The causes of leg pain can be vascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal. There are many reasons for leg pain, trauma from sports injuries being one of them. But other types of pain in the leg can come from issues in the bones, soft tissues, blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and joints. At-home treatment is usually the course of action with leg pain, though it still depends on the severity of the pain and the cause. If it’s sudden, severe, persistent, and coupled with other symptoms, you may have to seek immediate medical attention.
But if the doctors can’t find anything wrong with your legs and there were no incidences in the past, the pain might come from your legs taking the brunt of your day-to-day life. You shouldn’t have to be in constant and severe pain, though. Leg pain caused by exhaustion can be remedied by home treatment. If your doctors ruled out serious cases of cramps, self-help measures could relieve the pain from your legs.
Massage Therapy
If you are sure you have no injuries, you can get massage therapy from a trusted masseuse and treatment center. A massage can remove the pain that comes from leg cramps. It will relax the muscles in your legs. Simply stretching your legs will also relieve some pressure from it. If you cannot go to a masseuse, look for a leg and foot massager device. You can use the standalone device to massage your legs while you’re eating and watching TV. You have to be sitting down when you use the massager.
Weight
Do you know that your weight plays a key role in leg pain? If your legs are constantly in pain, that might be because it carries too much of your weight. You can try to lose some weight by eating healthily. Remove junk food from your diet. You also need to exercise regularly so you can shed off your weight. It is surprising how helpful losing weight is to eliminate the pain from your legs.
Shin Splints
If you are flat-footed, you are more prone to shin splints. Intense exertion during sports, jogging, running, and repetitive impact forces can affect the tendons and muscles. This is why they feel sensitive and tender. The shin bone may hurt, too.
Fractures and Stress Fractures
Most types of fractures have physical manifestations such as bruising, swelling, redness, and deformation. These are easy to diagnose. They also receive immediate medical attention. Stress fractures are more difficult because these are sustained from non-contact activities. When the intensity of the activity increases, there is pressure on your leg muscles and bones. But you don’t have visuals of this pain. You only feel it. The pain starts small, then grows more intense as your legs carry more pressure.
Tendinitis
You’ve heard about an Achilles injury in athletes, but it can happen to you, too. If there is a pain in your lower calf near the back of your heel, you should have it checked out. It’s a common injury and usually manageable, except if there’s a tear. Why do you get problems with your Achilles? Overworking your calf and climbing up and down the stairs when your legs are not ready can lead to this problem.
Sprains and Broken Bones
You can twist your ankle while walking. If you walk on uneven ground and twist your ankle, this can lead to sprains and broken bones. Don’t panic when this happens because there are home remedies that work for a sprained ankle. For severe issues, you might need a cast or brace. The doctor will tell you what needs to be done.
You can try the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevate) method for home remedies. It might sometimes take time to remove the pain, but you will be able to walk comfortably again. Make sure to go slow during the recovery phase.
Veins and Blood Clots
Blood can thicken in the veins and clump together. This develops into what’s called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). That sounds bad, but DVT happens after very ordinary situations such as sitting for an extended period. A long flight or car ride might lead to DVT in the lower leg or thigh. If you smoke, take certain medications, and be overweight, you might also be susceptible to DVT.
If you think you have DVT, go to the emergency room or call your doctor right away. You can get treatments such as medications and support stockings. Losing weight is also important.
Giving your legs a rest after a long day at work is one of the best things you can do to keep them healthy. People tend to abuse their legs, often not giving them the care they need. A massage or simply resting your legs on a pillow will make a ton of difference.
