Having leg pain after a trauma or an injury can be easy to know how to manage. However, when you experience pain or experience swelling in your leg, and don’t know why, it can be frustrating. However, leg pain specialists such as Dr. Dennis Resetarits, Camillus vascular surgeon, can diagnose your condition and help you manage any underlying condition that may be causing your pain. The pain can be due to a circulatory problem, and Dr. Resetarits can help you get relief through minimally invasive procedures.
Top Causes of Leg Pain
In most cases, leg pain occurs as a symptom of several underlying vascular disorders affecting your legs. The top causes of leg pain include:
Lymphedema
Lymphedema can cause leg pain. The swelling associated with lymphedema can put pressure on surrounding tissues, including muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, leading to discomfort and pain.
The severity of leg pain can vary depending on the extent of the lymphedema and individual factors. Some people may experience mild discomfort, while others may have more significant pain that interferes with daily activities.
Additionally, lymphedema can contribute to other conditions that may cause leg pain. For example, the swelling and increased pressure in the affected limb can lead to venous insufficiency, a condition where the veins have difficulty returning blood back to the heart. It can cause symptoms such as leg heaviness, aching, and pain.
That said, it is essential to consult with a healthcare professional experienced in lymphedema treatment in Mountain View, CA, or wherever you are located. Depending on the severity of your lymphedema, the medical expert can suggest medication and therapy to alleviate the symptoms.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
This is a condition where you get a blood clot in your deep veins, particularly the veins in your legs. In this case, you can experience significant leg pain and can also have other life-threatening consequences. Your clot can break away and travel to your major organs, such as the lungs. This is life-threatening as it can cause a pulmonary embolism.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
You can develop this condition if your arteries to your legs become narrow and hardened as a result of plaque buildup due to high cholesterol levels in your blood. The sticky plaque coats the inner walls of your arteries and may cause further severe complications. It can also increase your heart disease risks or a stroke alongside the leg pain that increases while you walk.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)
Sometimes your vein’s valves may fail to function correctly and can lead to varicose veins appearing on your legs. These are large and unsightly veins that occur when your blood is not circulating correctly. The malfunctioned valves prevent blood from flowing back to your heart by failing to make an effective seal. This causes your blood to leak backward, forming pools. This is what results in swollen and twisted varicose veins.
Leg Pain Diagnosis
When you are not sure about the cause of your leg pain, please take your time to choose your provider, as an accurate diagnosis is critical. Therefore, you have to go for an experienced and highly skilled leg pain specialist who will diagnose the underlying condition correctly to manage it effectively. Note that the treatment option depends on the root cause and the treatment’s effectiveness depends on the correctness of the diagnosis.
Your provider should conduct a physical examination of your leg and review your medical history, including your family history. They should note any swelling, tenderness, or other symptoms such as varicose veins to correctly get to the root cause of your pain.
Imaging tests can be necessary to assess your blood flow in your legs. Tests such as doppler ultrasound and an angiogram can be carried out to give detailed information about any clots, narrowed arteries, and the nature of the blood flow.
Leg Pain Treatment
Once the root cause of your pain is identified, it becomes easier to recommend treatment options to manage the underlying condition. Your provider can recommend pain medications and other conservative treatment options such as a clinic for chronic & acute pain treatment in Lake Mary, FL (or others like it elsewhere), depending on the nature of your situation. For more severe conditions such as varicose veins, the following procedures can be performed:
Microhook ambulatory
Venefit™ endovenous radiofrequency ablation
Venaseal™ vein closure system
Asclera sclerotherapy
Pain in the leg can be disruptive, affecting your quality of life. You can avoid this by seeking medical attention at Surgical Care East in Camillus, NY.
