Lower and Upper Leg Pain
Years ago I started experiencing sporadic leg
pain. Nothing severe enough, or constant enough, to call for
immediate medical attention, but certainly bothersome enough to
sometimes get in the way of a good night's sleep. It never
occurred to me that pain in my legs could be caused by a
misaligned spine!
Now
I know - and, have far less
pain because of it!
Although there are many causes for leg discomfort
and pain, some
more serious than
others, many people aren't aware that a connection exists leg and back pain.
The Back and Leg Pain Connection
When pressure is applied to any of the nerve roots in the spine, pain
can travel downward through the leg.
Often, it is the sciatic nerve which is affected, causing
symptoms of sciatica - typically described as pain in back of
leg. However, any nerve can be affected and
display one or more symptoms, such as:
- numbness
- tingling
- weakness
- burning
- feeling of electric current running through the
leg
These sensations may transfer not only to your
upper and lower legs, or your knees, but also to your feet, causing a painful foot problem.
Other Causes of Leg Pain
- chronic leg pain
- sharp shooting pain
- fever
- leg is swollen or discolored
- progressive weakness when standing
- bowel or bladder problems
- recent injury or trauma
Even though lower back pain
is a major contributor to both leg
AND foot
pain, there are numerous other causes to be considered, as
well.
- a torn or strained muscle
- nerve damage
- blood clot, known as deep vein thrombosis
- bone fracture
- hamstring injuries
- diabetes
- arthritis
or gout
- hip
displacement
- infection
- artery blockage
- shin splints
- fibromyalgia
- varicose veins
- leg muscle cramping
- medications
- tumors or cysts
Your doctor can do a proper evaluation and
recommend the appropriate
leg
pain relief. Depending on your situation treatment could be
something as simple as rest
and leg elevation, along with ice
therapy
or heat therapy, or
it may consist of
a more
aggressive form of treatment.
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