Leg pain, while being a symptom itself, can lead to several other problems in the long run. Neglecting leg pain can lead to serious problems in the future. Pain in any other part of the body doesn’t restrict your movement in the way a leg pain does. The severity of the condition depends on the type and the affected areas. Pain caused due to a trauma is comparatively easier to deal with medication. The problem arises when a non-traumatic leg pain occurs. If you ignore such cases, it can lead to serious complications that are difficult to cure. Let’s look at both the types of leg pains in detail.
Pain caused due to trauma
Trauma is the most common reason for leg pains. It happens when you accidentally twist and trip or fall with a sudden weight pressurizing just one small part of the leg. Fractures or broken bones, are the most common conditions that occur. The symptom for a fracture is a pain that occurs because of the nerve endings located in the fibrous tissues get damaged and inflamed. It also happens when the muscles around the bone go into spasm and intensify the pain. Shin splint is a condition very close to fracture. If you neglect it, it can lead to bone fracture. You must avoid exercise of any form during this time.
A stretch in the muscles and tendons may lead to a sprain or strain. In most cases, this happens when a muscle or structures around the bone is stretched out and a small part of the bone is pulled off. Inflammation and swelling around the affected area are the symptoms for it. Bleeding in the tissues and joints may also lead to a severe leg pain. Blood like any other fluid cannot be compressed and so the internal bleeding causes severe leg pain.
A compartment syndrome is a medical emergency that may cause leg pain. This happens when the compartments of the leg gets swollen due to a greater pressure. Blood flow stops within the compartment causing numbness, pain, and an inability to move. Neglecting this condition may lead to permanent disability.
Pain caused due to non-traumatic conditions
Leg pain occurring without a trauma is considered to be serious. It depends on the affected area, how intense the pain is, and whether it has occurred in both the legs. Leg pain can also occur due to an illness in some other parts of the body or the entire body. Gout is one example of that.
Other serious conditions that need medication at the earliest are Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), blood clot, and low-back pain, and the like. PAD sometimes affects more than one blood vessel, and your both legs may get affected. A blood clot obstructs the vein and the blood gets trapped behind the blockage.
This may lead to redness, swelling, warmth, and severe pain in the area that is affected. A lower back pain due to muscle pain, injury, sciatica, or pain that is caused by various other changes in the back due to arthritis can lead to leg pain. Many other conditions such skin inflammation, chronic illness like diabetes, obesity, etc. can cause leg pain as well.
Make sure not to ignore leg pain symptoms, as they are often the signs of something serious.
