Have you ever felt an achy, throbbing pain in your legs that seems like it just won't go away? Sometimes this pain may vary from mild to moderate, and at other times it will feel unbearable.
Chronic leg pain affects millions of people each year, and it can be a frustrating condition to deal with. There are many causes of leg pain that can be attributed to a variety of different issues. Unfortunately, it's also widespread — studies show it affects somewhere between six and 15 percent of Americans. But you don't have to live with leg pain, though.
The good news is that there are various treatment options to treat chronic leg pain. The key is understanding the condition and how to improve it, which is why our pain management NJ clinic is here to help!
What Causes Chronic Leg Pain?
Chronic leg pain is a condition that causes you to feel a dull ache or throbbing in your legs. It is an ongoing, intense, and often debilitating sensation in the legs. You can also experience pain when walking or standing, numbness, tingling, and swelling in your feet and legs.
While it is common for people who suffer from chronic pain, it can be caused by a variety of conditions, including:
Muscular pain. Muscular pain is typically located in one specific area of your leg and may be accompanied by swelling or inflammation. This type of pain is caused by overuse or overexertion, which causes microscopic tears in the muscle fibers — leading to inflammation and soreness.
Nerve pain. Nerve pain occurs when there's an issue with the nerves supplying blood to certain parts of your body. This can cause sensations of pins and needles or numbness in your body, including your feet and legs. Nerve damage often occurs after an injury or infection has occurred in that region of the body.
Back pain. Back pain and leg pain can be related. In fact, studies have shown that many people who have back pain also have leg pain. This is especially true in older people. The pain may be felt in the back or hips or even down through the foot and toes.
Hip problems. Hip problems such as arthritis or bone spurs can cause hip pain that travels down the legs, especially when walking or climbing stairs.
Knee injuries. An injury may cause pain in one or both knees to tendons or ligaments around the joint, or it may come from cartilage damage due to osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a condition that causes wear on the joints over time, making them stiffer and less flexible while increasing the risk of permanent damage if left untreated.
Foot pain. Foot pain can affect any part of your foot — from your toes to your heel — but it most often affects the bottom of your foot (plantar fasciitis), which is called plantar fasciitis when it involves inflammation of that tissue support system. Plantar fasciitis is not a painful condition.
Leg malalignment. This occurs when one leg is shorter than another, causing it to be too far back or too far forward when standing still. This can lead to knee pain as well as other musculoskeletal issues.
Poor posture. If you have poor posture, it can put pressure on your joints and muscles, which may lead to chronic leg pain as well as other issues such as headaches or backaches.
How Does Chronic Leg Pain Affect Your Life?
Chronic leg pain is defined as a condition that causes chronic pain in your legs and feet. The pain lasts for more than three months, and the cause is unknown. It's different from acute leg pain, which is short-term leg pain caused by an injury or medical condition.
The severity of your symptoms will affect how much they affect you. It can affect every aspect of your life, from work to family to social activities. It can be a debilitating condition that reduces your quality of life. But you don't have to let it control you.
If you have uncontrolled pain, it may limit what you are able to do in your daily life. For example:
• You may find it difficult to engage in your favorite activities
• You may not be able to walk up stairs or stand for long periods of time without experiencing severe discomfort
• You may have trouble sleeping due and find it hard to get out of bed in the morning
• You may need help getting dressed
• You might avoid going out with friends because it's too painful for you to sit still for long periods of time
• You may find it hard to exercise or move around normally because of the pain
• You may have trouble driving or taking public transportation because of leg pains
• You may feel depressed about not being able to do the things you used to enjoy
• You may lose friends and isolate yourself from social situations, and it can ruin relationships with people you love
How to Find Relief From Your Leg Pain?
In some cases, chronic leg pain is a symptom of a more serious problem. The best way to treat it is to learn to recognize the potential causes and know when to seek appropriate treatment.
Here are signs to tell when you need to see a pain specialist:
• If your leg pain is new, sudden, or severe enough that you can't walk without help, you should call your healthcare provider right away
• If your leg pain is persistent and comes and goes and causes you trouble
• If you've been experiencing chronic leg pain for more than three months, you should talk with a pain specialist about your condition
• If your symptoms are not improving after six weeks or if they get worse over time, make an appointment with a pain specialist today
The sooner you get some answers, the sooner you can start to relax about the issue and find a long-lasting solution! There are many treatment options available for chronic leg pain. A pain specialist can help you determine the cause of your leg pain and rule out any serious health issues. It's important to know what you're dealing with to find the treatment that works best for you.
Nonsurgical methods for relief from chronic leg pain may include physical therapy, exercise, and diet change. These treatments have varying degrees of success based on the individual patient, but if you're willing to put in some effort and have the time to devote to them while they're working (or even if they don't), they could be worth trying.
To determine the best course of treatment for your chronic leg pain, your specialist will need to know what type of pain you have. A diagnosis can be determined based on a physical exam or imaging studies.
If you do have chronic leg pain, there are several ways to find relief:
• A physical therapist can teach you exercises that will strengthen your muscles, improve your circulation, and relieve pressure on your nerves
• Chiropractic care can realign the bones in your back and neck that could be compressing the nerves around them, causing pain in other areas of the body like the legs
• Medical massage therapy can break up tissue adhesions which bind muscles together and restrict blood flow
• An acupuncturist can offer many benefits to those suffering from chronic leg pain
Don't Suffer from Chronic Leg Pain
Remember, it is important to see a specialist regarding the onset of any pain felt in your legs. They can help you find the right treatment to alleviate or even prevent your leg pain.
Chronic leg pain has many causes and complications, so it is best to consult a pain management NJ specialist if you have any kind of discomfort in your lower extremities, as many treatments can help reduce your pain while giving you peace of mind. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions and educate yourself; when you know more about it, you are more likely to get the treatment you need.
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