Diagnosis

Various diagnostic methods can be used to diagnose the disease underlying the pain in the limbs. The most important diagnostic tool is the medical history, i.e. the patient interview. Here, other symptoms can be asked about and thus different diseases can be excluded if necessary.

Information on the duration of the symptoms and the type of pain is also essential for an assessment of the disease. It is also important to indicate other therapies that have been carried out and medications that have been taken, which as side effects can possibly trigger the pain in the limbs. For these reasons, the medical history should be specific and detailed.

If the medical history and physical examination do not reveal an infectious disease that would explain the symptoms as the cause, diagnostic imaging procedures may follow. For example, nerve courses can be well depicted by means of an MRI and thus possibly provide an indication of the origin of the pain. A measurement of the blood flow in the legs can identify a circulatory disorder in the legs.

Since pain in the limbs is not a disease but rather a symptom, the underlying cause of the pain should never be ignored during therapy. Thus the complaints should be treated best only if the cause for the limb pain is clearly known. Only then can serious illnesses be ruled out and the symptoms treated in a targeted manner.

Pain in the limbs that occurs in the context of an infectious disease such as a cold or flu can be treated with painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. Most of these painkillers also have the effect of reducing the fever that often occurs in the context of these diseases. Pain in the limbs that cannot be attributed to any direct cause should not be treated by the patient himself. Here it is worthwhile to consult a doctor who can clarify the cause of the complaints and thus also recommend a therapy that is individually adapted.