Causes of Severe Pain in the Leg
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Causes of Severe Pain in the Leg
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The National Institutes of Health identifies several possible causes of severe leg pain, ranging from a passing cramp, which can be very painful, to an injury, arthritis, blood clots, infection, nerve damage and varicose veins. Your instinct may first be to pop a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) painkiller such as ibuprofen, but before you start treating your pain you should first identify its cause.
Charley Horse
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Charley horse is the name given to a muscle spasm that feels like a knot and can cause severe pain. These typically occur after an injury or when a muscle is being overused, such as from biking or running. The National Institutes of Health reports that you can also develop a charley horse if you're dehydrated while working out. Additionally, it is not unusual for a cramp to occur at night while you are asleep. As soon as you feel a cramp you should stop what you're doing and massage the affected muscles. Apply heat to relax the muscle and ice it to help ease pain when the cramp is gone. An NSAID can help reduce lingering soreness.
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Arthritis
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Arthritis is an umbrella term for many conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the joints, tissues and muscles. Rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis are similar conditions that commonly affect the leg. According to one orthopedic practice, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for New York and Connecticut, rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis are characterized by pain and inflammation in the joints. They affect males and females and typically occur after the age of 40. Any kind of arthritis is painful, but rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis make walking especially difficult. To ease pain you can take over-the-counter or prescribed anti-inflammatory medications and practice exercises recommended by your physician that target affected muscles.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
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The Mayo Clinic reports that deep vein thrombosis (DVT), also known as blood clots, can form in any number of deep veins in the body, especially in the legs. Though half of DVT cases occur without symptoms, these blood clots are also responsible for causing severe pain, swelling, redness and warmth in the affected areas. Blood clots can develop if you sit for long periods of time, such as on an airplane or road trip. Some medical conditions increase your risk of developing DVT. If you suspect you have a blood clot or your pain cannot be explained by arthritis, cramps or nerve problems, it's important to contact your doctor immediately. If a clot breaks loose it can travel to your lungs and cause a potentially life threatening embolism. The good news, however, is that many of these blood clots clear up on their own---you'll never even know you had one.
Varicose Veins
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A government-sponsored women's health agency, womenhealth.gov, defines varicose veins as enlarged, cord-like veins that appear twisted and bulging. Most often they appear on the back of your calves and the inside of your leg. More than 50 percent of U.S. women and 45 percent of men suffer from some form of vein problem. Symptoms include severe infections, sores and ulcers, swelling and painful rashes. Though developing varicose veins is not 100-percent preventable, you can limit the chance of suffering from them by wearing sunscreen, exercising regularly, not crossing your legs while seated and elevating your legs often.
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