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Leg Pain Swelling Restless Legs Ulcers
Common causes of cramps include:
An injury can also cause leg pain from:
Other common causes of leg pain include:
Less common causes include:
Benign tumors or cysts of the femur or tibia (osteoid osteoma)
Drugs such as allopurinol and corticosteroids
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease -- poor blood flow to the hip that may stop or slow the normal growth of the leg
Malignant bone tumors (osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma)
Sciatic nerve pain (radiating pain down the leg) caused by a slipped disk in the back.
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis -- usually seen in boys and overweight children between 11 and 15 years old
If you have leg pain from cramps or overuse, take these steps first:
For leg pain caused by varicose veins, leg elevation and compression with elastic bandages or support hose can help.
For leg pain caused by nerve disorders or claudication, control diabetes, eliminate alcohol and tobacco, and avoid ill-fitting shoes.
PreventionTo prevent claudication and nerve damage:
To prevent overuse injuries, like shin splints, muscle cramps, and other causes of leg pain:
Painless swelling of the feet and ankles is a common problem, particularly among older people.
Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs is called peripheral edema.
Painless swelling may affect both legs and may include the calves or even the thighs. Because of the effect of gravity, swelling is particularly noticeable in the lower part of the body.
Causes
Foot, leg, and ankle swelling is common with the following situations:
Swollen legs may be a sign of heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure. In these conditions, there is too much fluid in the body.
Other conditions that can cause swelling to one or both legs include:
Certain medications may also cause your legs to swell:
Avoid sitting or standing without moving for prolonged periods of time. When flying, stretch your legs often and get up to walk when possible. When driving, stop to stretch and walk every hour or so. Avoid wearing restrictive clothing or garters around your thighs. Exercise regularly. Lose weight if you need to.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them for relief. Individuals affected with the disorder describe the sensations as burning, creeping, tugging, or like insects crawling inside the legs. The sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.
Is there any treatment?
For those with mild to moderate symptoms, many physicians suggest certain lifestyle changes and activities to reduce or eliminate symptoms. Decreased use of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco may provide some relief. Physicians may suggest that certain individuals take supplements to correct deficiencies in iron, folate, and magnesium. Taking a hot bath, massaging the legs, or using a heating pad or ice pack can help relieve symptoms in some patients.
Physicians also may suggest a variety of medications to treat RLS, including dopaminergics, benzodiazepines (central nervous system depressants), opioids, and anticonvulsants. In 2005, ropinirole became the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS.
What is the prognosis?
RLS is generally a life-long condition for which there is no cure. Symptoms may gradually worsen with age. Nevertheless, current therapies can control the disorder, minimizing symptoms and increasing periods of restful sleep. In addition, some patients have remissions, periods in which symptoms decrease or disappear for days, weeks, or months, although symptoms usually eventually reappear.
Venous ulcers are areas of the lower leg where the skin has died and exposed the flesh beneath. Ulcers can range from the size of a penny to completely encircling the leg. They are painful, odorous open wounds which weep fluid and can last for months or even years. Most leg ulcers occur when vein disease is left untreated. They are most common among older people but can also affect individuals as young as 18.
Causes
Venous ulcers are formed when blood flow through the legs has been constricted, which causes blood to back up and pool in the veins of the legs. This in turn causes a pressure increases in the veins. This results in fluid to leak from the blood vessels into the tissue that surrounds the pooling veins and swelling develops. After some time the swelling restricts oxygen movement to the capillaries and tissues and depletes their nutrients. This causes tissue damage and venous ulcers can form.
Prevention & Treatment
One of the main goals of prevention and treatment is to reduce leg swelling and therefore reduce the pressure in the veins. If swelling can be reduced enough, a venous ulcer may never form or may heal without intervention. Your physician may recommend that you wear specially designed compression stockings or socks to help reduce the swelling in your legs. Another very important aspect to prevention and treatment is elevating your legs whenever it is possible. This simple act both reduces swelling and the pressure in the veins.
If there are signs of infection present upon examination your physician may prescribe antibiotics to be taken by mouth.
When a severe venous ulcer is present, your physician may apply a to the affected area. Once the past hardens it then can be bandaged and booted for extra protection, so that the ulcer can heal more quickly.