Leg Pain

What is leg pain?

Leg pain includes any discomfort you feel in your legs. Your pain might range from a dull ache to sharp shooting pain. The pain may come and go quickly or be a chronic problem.

Though leg pain is a simple annoyance for many, the pain may affect mobility and quality of life for others. 

What causes leg pain?

Leg pain may develop from any number of causes, including an injury or disease. However, leg pain may also be a symptom of a circulation problem, such as:

Peripheral arterial disease 

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a condition in which the arteries that carry oxygenated blood to your extremities, including your arms and legs, are narrowed or blocked. 

Leg pain when you walk, called claudication, is the most common symptom of PAD. 

Chronic venous insufficiency 

Your veins can’t move the blood from your legs back to your heart with chronic venous insufficiency. Leg pain, cramping, and swelling are common symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency.

Deep vein thrombosis 

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein in your body. Blood clots may develop in any vein, but most often affect the legs and may cause leg pain, tenderness, or swelling. 

How is leg pain diagnosed?

Heart Vascular and Leg Center offers some of the most advanced technology in the country to help diagnose your leg pain. 

During your exam, your provider asks detailed questions about your symptoms, medical and family history, and then performs a physical.

To diagnose the reason for your leg pain, the team may perform various tests, such as:

• Vascular ultrasound
• Angiography (X-ray that assesses blood flow using a special dye)
• CO2 angiography (X-ray that evaluates blood flow with a CO2 injection)

They may also run blood work to assess cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as blood sugar levels. 

How is leg pain treated?

The experts at Heart Vascular and Leg Center develop personalized treatment plans for leg pain based on the underlying cause. Your treatment plan may include:

• Lifestyle modification
• Compression stockings to improve circulation
• Medication to manage any underlying cardiac condition (high cholesterol)
• Medicines to prevent the formation of blood clots

Heart Vascular and Leg Center specializes in minimally invasive procedures that address various conditions affecting circulation in your legs, including laser atherectomy for PAD.

Your leg pain may be a symptom of an underlying circulation problem. To get the answers you need, contact Heart Vascular and Leg Center by phone or schedule an appointment online today.