Localization of pain

Calf pain is probably the most prominent example of “leg pain“. It is usually the areas of our extremities furthest from the trunk that are plagued by pain. The causes of calf pain can be obvious, as is the case for example as a result of sore muscles, sporting overexertion or other injuries to the calf muscles, or the cause can be endogenous, i.e. an endogenous cause that is, so to speak, inherent to the body.

Examples of this would be nerve damage in the area of the legs, which causes pain, or an undersupply or reduced blood circulation in the legs. Sporting overloading can lead to irritation of the Achilles tendon in the calf area, for example. A further possibility would be muscle strains or torn muscle fibres, which become noticeable in the form of severe calf pain.

On the side of reduced blood supply, it is mainly peripheral arterial occlusive disease that causes ischemic pain in the legs due to reduced blood supply. This pain occurs mainly when walking for long distances and can be relieved by a short stay. These topics may be of interest to you:

Inflammation of the Achilles tendon
Calf Strain

Pain in the legs can not only originate from the legs themselves, but can very often come from the back.

If the pain originates in the area supplied by the so-called sciatic nerve and the lumbar spine, it is called lumboischalgia or ischialgia (more commonly known as sciatic pain). The sciatic nerve, which is responsible for the pain, originates from several nerve roots from the spinal cord in the area of the lumbar spine and extends to the leg, where it then splits into several branches that even extend to the feet. The cause of the pain is an irritation or compression of the nerve or nerve root.

This can have various reasons, for example muscle tension, inflammation caused by a virus called herpes zoster, blockages in the vertebral bodies or even space-occupying in this area. The most common reason for lumboischalgia is a herniated disc in the lumbar spine or a bulging disc in the lumbar spine through which the nerve is squeezed. The “sciatic pain” mainly affects the leg, but the buttocks can also be painful.

The pain usually affects only one leg and is extremely unpleasant. Patients describe them as shooting, pulling or even burning. It is possible that there is an additional numbness or tingling sensation. This topic might also be of interest to you:

Therapy for Lumboischialgia

Therapy

The diagnosis is followed by the therapy. This is usually only useful if an exact diagnosis has been made and the symptoms persist. Ointment bandages or bandages are often sufficient for minor muscular injuries.

If there are more serious injuries such as broken bones, a plaster cast must be applied. In some cases, surgical correction of the fracture is necessary beforehand. Circulatory disorders must in some cases be precisely diagnosed by a catheter examination and then treated.

This can be done by dilating or inserting a stent into the affected vessel. In some cases, a bypass must be applied to direct the blood around the damaged vessel, thus restoring the blood supply to the muscles and skin. In some cases, exercise, good blood sugar control, a change in diet and weight reduction are also sufficient to improve the blood flow situation.

In the case of an acute circulatory disorder, such as a thrombosis with sudden undersupply of the leg, the thrombus must be removed as quickly as possible by surgery or medication. Painful varicose veins can be treated with venous remedies or compression stockings, but also by sclerotherapy or surgical removal. If joint damage is suspected, an arthroscopy is often necessary.

In this case, the joint can be examined in detail and therapeutic intervention can also be carried out. In case of inflammation, drugs such as diclofenac or acetylsalicylic acid can inhibit the pain and inflammation. If there are severe joint complaints, joint injections or joint irrigation with cortisone or local anaesthetics (local anaesthetics) are advisable. Most forms of leg pain can be supported by physiotherapy, heat or cold treatments, muscle and movement training or orthopaedic aids. Since the exact therapy depends very much on the diagnosis and pain in the legs is a non-specific symptom, a doctor should decide on the therapy.