Pain in the legs is a fairly familiar phenomenon for many people, but not everyone rushes to the doctor with their problems. One of the erroneous opinions is that old people are always sick, and there is no need for treatment. Some are treated on their own. Observations show that timely access to a specialist and correctly prescribed treatment, as a rule, lead to recovery.
Why do legs hurt?
An adult may experience pain in the legs from physical exertion or from an uncomfortable body position. For example, in women during pregnancy, the load on the legs increases and pain may occur in full. There are also many diseases that are accompanied by pain in the legs. People with flat feet experience heaviness and pain in their legs after walking for a long time. It’s just that incorrectly chosen shoes, even with seeming comfort, can manifest themselves with pain and cramps when worn for a long time.
Impaired blood circulation and vascular weakness are the cause of varicose veins, leading to pain and heaviness in the legs, especially in the evening. With the manifestation of the disease, swelling and deformation of the veins are noted, and at an early stage, varicose veins manifest themselves only with pain in the legs. Only a specialist dealing with veins and vessels, namely a phlebologist, can determine the stage of development of the disease, after conducting diagnostic studies.
The basis for the development of pain in the legs can also serve as a neglected disease of the spine. Disorders in the intervertebral discs or inflammation of the sciatic nerve are characterized by pain that radiates to the legs, while the spine may not hurt. Scoliosis, various childhood injuries can remind of themselves after many years with pain in the legs. Joint diseases are manifested by pains that seem to “twist” the legs. The pain syndrome intensifies when the weather changes. An attack of pain in gout is protracted and severe.
Inflammatory processes in the muscles are manifested by severe pain. This is myositis – a disease that requires treatment under the constant supervision of a doctor. Sometimes the source of pain in the lower extremities is an infection in the bones. It gives sharp and prolonged pain. We can conclude that there are many reasons for the formation of pain in the legs. They can be diseases of the joints, muscles, spine, vessels of the legs, so a visit to a doctor and accurate diagnosis is important for successful treatment.
Treatment for leg pain
Feeling pain in the legs, it is important to understand that this is a signal from the body about problems. Only a doctor can figure out what kind of help your feet need. A comprehensive diagnosis using ultrasound and a biochemical blood test will reveal the cause of the disease, and then the specialist will prescribe the most effective treatment. After the main course of treatment, to consolidate a positive result, doctors give individual recommendations.
Treatment of varicose veins at an early stage is carried out with medication, advanced cases require surgical intervention or laser exposure to the vessels. Prevention of the development of the disease will be an individually selected set of exercises, medicines that strengthen blood vessels and the use of compression stockings.
Flat feet are perfectly treated in childhood, so it is extremely important to identify its presence in time. Performing every day, exercises for the feet and using arch support insoles, the child will easily correct the foot.
Adult flat feet are not treated. Pain can be removed only with the help of properly selected orthopedic shoes, or shoes with the use of special insoles. The disease is aggravated by excessive weight, wearing shoes with high heels and flat soles. This is an additional load on the feet and contributes to their greater deformation. Watch for possible changes in your toes to avoid arthritis or arthrosis. The slightest changes in the shape of the fingers can be a signal for the onset of the disease.
For preventive purposes, to prevent leg pain, it is necessary to limit fatty foods in the diet, where cholesterol predominates, which poses a threat to blood vessels. It is also useful for the whole body to bring weight back to normal, to stop smoking. You should regularly perform a simple set of exercises for the legs and make sure that you do not stand or sit for too long. When sedentary, you need to take a break every hour and change the position of the body.
In diseases of the spine, accompanied by pain radiating to the legs, it is recommended to conduct a course of massages aimed at strengthening the muscle groups of the abdomen and back. This method will help reduce pain. The reason for going to the doctor can be a sharp pain in the leg that does not go away for three days, cold, numb, weak legs, blue and swollen skin of the legs, severe post-traumatic edema, pain that radiates to any part of the leg. Only a specialist will identify the cause of the pain and prescribe the appropriate treatment.