Introduction
Pulling in the leg is a painful symptom that can occur, for example, in the case of muscle ache or muscle cramps after physical activity, but also in the context of various diseases of the blood vessels of the nervous system or the joints. In some cases, pulling in the leg can be so painful that it hinders the organization of everyday life and severely restricts the quality of life of the person affected. If pulling in the leg is particularly painful or lasts for a long period of time, a doctor should definitely be consulted. With the help of various examination procedures, he or she can find out the cause of the pulling in the leg and, if necessary, initiate appropriate therapeutic steps. Depending on the cause, various conventional and surgical therapy concepts can be considered.
The possible causes
A pulling in the leg can have numerous causes. In many cases, pulling in the leg is caused by sore muscles. Injuries to the leg muscles, such as pulled muscles or torn muscle fibres, are also among the more frequent causes of pulling pain in the leg.
Muscle tension or muscle cramps in the legs, which can be caused by incorrect loading or overloading, can also be the cause of a pulling pain in the leg. In addition to the causes mentioned above, diseases of the blood vessels in the legs can also trigger a pulling pain in the leg. Important examples are deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD).
Leg thrombosis is a blood clot in a deep vein of the leg that blocks the blood vessel and obstructs blood flow. In contrast, pAVK is a circulatory disorder of the vessels due to calcification. Furthermore, diseases of the nervous system can cause a pulling in the leg.
The most important of these are herniated discs in the lumbar spine and polyneuropathy. A herniated disc causes tissue of the gelatinous core of an intervertebral disc to leak into the spinal canal, exerting pressure on nerve roots. A herniated disc in the lumbar spine (lumbar spine) can lead to compression of leg nerves.
Polyneuropathy describes damage to several nerves in the leg and is usually caused by diabetes mellitus or heavy alcohol consumption. Another, rarer clinical picture in which pulling in the leg can occur is the so-called restless legs syndrome (RLS). Finally, diseases of the joints, especially hip joint arthrosis, which is caused by wear and tear of the hip joint cartilage, can also cause pulling pain in the leg.
Painful pulling in the leg can be a side effect of a herniated disc. If the disc prolapses, this is very painful for the person affected. Depending on the area of the spinal column in which the prolapse occurs, it can cause severe back pain.
This pain can then radiate into the leg via the buttocks. In addition, feelings of tingling and numbness in the leg may occur. In any case, a serious herniated disc should be excluded by a visit to the doctor.
A thrombosis, i.e. a vascular occlusion caused by a blood clot in a deep leg vein, can also trigger a painful pulling in the leg. Pulling is often accompanied by other symptoms such as blue-livid discoloration (cyanosis) and overheating of the leg as well as swelling and a feeling of heaviness in the leg. Since a thrombosis must be treated in any case to avoid complications such as pulmonary embolism, a doctor should be consulted if symptoms suddenly occur that indicate a thrombosis.
A lack of magnesium can cause a pulling in the form of cramps in the legs. Magnesium ensures that the muscles cannot be excited too easily. If, on the other hand, the magnesium is missing, the muscles may become more easily excitable and muscle cramps may occur.
A magnesium deficiency can be compensated simply by taking magnesium tablets, so that the cramps or pulling, if caused by a lack of magnesium, should disappear after a short time. You can find more information here: magnesium. MS is a neurological disease that causes chronic inflammation of nerves in the brain.
This inflammation leads to physical failure symptoms. Sensory disturbances are frequent initial symptoms in MS.These can be felt as pulling, but mostly as tingling or numbness. The symptoms are present continuously for at least 24 hours and then usually disappear completely, rarely incompletely, within days to weeks.
If MS is suspected, a diagnostic clarification should be made so that early therapy can be started. In rare cases, pulling pain in the leg can be caused by varicose veins, a so-called varicosis. Varicose veins are dilated superficial veins and are usually found on the legs.
They are caused by an insufficient function of the venous valves, which causes blood to accumulate in the legs. Varicose veins typically appear as bluish or reddish nodular thickened veins on the legs and are accompanied by a feeling of heaviness and tension, and possibly pulling pain in the legs, especially when standing for long periods. The occurrence of varicose veins is favoured by numerous factors, such as family history, obesity or weakness.
Varicose veins often also occur as a result of leg vein thrombosis. Varicose veins should be treated at an early stage, as blood congestion in the leg can lead to a lack of oxygen and complications such as leg ulcer (open leg) or, again, leg vein thrombosis. For the treatment of a varicose vein condition, conventional therapy concepts such as lymph drainage, compression treatment with stockings and exercise therapy and surgical therapy concepts (vein stripping) can be considered.
