Leg pain may be periodic or continuous and may vary from dull pains to a searing, throbbing, or burning experience. Tingling possibly appeared like a lack of experience or a chilly, icy feeling in several areas of the leg.
Leg pain could be the symptom of a spread of underlying causes or conditions, and getting an accurate diagnosis is important to informing essentially the most efficient course of treatment.
How Leg Pain Occurs
Leg pain could be caused as a result of a difficulty within the lower back, the pelvis, or an issue that originates throughout the leg. Common reasons for discomfort in a single or each legs include:
Back nerve compression or irritation. Irritated, inflamed, or compressed nerve roots within the lumbar or sacral spinal column might cause radiculopathy or nerve discomfort, continuously called sciatica, within the leg and foot. Nerves might likewise be damaged along their path within the leg, causing peripheral neuropathy and leg discomfort.
Spinal cord compression. Narrowing of the spinal canal within the neck might use pressure on the spinal cord, causing pain and tingling, often in each legs.
Blood vessel conditions. Blocked arteries or veins within the leg may trigger decreased blood supply, resulting in leg pain and feeling numb.
Pelvic and hip problems. Joint issues within the hips and hip areas, corresponding to sacroiliac joint dysfunction or hip osteoarthritis, may cause leg pain; an associated nerve inflammation might cause feeling numbness. Pelvic muscle spasms, corresponding to in piriformis syndrome, may trigger discomfort to make a journey down along the leg with associated feeling numb and/or weak point.
Infection. Lyme disease,2 bone and disc infection, corresponding to osteomyelitis or spondylodiscitis, and viral infections, corresponding to herpes zoster or HIV, are known to cause leg discomfort.
Systemic conditions. Endocrine and metabolic disorders, corresponding to hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus, might trigger muscle and nerve damage within the legs that ends in pain and pins and needles.
Cauda equina syndrome. Compression of the cauda equina (a bunch of spinal nerves that descend from the spinal cord within the lower back) might cause serious discomfort, feeling numb, and weakness in each legs.
Tumors and cysts. The presence of growths and lots more and plenty within the lower back, hips, or leg might compress blood vessels and/or nerves and end in leg discomfort and numbness.
Leg discomfort might likewise develop as a result of stress, exercise, dehydration, aging, bad posture, genetic elements, and/or occupation-related causes.
Symptoms Commonly Related to Leg Pain.
Essentially the most typical symptoms which will accompany leg discomfort are:
Weak point. Leg weakness commonly takes place when a lumbar and/or sacral back nerve is compressed. A sense of heaviness3 within the affected leg might make it difficult to lift the foot off the ground (foot drop).
Modified sensation. When a nerve is impacted, a pins-and-needles sensation, tingling, or other nerve-related sensations may occur within the afflicted leg.
Foot discomfort. The leg pain might make a journey down into a number of areas of the foot, causing pain or burning pain. Foot weak points and/or tingling may additionally happen.
Postural discomfort. Leg pain and tingling might increase with particular postures or activities, corresponding to standing for a protracted time, walking, climbing up stairs, or standing up from a sitting position.
The above list includes some common signs that co-occur with leg discomfort but aren’t meant to be complete. Leg discomfort and/or numbness may be accompanied by signs of diabetes, cancer, particular sorts of dietary deficiencies, and more.
Long-Term Outlook for Leg Pain.
The course of leg discomfort relies on the underlying cause. Leg pain as a result of radiculopathy is common4 and will be well handled with nonsurgical treatment, with 75% to 90% improvement in symptoms. If the discomfort becomes chronic and neurological symptoms corresponding to weak points and tingling persist or worsen, surgery could be really helpful.
The outlook for leg discomfort and tingling from other conditions depends upon the severity and development of the underlying cause. Treatment may consist of nonsurgical and/or surgical methods.
When Leg Pain Is Serious.
Leg pain could also be related to serious underlying conditions and wish quick treatment to guard the function of the affected leg. Red-flag symptoms might include one or a combination of the next:
- Unexplained fever.
- Severe discomfort and swelling.
- Anorexia nervosa and/or unexplained weight reduction.
- Nausea.
- Excruciating back pain.
- Progressive leg feeling numb and/or weakness.
- Lack of typical bowel and/or bladder function.
These signs might suggest major conditions corresponding to infection, tumors, cauda equina syndrome, stomach aortic aneurysm, or severe nerve damage.
Leg discomfort could also be handled by various varieties of medical professionals. Depending upon the cause, physicians who typically treat leg discomfort might include medical care physicians, physiatrists, rheumatologists, neurologists, neurosurgical and orthopedic spinal column surgeons, and chiropractic physicians.
