A common reason for people turning to doctors of various specialties is heaviness in the legs below the knees, either isolated or in combination with other symptoms. On the one hand, the prevalence of this complaint suggests that it is not a sign of dangerous conditions. But on the other hand, even this nonspecific symptom may be the first signal of a serious pathology. A description of the true meaning of such a symptom as heaviness in the legs, its correct interpretation and treatment is given in this article.
The main pathogenetic link in the formation of a feeling of heaviness in the legs is vascular dysfunction. It can be caused either by direct damage to various vascular formations (venous, arterial and lymphatic vessels), or by secondary disorders due to external and internal influences. The specific causes of a symptom depend on its severity, duration, connection with certain circumstances and factors, combination with other symptoms, and the conditions under which the condition improves.
The discrepancy between the actual capabilities of the muscles of the lower extremities and the loads they perform is one of the main physiological causes of heaviness in the legs
The second mechanism behind the feeling of heaviness in the legs below the knee is neural dysfunction. Secondary irritation or primary damage to nerve fibers and their roots leads to disruption of the nutrition of the tissues that they innervate. As a result, the impossibility of full functioning of the muscles, their weakness, accompanied by a feeling of heaviness.
Important to remember! Heaviness in the legs is a nonspecific symptom that can be the result of both physiological (normal or natural) changes in the body and pathological (painful) conditions!
Physiological reasons should be understood as situations in which heaviness in the legs is a natural condition associated with a particular situation. These include:
Heaviness in the legs is one of the symptoms of such diseases:
The main syndrome, one of the criteria of which is heaviness in the legs below the knees, is chronic venous insufficiency. It characterizes the degree of disturbance of venous outflow. Any pathology of the venous bed leads to its occurrence. It can be:
Heaviness in the legs is a common first symptom of diseases of the venous system.
In almost all of these diseases, in addition to severity, the following occur:
Important to remember! Problems with the venous system are considered the most common cause of heaviness in the legs. Even if there are no other objective manifestations of such diseases, the severity is persistent. This is a reason for a detailed examination!
Main and small-caliber arteries are susceptible to damage by the atherosclerotic process. In this case, a narrowing of their lumen occurs up to complete overlap. Against this background, the muscles of the legs do not receive adequate blood supply and are unable to fulfill their physiological purpose. As a result, pain and heaviness in the legs when walking. The severity of these symptoms determines the degree of chronic arterial insufficiency, which is a consequence of:
The most common accompanying symptoms of these diseases are:
The system of lymphatic vessels of the lower extremities is continuously connected with venous outflow. Therefore, the presence of venous insufficiency is always accompanied by some degree of lymphatic stagnation. This syndrome is often called lymphovenous insufficiency. It can be provoked by:
The main accompanying symptom of lymphostasis, in addition to severity, is swelling of the dorsum of the feet, which take on the appearance of “pillows”.
Any progressive heart disease eventually leads to heart failure. Most often this is:
The main manifestation of all these diseases in relation to the lower extremities is swelling of the legs. It is always preceded by heaviness in the legs, which intensifies as the swelling increases.
A similar mechanism for the occurrence of heaviness in the legs below the knees with renal failure. Patients with chronic glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, impaired urine outflow due to urolithiasis, and diabetic nephropathy often present a similar complaint. Its occurrence is explained by the accumulation of fluid in the vessels, disturbances of mineral metabolism and the accumulation of toxic products in the body.
This is what swelling of the legs looks like in heart failure
An important element that ensures the functional abilities of the leg muscles is their innervation. If it is disrupted, the muscle fibers are not capable of full contraction, which is manifested by a feeling of heaviness, weakness and pain. Such manifestations are possible when:
The functionality of the leg muscles depends on the correct anatomical structure of the bones and joints. If it is disturbed, a number of functional deviations occur, one of the manifestations of which is heaviness in the legs, pain, swelling, impairment of walking and support. Such diseases include:
Treatment of heaviness in the legs should be based solely on the principles of influencing the cause. Otherwise, you may not only fail to achieve positive results, but also cause harm. Therefore, everything should start with consulting a specialist. Further tactics will depend on the suspected cause of the severity. If it is physiological in nature, it is enough to normalize lifestyle, physical activity, weight, or eliminate other harmful effects. But if the cause is hidden in any disease, a comprehensive diagnosis will be required. Only after clarification can targeted treatment be prescribed.
Important to remember! If you have heavy legs, the first specialist you can contact is a general practitioner or family doctor. You should not immediately contact a specialist (neurologist, vascular surgeon, orthopedist), since each of them specializes in only certain problems. The initial assessment of the patient must be comprehensive and comprehensive!
If your legs itch below the knees, your skin hurts, you may have itchy skin. Itching, by definition, becomes an unpleasant feeling that requires relief.
A signal of itching on the legs below the knees is the feeling when the legs itch for no objective reason. It will be necessary to find out the cause of its appearance, type and theoretical danger to health.
The causes of the formation and development of itching below the knees may be caused by signals from the nervous system indicating problems in the body: a common allergy, a serious skin disease, varicose veins or nerve disease.
Because of these signals, areas of the skin become very itchy. Moreover, in some cases, organs can be damaged; the damage will not be limited solely to unpleasant itching and unsightly skin color. The reasons need to be known in order to choose the appropriate treatment. Let's consider the options in detail.
More often, the causes of itching on the legs below the knees come down to skin diseases. This kind of itching is constant and painful. There are many known skin diseases, let’s consider the common ones: dermatitis and psoriasis.
Dermatitis is a chronic disease. It most likely appears in adults who were ill in childhood; relapse is associated with the formation of hormones. Dermatitis occurs in people who grew up in the wrong conditions, which is why allergies develop. If the parents had dermatitis, the child is at risk of getting sick - the disease is classified as hereditary. There are many factors that cause pathology; an accidental scratch on the skin below the knees is enough.
Symptoms of the onset of dermatitis: severe itching and pain. Can be incredibly painful, causing stress and frustration. A person, feeling itchy, begins to scratch the areas below the knees, aggravating the disease. Dermatitis can be accompanied by colds and asthma, which are dangerous to health. Treatment begins with therapy based on the use of drugs aimed against inflammation. Compresses and a special diet are prescribed.
Psoriasis is recognized as a chronic disease characterized by the appearance of red or white plaques, most often found on the legs below the knees, or other parts of the body. Plaques are formed from dead skin cells and are very itchy. Usually cells are replaced in 28 days, psoriasis greatly speeds up the process to 3-6 days.
Psoriasis cannot be infected; the disease can be inherited from mom and dad. The cause is not known for certain, but it is believed to be a damage to the immune system. Psoriasis can be caused by frequent stress. It is possible to consume products with tar; they have a positive effect on treatment; short-term sunbathing has a similar effect. It is useful to limit the patient from stress.
A popular cause of itchy feet and body is allergies. The main symptoms are similar to skin diseases - severe itching and rash. If the allergy is not severe, you should not scratch the areas of the spread, aggravating and complicating the treatment.
Many people develop fundamental allergies to animals and pollen, a well-known fact. This type of allergy causes itching, coughing, runny nose, and sneezing. Sometimes people do not realize that they have an allergy, mistaking symptoms for signs of a cold, and buying unnecessary medications.
Such cases require treatment with special medications and avoidance of contact with animals and plants from the environment close to the sick person. There is no other way to get rid of allergies. As a result, areas of the skin itch less.
An allergy to cold is possible after severe hypothermia. Blisters and rashes may appear that are very itchy. Hypothermia causes joint pain and high body temperature, like a cold. The reasons for this type of allergy are trivial. A person acquires the pathology by being exposed to the rain for a long time, due to swimming in cold water, excessive consumption of ice cream and soft drinks. The type of allergy does not usually affect the feet.
Treatment for this type of allergy does not involve the use of medications. The remedies will relieve symptoms without completely eliminating the allergy. Preventing allergies to cold is similar to preventing colds - dress warmly, get treatment at the first symptoms.
It is possible to be allergic to drugs that contain chemical elements: shampoos, medications, air fresheners. Called by a single element or a collection. Prevention – ridding the patient of chemicals that cause allergies.
Fungal infections are caused by a fungus. The causes vary: a consequence of allergies and dermatitis, cuts and animal bites. The wound gets infected, causing severe itching and burning.
Treatment of foot fungus is the application of special medical devices to the affected area of the skin, including the area below the knees. For severe forms of the disease, oral medications are used. Treatment depends on the type of parasite.
With an unhealthy diet, an irritating sensation of allergies appears, causing discomfort in the legs below the knees. The cause of this kind is accompanied by obvious symptoms and is easily identified. The symptoms are standard - itching and burning become constant companions of food allergies. Children who know little about healthy eating and who put dirty objects in their mouths are more likely to suffer.
Adults can suffer from poor nutrition - from chips, fast food, alcohol and other irritants harmful to the body. Moreover, in adults, allergies can be more serious than in children. Poor nutrition causes serious damage to internal organs and the digestive system.
The symptoms of acquired allergies are more serious and dangerous. There is a lack of appetite, stool, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain. The signs of the acute form are listed. The treatment is simple - the use of special medications. If the allergy is not pronounced, clearing the stomach with a laxative and creating a balanced diet for the patient will be sufficient.
Characteristic signs that an allergy is caused not by flower pollen, but by circulatory pathologies are pain, burning, swelling of the legs, and especially the knees. Symptoms appear when the veins dilate. The disease can affect any part of the body, most often the areas below the knees. Due to a dangerous disease, a person changes his gait and step width, and walking as usual becomes painful.
Women are more susceptible to the disease, men less often. The causes of varicose veins are pregnancy, excess weight, and addiction to stiletto shoes.
Treatment of the described type of allergy has a similar principle and is prescribed individually by a doctor. In the early stages, the patient is given proper nutrition and gets rid of excess weight. It is recommended to wear compression garments. In the later stages of the disease, serious medications are used.
Itching on the legs below the knees can be easily treated at home. It is enough to smear the irritated areas with the necessary ointments, and do not scratch the long-suffering skin. It is necessary to avoid contact with objects that can cause allergies. Itchy areas should be thoroughly washed with baby soap in hot, relaxing baths; it is permissible to apply cold compresses.
You should consult a doctor when the itching becomes unbearable and it is difficult to walk or sleep. A sign of dangerous itching is the duration of the phenomenon (two weeks) or the itching covers the entire body.
You should not ignore the symptoms; the body’s signals require attention. Itchy feet below the knees is not as simple as it seems.
Many people experience pain in their legs below the knees; a sign of such pain is a narrow localization in the area below the knee. Such sensations are said to be “humming” in the legs. Sometimes it can be simple fatigue from long walking, physical activity or high heels. But sometimes this is a signal of a pathology for which special treatment should be prescribed. Therefore, if your legs below the knees often hurt, you should consult a doctor.
With most pathological changes below the knees, a sensation of “pins and needles” first appears along the muscles of the lower leg. A throbbing pain gradually appears, which bothers the person throughout the working day. If the above symptoms are not treated, the intensity of clinical signs increases. After running, the legs begin to “twist” so that a person needs to lie down for several days to restore health. The final stage – the burning sensation becomes unbearable. After walking, a feeling of heat is created. Therefore, if you experience regular pain below the knee (regardless of the symptoms: after running, walking, while walking, at rest), you should consult a doctor, especially if the discomfort is constant and occurs periodically.
What are the symptoms associated with pain in the legs or calves below the knee? Mechanical damage (injuries) over time with constant physical activity are complicated by inflammatory changes, which is why swelling appears in the area of damage along the front surface of the lower leg. With diseases of the spine (intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, spondylosis), pain in the legs intensifies with sharp turns of the body and palpation of the back of the lower leg. Varicose veins of the lower extremities or vascular thrombosis (accumulations of blood clots) also lead to pain below the knee, since with this pathology there is stagnation of blood, leading to overstretching of the vascular wall. Against this background, pain in the lower leg area is constantly observed. It is aching in nature and intensifies in the evening. Typically, pain below the knee is not localized. The width of its spread is 10-15 cm, which indicates extensive damage to the anatomical structures of the leg. The pain syndrome intensifies with physical activity and weakens when it stops. With osteomyelitis of the tibia or fibula, pain below the knee is combined with purulent discharge on the surface of the skin through an open fistula. Their intensity greatly depends on the state of the human immune system. For athletes, damage to the meniscus of the knee is more common. In this case, the pain syndrome is combined with limited mobility.
All treatment procedures depend on the causes of pain in the legs. First of all, you need to conduct a comprehensive examination, and based on its results, prescribe a course of therapy. Treatment procedures can be carried out both on an outpatient and inpatient basis. It all depends on the degree of manifestation and severity of the disease.
There are many therapeutic methods, but the main ones are:
There are situations when the legs hurt below the knees, in which it is impossible to do without surgical intervention. In the case when pain and swelling of the legs appears at the end of the day, you should use a pillow or stool and give your legs an elevated position. This promotes the outflow of blood from the venous vessels located below the knee joint. It is also recommended to take foot baths using sea salt. To stimulate blood circulation in the lower extremities, you can wipe your legs, feet, calves and ankles with a piece of ice, which must be wrapped in a piece of cloth. Warm baths relieve the feeling of pain and heaviness in the legs. There are also folk methods that perfectly help relieve fatigue in our legs. These methods include the use of honey compresses in a course of 5–6 procedures. Usually after this procedure the pain in the legs disappears.
A short interesting video from a qualified specialist on the causes of pain in the lower extremities. The video addresses questions about why pain may occur and explains the symptoms of the disease.
When the urge to scratch occurs too often, and the itching begins to drive you crazy, you want to quickly get rid of this debilitating craving. Doctors are especially often approached with complaints of itching of the legs below the knees. Let's try to figure out what the most common reasons for this are and how to deal with each of them.
If, some time after taking a shower, when the skin is completely dry, there is a feeling of tightness and itching under the knees, dry skin may be the cause. In this case, immediately after hygiene procedures, the skin must be moisturized. Baby oil, body moisturizer or a special cream for skin prone to dryness - you need to choose the most suitable option.
Whether it's a reaction to dust, the neighbor's cat, or dishwashing detergent. If the itching of the skin of the legs has nothing to do with personal hygiene, first of all you should think about an allergic reaction. The most common allergens:
Skin allergies manifest as hives. This is a rash that looks like a burn from contact with nettles (hence the name).
To confirm that itchy feet are caused by an allergic reaction, you need to consult an allergist. He will recommend a general blood test and, possibly, a blood test for antigens to the most likely allergens.
Do not resort to self-medication to prevent allergic dermatitis from developing!
Psoriasis is one of the types of non-infectious dermatoses. This is a chronic inflammation of the skin in the form of red spots that rise above the skin and merge into plaques. The causes of the disease are not fully understood, and today doctors are inclined to believe that it is autoimmune in nature. Psoriasis is a serious disease that significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life. Fortunately, specific therapeutic strategies have already been developed that have proven effective in treating even the most severe forms of psoriasis.
Dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that appears due to exposure to external factors (bacteria, viruses, fungi, chemicals, etc.) and/or internal (endogenous) factors (pathologies of internal organs).
Decreased immunity, skin injuries, insect bites can lead to the fact that the normal microflora of the skin increases in number and becomes pathogenic. This is how staphylo- and streptoderma, various fungal diseases, lichen, etc. arise. All these diseases are combined under the general term – dermatitis.
To find out and eliminate the cause, you need to consult a dermatologist. He will recommend microscopy of the scraping to identify the pathogen, and subsequently prescribe appropriate therapy.
Video about dermatitis on the legs:
Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the 21st century. This is a serious disease that affects about 6% of adults and 0.5% of children. Dryness and itching of the skin of the legs is something that every patient with diabetes faces. It is the increased level of blood glucose that leads to disruption of the protective functions of the skin, as a result of which it dries, flakes and itches. This can be avoided by maintaining normal blood sugar levels. But if the patient does not see a doctor for a long time, constant itching and scratching of the skin leads to secondary inflammation due to the growth of bacteria and fungi on the wound surface.
Causes of itching with varicose veins:
Also, skin itching can accompany thrombophlebitis of the superficial veins, when the skin around the diseased vessel becomes inflamed, red and thickened.
With liver damage (cholestasis, hepatitis, cirrhosis), the skin itches due to the effect of bile acids on its nerve endings. If itching occurs against the background of other “liver” symptoms (jaundice, pain in the right hypochondrium), there are no difficulties in making a diagnosis.
But there are times when itching is the first and only symptom. As, for example, with biliary cirrhosis, when the patient may not suspect for years that he has such a serious disease.
With liver diseases, the skin itches very much, mainly at night.
In the terminal stage of the disease, when all kidney functions are impaired, toxins and increased levels of certain substances that should normally be excreted from the body irritate the nerve endings of the skin, thereby causing itchy skin.
Any pregnant woman is very sensitive to her health and the health of her unborn baby. Therefore, if any complaints appear, she immediately runs to the antenatal clinic.
If you experience itchy skin in late pregnancy, do not immediately sound the alarm! Most likely it is associated with poor circulation in the lower extremities, due to compression of the pelvic vessels by the pregnant uterus. But it’s still worth telling your local doctor about this to rule out the following diseases:
We are used to associating worms with itching of the anus, but this is how only enterobiasis (pinworm infection) manifests itself. The remaining numerous types of helminths may not provoke the appearance of any specific symptoms, which significantly complicates their detection.
A significantly increased level of eosinophils in the blood may lead the doctor to think about helminthiasis. Then you should undergo a full examination, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, take a full course of anthelmintic drugs.
There are times when, after a complete examination of the patient (blood tests, ultrasound of internal organs, allergy tests, etc.), the doctor cannot decide on a diagnosis. In this case, you can hear the term “neurodermatitis”.
Neurodermatitis is a diagnosis of exclusion. The causes of this disease are not fully understood. The most likely include:
The skin with neurodermatitis itches very intensely, and constant scratching becomes a gateway to infection, and the disease moves to a new level. Neurodermatitis is characterized by alternating exacerbations and remissions. Unfortunately, if this diagnosis is made, you will most likely have to struggle with its manifestations throughout your life.
If you experience constant debilitating itching of your legs below the knees, you should immediately consult a doctor. As a rule, a dermatologist can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, but sometimes the help of an allergist, gastroenterologist, psychotherapist, etc. may also be required.
In the treatment of itching of the skin of the lower extremities, the following stages can be distinguished:
Ointments and creams that are prescribed for itchy skin:
Scabies and itching of the legs from the knees down are unpleasant symptoms that may indicate one of many reasons, ranging from hygiene to serious illnesses. To determine the exact source of the problem and prescribe effective treatment, a mandatory examination by a specialist is required.
A large number of men and women of different age categories have a variety of foot problems. In most cases, a doctor is consulted because there is pain in the lower extremities or when there is a violation of motor function. However, there are other problems with the lower extremities, which are not so rare. Such problems include itching of the legs below the knees.
Some people think that a symptom such as itchy feet is quite harmless. However, there are times when it causes severe discomfort to a person. If your legs itch below the knees, then before you begin treatment, you need to find out the cause of these unpleasant sensations.
The answer to the question of why legs below the knees itch can be quite simple. The fact is that this unpleasant symptom can be caused by a “simple” reason that is not at all dangerous to health:
There may also be other fairly “simple” reasons for the occurrence of this symptom. For example, if your feet are very itchy in winter, this could be due to:
If itchy feet are observed in men who have relatively dense vegetation on this part of the body, then carpet fleas may be the cause. To destroy them, you need to treat all carpets and floor surfaces with Dichlorvos. In this case, it is recommended to repeat the treatment after half a month.
Women who are pregnant can also have itchy feet quite often. The cause of this symptom may be:
If your legs below the knees itch and itch, this may be a symptom of some serious pathology. Eg:
You can get rid of varicose veins at home! You just need to rub it in once a day at night.
Only a doctor after a preliminary examination can tell you exactly why your legs below the knees are very itchy.
After visiting a doctor, when the reason why your legs itch is established, he should advise you on how to treat this or that pathology. The doctor may prescribe a medicine, and depending on the nature of the disease, it may be as follows:
Special creams or ointments with one or another effect can also be prescribed, for example: Troxevasin (for varicose veins), Fenistil gel (for insect bites or when there is an allergic rash on the legs), Clotrimazole (for fungal infection), etc.
If itchy feet bother you constantly, then your doctor may resort to physiotherapy to treat certain pathologies. In this case, the following methods are used:
Often such procedures are prescribed for the following pathologies:
Physiotherapy also has a number of contraindications, namely: oncology, some skin diseases, severe cardiovascular diseases, severe impairment of the kidneys or liver.
If your feet itch until they bleed, and the itching is simply too much to bear, you should consult a doctor. Initially, you should visit a dermatologist. After the initial examination, this doctor may refer you to another specialist.
What to do if your legs below the knees are very itchy? After going to the doctor, when he gives you a diagnosis, to enhance the effectiveness of treatment, you can add folk remedies to the medications prescribed by the specialist. However, before you start using them, you should consult your doctor.
For varicose veins, after taking a bath, it is recommended to lubricate the calves with a weak solution of citric or boric acid. It is recommended to add an infusion prepared from 1 large spoon of periwinkle and 200 ml of just boiled water to the bath. The mixture must be kept in a steam bath for a quarter of an hour.
For diabetes mellitus, if your feet itch in the evening or at other times of the day, experts advise taking baths with nettle infusion. In order to eliminate this unpleasant symptom for a while, you can make a solution consisting of 200 ml of lukewarm water, 1 small spoon of soda and 2 Diphenhydramine pills. It is recommended to lubricate problem areas of the skin with the resulting composition.
For scabies, which can easily become infected in the summer, for example, on the beach, it is recommended to apply an anti-itch ointment. To do this, combine sunflower oil and bay leaf ground in a coffee grinder, which are taken in equal parts. The resulting composition is used to lubricate problem areas.
This is far from a complete list of folk remedies that help with itching of the lower extremities.
To significantly reduce the unbearable itching of the lower extremities, you must take into account a few simple tips:
Also, in some cases, special cold compresses will help relieve itching.
Published by: admin in Leg pain 02/08/2018 0 11 Views
Legs “hum”…..Heaviness and aching pain in the legs, transient swelling of the legs, cramps in the calf muscles, a burning sensation and numbness in the legs and feet - all these are signs of restless legs syndrome. Why do my legs swell? What to do to prevent the development of the disease and identify its causes in time? These questions cannot be answered unambiguously. Most often, representatives of the fair sex encounter these problems, but at first they do not attach much importance to them, attributing them to ordinary fatigue. At work all day on your feet, with bags and packages from the store, in the evening in heels, and at home at your post at the stove - all this is the normal life rhythm of most women. However, over time, the symptoms progress and become more severe and painful. There are many cases where minor pain in the leg below the knee developed over time into a serious problem. Restless legs syndrome occurs in 75% of women after 30 years of age and in 25% of men after 40 years of age. There are several reasons for the development of this condition, but the main one is the discrepancy between the venous and lymphatic drainage and the load on the legs. Therefore, in some cases, this condition may be the first harbinger of upcoming venous insufficiency and varicose veins. Another reason associated with the occurrence of this syndrome is congenital or acquired flat feet. Acquired flattening of the foot develops as a result of static loads on the leg, excess weight, and prolonged standing. Normally, the arch of the foot is designed to absorb the load on the leg. In the case of flat feet, the normal functioning of the tendons and muscles of the leg and foot is disrupted, which leads to changes in the work of the veins of the leg, located in the thickness of these muscles, and the veins will work with significant overload. Pressure increases in the veins of the leg, venous stagnation develops, metabolic products are absorbed and cause pain. Due to high pressure, the valves of the connecting veins are destroyed, varicose veins in the saphenous veins are disturbed, and cramps appear in the calf muscles - a “vicious circle.” This is why restless legs syndrome cannot be ignored, as it may be the first signal of the development of varicose veins. If the patient has already formed varicose veins, the main treatment methods come down to various options for surgical intervention . At the stage of developing varicose veins, prevention and correction are possible using conservative or minimally invasive methods, that is, the notorious “treatment of varicose veins without surgery.” In this situation, it will be effective and will help prevent the development of the disease. What are the main signs of restless leg syndrome?
If you are familiar with these signs, the first thing you need to do is diagnosis, that is, examine the veins of the legs using duplex ultrasound scanning . Such an examination will help you find out how pronounced the changes in blood flow through the veins are, and what type of correction you need. Since changes in the veins at this stage are usually minimal, only an experienced ultrasound specialist can recognize and evaluate them. Ideally, if the ultrasound specialist is also a vascular surgeon, you will be immediately given informed recommendations. In addition, you need to be examined for flat feet. Such diagnostics are carried out using the methods of plantography (obtaining a graphic “imprint” of the plantar surface of the foot), planotoscopy (visual express diagnosis of the condition of the arches of the foot) or plantoscanning (obtaining an image of the patient’s feet on a monitor screen using a scanning method). If flat feet are detected, measures must be taken to correct it.
In some cases, you may be recommended to consult a neurologist or vertebrologist, since often pain in the lower extremities can be caused by pathology of the lumbar spine.
In the initial stages of the development of restless legs syndrome, treatment is aimed at eliminating venous and lymphatic congestion and correcting flat feet in order to break the “vicious circle”. First of all, you need to think about comfortable clothes and shoes. If possible, avoid wearing tight, tight, tight-fitting trousers - they can put pressure on venous and lymphatic vessels, especially in the area of natural folds (below the knee, groin fold, etc.). The heel should be about 3-4 cm, especially if you have to spend the whole day on your feet. Try not to get used to sitting cross-legged. If at the end of the day there is such an opportunity, lie down for 15-30 minutes. on your back with your legs raised up, which will improve blood flow and help relieve the feeling of heaviness. Try to control your body weight. With excess weight, the load on the bones of the foot, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels of the legs increases significantly, which leads to the development of lymphovenous insufficiency. It is necessary to monitor the water-salt balance. Excessive consumption of salty foods leads to excessive fluid retention and swelling. Insufficient fluid intake into the body can lead to thickening of the blood and cause blood clots in the veins. Don't forget to walk! It is much healthier for your legs to walk than to stand or sit, because when walking, the muscles of the legs contract, “squeezing out” stagnant blood. Therefore, if you are an office worker, do not forget once every 40-50 minutes. get up from the computer and at least walk around the office. Swimming is very good for your legs. This type of physical activity optimally combines all the positive effects on the lower limbs and is recommended for various venous diseases. Leg exercises you can do on your own:
In addition, it is useful to massage your feet and walk barefoot more often. Among the therapeutic procedures, the use of compression hosiery, wearing individual orthopedic insoles, and pneumopressotherapy are effective. Wearing compression hosiery helps reduce swelling of the lower limb and fluid retention in the legs, increases the efficiency of the lower leg muscles in pumping venous blood and, thus, reduces stagnation of blood and lymph. Compression knitwear has an undeniable advantage over elastic bandages, both due to the ease of wearing and due to clearly graduated compression. You need to know that the therapeutic effect of wearing compression hosiery depends on the careful selection of its size and degree of compression. Ideally, knitwear should be selected individually, and its selection should be preceded by taking measurements of the leg. The effectiveness of elastic compression increases when it is prescribed in combination with medications - venotonics. Pneumopressotherapy is a method of hardware physiotherapy, which is a method of mechanical action on the tissues of the lower extremities, resulting in the displacement of venous blood from the muscle “pockets” where it stagnates, as well as excess extracellular fluid. This is a kind of “squeezing massage”, performed not manually, but with the help of special equipment that allows you to dose the effects depending on the density and permeability of the tissues. Just one such procedure replaces 20-30 sessions of manual massage. In addition to the therapeutic effect on venous and lymphatic vessels, pneumopressotherapy also has a positive effect from a cosmetological point of view, helping to fight cellulite, eliminate sagging skin, making it more elastic. Electromyostimulation is a procedure in which the lower leg muscles are stimulated using a device. The device causes rhythmic muscle contractions, during which stagnant blood is “squeezed out” from the latter. Thus, venous and lymphatic drainage from soft tissues improves. This procedure can be used both in combination with pneumopressotherapy and elastic compression, and in case of difficulties with wearing compression stockings (very full legs, changes in the skin, hot season, etc.). Correction of flat feet. The most effective method is orthopedic insoles. It is especially important to wear shoes with insoles if work involves being on your feet for a long time. Ideally, insoles should be custom made and subsequently adjusted if necessary. Correctly performed correction of flat feet will help you not only with tired leg syndrome, but also with pain in the knee and hip joints, and the lumbar spine.
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Pathological conditions developing in the lower extremities bring people great inconvenience. They range from normal discomfort to significant limitations and, in some cases, complete loss of motor function. Any of these negative conditions can significantly reduce a person’s quality of life and lead them to nervous tension or depression. When the legs below the knees ache or itch, the causes of the misfortune become the main problem of interest to a person at the moment.
First of all, in this case, suspicion falls on skin irritation that has arisen for some reason. But this is not an independent disease, as many believe, but a symptom of some pathology, accompanied by accelerated peeling of the skin. That is why, if itching of the legs appears below the knees, you should consult a specialist. It will help you understand why your legs below the knees itch in a particular situation and how dangerous this negative phenomenon that develops on the lower leg is.
The reasons why irritation, “itching” or swelling may develop at a distance from the kneecap to the foot are very different. They can be simple and easily remedied, or quite serious. In the latter case, the skin on the legs below the knees that begins to itch involuntarily is a direct signal from the internal organs about the pathology developing in them. The most common causes of itching of the lower extremities, which often turns into an unbearable burning sensation, are the following:
First of all, you should consider the simplest, non-hazardous and easily removable causes of itching. Among them, excessive dryness of the skin appears in first place. Also, the constant desire to scratch the limbs also arises due to the reaction of the skin to the synthetic fabric from which the wearable items in contact with the legs are made.
If your legs itch below the knees, the reasons may lie in frequent and insufficiently properly performed depilations and epilations, failure to comply with basic rules of personal hygiene, and the use of body cosmetics that are not suitable for your skin type. Hypothermia may also be the cause of unbearable itching of the lower legs.
This problem especially often occurs in women who prefer to wear nylon tights in the autumn-winter period, when the ambient temperature level is very low. All these factors can be easily corrected on your own, after which the itching of the legs and discomfort will quickly disappear.
In addition to easily removable provoking factors, diseases developing in the body can also lead to the development of a negative phenomenon. Most often these are skin pathologies. In this case, the person affected by the attack will have a constant companion of unpleasant, often unbearable itching, redness and peeling of the skin, as well as the appearance of rashes on it. Experts consider dermatitis to be the most common skin disease of the legs, as well as other parts of the body. This disease is chronic. Its aggravation occurs when certain negative factors confluence, among which a special place is occupied by:
The legs below the knees also itch severely in people with a weakened nervous system. This is due to the fact that constant nervous experiences and frequent stress are also risk factors that provoke the development of dermatitis.
Most often, children suffer from dermatitis, its atopic form. In them, this disease is diagnosed as a common diathesis, which can occur even at birth, and is always chronic. A huge role in the appearance of atopic dermatitis in a child is played by heredity, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, as well as excessive parental care.
The last risk factor is that many young mothers create almost sterile conditions for their long-awaited babies in the very first months of life, protecting them from any direct interaction with the outside world. As a result, the baby does not acquire immunity to various allergens and pathogenic microorganisms, and subsequently his body will react very hard even to ordinary dust.
It is almost impossible to mistake the appearance of pathological discomfort in the lower extremities, since it has its own characteristics. For the most part, the initial stage of the pathology is characterized by the fact that goosebumps begin to run under the knee and the skin in this area itches slightly. Usually these sensations occur in the evening, and at first no additional unpleasant signs appear except for them. However, if you do not seek medical advice and do not start treatment, then very soon the following negative signs will join the goosebumps:
In order to prevent ordinary tingling and slight burning of the lower limb from developing such negative consequences, when the first signs appear, consultation with a specialist is necessary. You should especially not delay visiting a doctor if negative symptoms last for several days and make walking difficult.
Drawing up a plan for treating itching of the lower extremities is the prerogative of the doctor. He will be able to select the most adequate treatment after he finds out the cause of the problem. The main therapeutic measures for this pathology are to eliminate the provoking factor that caused itching of the lower legs.
To achieve this goal, specialists restore the functioning of the patient’s internal organs, normalize the functioning of the secretory glands in the body and strengthen the immune system. Treatment of pathology also includes drug therapy. If necessary, a person suffering from itchy feet is prescribed antifungal, sedatives and antihistamines.
In total, the itchy and itchy effect can be cured at home using time-tested folk remedies. They are so effective that using them, you don’t have to run to the pharmacy in search of a suitable medication. But do not forget that treatment of itching of the skin of the legs with drugs prepared according to traditional medicine recipes should be carried out only after consultation with a specialist. Most often, doctors recommend the following remedies:
If such an unpleasant phenomenon occurs as itchy skin on the legs, localized below the knee, you should under no circumstances ignore it. First of all, you should make every possible attempt to get rid of it yourself. If these actions do not give positive results, and the discomfort lasts for a very long time, the help of a doctor is needed. He will not only help you get rid of itching and burning below the knees, but will also advise you on how to boost your immunity so that this pathology does not occur in the future.