What to do when legs hurt and how to manage the pain?

Pain in the legs is an unpleasant phenomenon, albeit unsurprising. Lower extremities during the day take on more stress than any other part of the musculoskeletal system. Especially in case if the work you have is standing or, say, you are fond of something like a triathlon.

The pain can vary in a very wide range: from slight numbness and pulsation, which self-pass in a few minutes, to debilitating pulling sensations or seizures that can kill even a night's sleep. Fortunately, in most cases, such seizures do not threaten anything. However, there are options ...

But before we find out the causes of discomfort, we'll figure it out when you do not need to reflect on the question: "Why do the legs hurt?", But it is necessary to move (as soon as possible, independently or with someone's help) towards the doctor.

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When to contact the doctors

Immediately call an ambulance if:

• The pain does not allow you to walk or carry the weight of the body to the foot.
• There is an open fracture or a deep cut.
• You observe several symptoms at the same time - pain, swelling, redness, a sharp increase in temperature in the limb.
• Before you feel the pain, you heard a loud click, as if something had jumped out of your leg, or a gnashing.

As soon as possible, consult a doctor if:

• There are signs of infection: the patch of skin on the leg is flushed, hot to the touch, all accompanied by an increase in body temperature in general.
• The leg swelled, the skin on it turned pale and / or it seems very cold.
• Edema is observed on both legs and is accompanied by various breathing problems.
• Your shins hurt greatly after prolonged sitting. For example, after a long trip on the bus or air travel.
• You observe any painful symptomatology that develops in the legs without any obvious reasons.

Schedule a visit to the therapist or surgeon for the near future if:

• You experience pain regularly during or after walking.
• You are haunted by edema of the lower extremities.
• Pain sensations, which were initially almost invisible, seem to grow for several days in a row.
• You noticed a swollen vein on your leg, touching which causes unpleasant sensations.

If you do not have any of the listed symptoms, you can exhale: most likely, nothing terrible with your legs is happening. Of course, this does not mean that you can score for discomfort. But there are great chances to deal with the causes on their own.

What can be done immedietly, if your legs hurt

Leave your legs alone

Just let them rest: lie down, if possible raising your legs slightly above the level of the heart (this can be done with a roller, placed under the ankles). This situation will improve the venous outflow of blood, reduce puffiness and relax the muscles.

Make a cold compress

Attach to the area from which, in your opinion, pain comes from, wrapped in a thin towel, an ice pack (or, for example, frozen peas or other semi-finished products that are found in your freezer). Duration of the pain of the compress is 15-20 minutes, repeated three times a day as needed.

Take OTC Painkiller

Well-proven drugs based on ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.

Massage

Massage helps in those cases if the pain is caused by a spasm or overtook you after the fiznigruzki - a long walk or jogging.

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Why do my legs hurt?

After making sure that there are no dangerous symptoms right now and relieving the condition, you can try to analyze on your own what causes discomfort. In fact, the causes of leg pain can be sea pain. Here are a few of the most common.

Fatigue after workout

Or, in a simple way, krepature. Maybe you are overextended after a long neglect of training. Or they chose not very comfortable shoes. Or, planning a 10-kilometer run, forgot about the warm-up and hitch. All this often becomes the cause of the strength, which, fortunately, quickly enough passes by itself.

Microtrauma

Perhaps you recently stumbled, but did not attach any importance to it. Meanwhile, the awkwardness has led to a slight stretching of the ligaments or rupture of some fibers of the tendons. Such injuries are not fatal and often heal by themselves, but can deliver a few unpleasant minutes, and even hours.

Developing diabetes mellitus

Even at the very start, this disease affects the peripheral nerves, which can be heard numbness, creepy and painful in the region of the shins, calves and feet. Discomfort most often manifests itself during sleep.

Therefore, if the creeps and cramps in the calf muscles began to haunt you too often, it is not out of place to check the blood sugar level and consult an endocrinologist.

Pregnancy

With pretty painful cramps in the legs are familiar to almost all future mothers. The cause of discomfort are disorders of mineral metabolism, often accompanying pregnancy. Most often, seizures are caused by a deficiency of potassium, calcium, magnesium or vitamin B6. And doctors are well aware of this: when complaining, they prescribe to the patients complexes of vitamins and microelements that can compensate for the lack of important substances.

Osteoporosis

Cramps and pains in calves are the most common symptoms of calcium deficiency. Note: even if you suspect this option, diagnose and prescribe any drugs can only be a doctor. Therefore, always consult a therapist and take the recommended tests.

Varicose veins

With varicose veins of the lower limbs, the work of the valves that pass blood in the veins is disrupted. Because of this, the veins increase in size, the outflow of blood worsens, there are edemas and soreness. The causes of varicose veins may be many, and the revealed discomfort requires consultation of a phlebologist.

Myalgia

Muscle pain of this origin has a pulling or pulling character and can be amplified during physical exertion or in cold and wet weather. With suspicions of myalgia, you need to contact a neurologist: he will diagnose and, if necessary, will write you anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers gels and ointments.

Flat-footedness

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To recognize this ailment it is possible and visually: it is often accompanied by an increase in the size of the foot and / or the appearance of a bulging bone. The satellite of the developing flat feet is a aching pain in the feet and legs, which grows towards evening, as well as rapid fatigue when walking. With similar problems it is necessary to address to the orthopedist.

Lumbosacral osteochondrosis

This disease makes itself felt by a shooting pain from the heels to the buttocks, mainly on the back or side surface of the foot. For help, you need to contact a neurologist or a vertebrologist (specialist in spinal cord treatment).

Whatever it was, it would be superfluous to recall that only a doctor can diagnose it. So, if your legs hurt regularly, ask at least a therapist.

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