restore and relieve inflammation, this remedy is very effective.
- Boswellia. The main active component of this plant is boswellic acid. It has anti-inflammatory properties. Most often used as an ointment or as a dry extract, it is available in capsules and tablets.
- Horse chestnut. Experts recommend using funds based on it in case of pain arising from venous congestion and cardiovascular diseases. It contains protoanthocyanidin, saponoside, triterpenes and flavonoids. It has a great effect on blood vessels, as it helps to strengthen their walls, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Can be used as a tincture, which is taken 40 drops 2 times a day. Pharmacies also sell tablets that contain 800 mg of dry matter. It is necessary to take them, strictly following the attached instructions.
- Arnica. It contains sesquiterpene loctones, flavonoids and arnikin. Used for muscle and joint pain. It is used in the form of an ointment, which is applied directly to the sore spot.
- Dandelion. well-known plantespecially effective for pain caused by fluid retention in the body. It contains active substances such as insulin, taraserol and tarasakin, and they are known for their ability to cleanse the body. In pharmacies, you can find capsules or packaged dry matter that is brewed like a tea.
