How do I know if my leg pain is serious?

See your doctor as soon as possible if you have:

A leg that is swollen, pale or unusually cool. Calf pain, particularly after prolonged sitting, such as on a long car trip or plane ride. Swelling in both legs along with breathing problems. Any serious leg symptoms that develop for no apparent reason.

How do I know what is causing my leg pain?

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.

Can pain in leg be serious?

Fast facts about leg pain

Leg pain can sometimes indicate a serious vascular problems. These can occasionally be fatal, and they require medical intervention. Many types of pain can be treated at home, but severe or persistent pain can indicate a more serious condition.

What kind of doctor should I see for leg pain?

Orthopedic Specialists primarily deal with problems related to your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves. Below are some common leg pain issues treated by Orthopedic Specialists: Total Joint Replacement.

When should I be concerned about leg pain NHS?

leg cramps are disturbing your sleep. you also have numbness or swelling in your legs. cramps last longer than 10 minutes. you have any other symptoms or concerns.

Your Leg Pain Questions Answered with Dr. Joshua Dearing

What are the symptoms of a blocked artery in your leg?

What is vascular leg pain like?

Vascular claudication

Typical symptoms include¹: Pain in the feet that gradually spreads upward into the leg while walking; the pain is relieved once walking is stopped. Redness over the skin that is alleviated when the legs are propped up. Numbness and/or weakness in the affected leg.

When is leg pain an emergency?

Call for immediate medical help or go to an emergency room if you: Have a leg injury with a deep cut or exposed bone or tendon. Are unable to walk or put weight on your leg. Have pain, swelling, redness or warmth in your calf.

What is the best thing for leg pain?

Does leg pain go away on its own?

Most leg pain occurs due to overuse or minor injuries. The discomfort often disappears within a short time and can be eased with home remedies. In some cases, however, a serious medical condition may be causing the pain. See your doctor if you're experiencing severe or persistent leg pain.

What does a blood clot in the leg feel like?

Signs that you may have a blood clot

leg pain or discomfort that may feel like a pulled muscle, tightness, cramping or soreness. swelling in the affected leg. redness or discoloration of the sore spot. the affected area feeling warm to the touch.

How can you tell the difference between muscle pain and bone pain?

Bone pain usually feels deeper, sharper, and more intense than muscle pain. Muscle pain also feels more generalized throughout the body and tends to ease within a day or two, while bone pain is more focused and lasts longer. Bone pain is also less common than joint or muscle pain, and should always be taken seriously.

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.

Does Covid affect your legs?

You may get pain in your arms, legs, or back that develops spontaneously with no injury. Typically, in a coronavirus infection, the pain is in muscles rather than in joints. But if you have an arthritic joint in your arm or leg, the virus may exaggerate the symptoms. The pain may be severe and limiting.

Why do my legs ache in bed?

If you're experiencing cramps at night, this could be from restlessness and turning over in bed. This triggers the muscle causing it to cramp. Interestingly, they can also be caused by a lack of movement, specifically if you hold a position for a long period of time.

What causes leg pain between knee and ankle?

Understanding shin splints

You'll notice the pain in the front area of the leg between your knee and ankle. Shin splints are a common overuse injury. They can occur from running or doing other high-impact activities for extended periods of time or without adequate stretching.

How can I stop my legs from hurting at night?

Why does my leg hurt from the hip down?

Inflammation of the sacs of fluid in the hip joint or tendons in the hip or leg can cause hip and leg pain. Sciatica. Pressure or damage to the sciatic [sy-AH-tik] nerve can be a source of radiating leg or hip pain.

Can stress cause aching legs?

Muscle Tension Muscle tension is also a fairly common cause of leg pain in those with anxiety. When a person feels high levels of stress, the muscles tend to become tense, and this tension, over long periods of time, can leave legs feeling achy.

What are the first signs of a blood clot?

How do I know if I have a blood clot or leg cramp?

Timing: DVT symptoms are usually subtle at the start and then gradually increase over days. Cramps are the opposite. They typically start suddenly and feel severe but go away just as quickly and last only seconds to minutes. Cramps also most commonly occur in the middle of the night.

How can you tell the difference between a blood clot and a sore muscle?

cramp and pulled muscles will cause pain but not necessarily hot skin or redness in the affected area. whereas cramp can be 'walked off' and thus go away, pain caused by a blood clot is more likely to persist.

What are three signs symptoms that can accompany peripheral vascular artery disease?

Which leg is your main artery in?

The femoral artery is the major blood vessel supplying blood to your legs. It's in your upper thigh, right near your groin.

What does a blocked vein feel like?

A blood clot in a leg vein may cause pain, warmth and tenderness in the affected area. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, usually in your legs. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling but also can occur with no symptoms.