Cramps are reflex muscle contractions that occur unexpectedly, causing discomfort or pain, making leg movements impossible. More and more people are turning to doctors with complaints that their calves are cramped. There are many reasons contributing to the disease. To establish the exact cause and prescribe treatment, you will need to trace all sorts of factors that can provoke cramping of the calf muscles. It is possible to treat spasms in the calf muscles with the help of modern medicine and folk remedies.
Depending on the cause of the calf reduction, it is necessary to find the correct solution to this problem. It is considered useful to engage in a set of exercises aimed at stretching muscles and tendons. If contraction of the calf muscles has become a frequent occurrence, it is recommended to consult a doctor and undergo an examination of the body. The solution will help to find dangerous diseases, and timely treatment will prevent their development.
Statistics have shown that every second inhabitant of the planet faces this phenomenon. Most people do not notice such a nuisance. Often the cause of cramped legs is a lack of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Initially, you will need to compensate for the deficiency of these microelements. If the frequency of manifestations is high, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Common causes of muscle spasms are:
In adulthood, the causes are: excess glucose in the body, slow metabolism, Parkinson's disease. It is extremely rare for calf cramps to occur due to serious illnesses: brain cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, thrombophlebitis.
An additional reason is impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities, when blood moves poorly through the veins. This happens due to a passive lifestyle and little physical activity. Neurology and diseases of the spine can be attributed to the causes of spasms of the calf muscles. There is a direct connection, since a pinched nerve due to difficulties with the spine produces an unpleasant sensation in the lower limb.
If your calves cramp while stretching, the cause is probably a simple muscle spasm that occurs during sudden physical exertion. Such cases are especially often observed in women who spend a large amount of time on a high platform; the muscles are in a state of tension also during sleep.
There are several ways to avoid cramps: raise your leg up and pull your toe down. Or it is enough to simply massage the area of the spasm, and then smear the leg with a special medicinal ointment.
If your calves cramp during walking, running, or swimming, you should pay attention and identify the factor causing the muscle contraction. The reason may not be a deficiency of microelements, but a circulatory disorder. In addition to normal flat feet, the cause is believed to be incipient varicose veins.
You can get rid of a cramp in several ways: pinch or prick the place where the cramp is cramped with a sharp object. However, you need to be extremely careful; there is a high probability of damage to blood vessels or infection. After the injection, it is recommended to actively massage the leg, then apply a special ointment.
More often, cramps among men are observed in athletes after intense physical exertion. The reason is a decrease in microelements and dehydration of the body due to increased sweating. Due to excessive consumption of sugar, nicotine and caffeine, a lack of essential muscle components occurs, causing the calf muscle to contract.
Certain factors are known to cause leg cramps in women. The main common reason is wearing high heels. To avoid cramps, it is recommended to wear shoes with low heels or alternate high platforms with low ones. Often cramps in the calves of pregnant women, mainly shortly before the birth of the baby, since the expectant mother’s body has a deficiency of microelements and vitamins, which are spent on the development of the fetus.
Treatment with elastic stockings will definitely help with varicose veins, which cause leg cramps. Stockings help keep blood vessels in a static position. It is not recommended to wear shoes with a high platform, use tight belts, or sit with one leg crossed over the other.
The question often arises as to why the calves cramp at night - in the dark the muscles are not tense. At night, blood flow is disrupted, resulting in incorrect sleeping position or vascular problems. Any movement during sleep can cause a spasm. Patients often turn to doctors with complaints: sharp muscle spasms, acute pain that lasts for several minutes. Doctors are not clear exactly why cramps occur at night. Such seizures are called idiopathic. It means that the patient has no apparent reason for the occurrence of such a condition.
If a cramp occurs suddenly, it is recommended to change the position of the legs and allow the muscles to relax. Then the leg needs to be massaged and a cold compress applied.
A proper, balanced diet is a sure salvation in the fight against cramps. It is recommended to eat more natural foods, avoid fatty foods, and avoid deficiencies of substances necessary for the body. In case of a lack of magnesium, potassium and calcium in the body, it is recommended to include apples, dried apricots, bananas, and cottage cheese in the diet. In addition to proper nutrition, taking vitamins will help. For example, vitamin D deficiency is quite capable of causing muscle contraction.
Most people feel in advance that a cramp will occur. It's worth trying to relax as much as possible. If you experience cramps in your calves, you will need to change your position. Try to lift the limb, then pull the sole towards the knee. After doing the exercise, sit down and pinch the location of the spasms. Try shifting your body weight onto the cramped leg. After a certain time, blood circulation and sensitivity in the legs will improve.
After the cramp has subsided, it is recommended to lie down so that your legs are higher than your head. The position will improve blood circulation and prevent the cramp from returning again.
With sudden and prolonged leg cramps, immediate medical attention is required, and there is a risk of depression of vital functions, for example, breathing. Do not neglect treatment and examinations; complications are likely in the future.
If seizures are not frequent, and the cause cannot be identified, it is possible to do without the help of a doctor and resort to treatment with folk remedies:
Treatment with folk remedies is much more profitable and a priority than with expensive medications.
It is permissible to perform exercises to prevent calf spasms in advance, aimed at improving blood circulation, stretching and relaxing muscles. If you carefully monitor the condition of the body and receive timely treatment, there is a high probability of avoiding spasms of the calf muscles.
Unbearable sharp pain in the calves. unfortunately, it is familiar to many. But in most cases, a person is in no hurry to see a doctor if he occasionally experiences cramps or simply cramps a muscle, because he does not know why his calves hurt and what it can lead to. But this muscle is one of the most important, as it allows you to perform a number of musculoskeletal functions of the body. The cause may not be the muscle tissue itself, but some pathologies, diseases of the skin, bone tissue, which also create discomfort in this area. Therefore, to establish the reliable causes of pain in the calf muscles. you need to know about its structure and functioning.
The gastrocnemius muscle is biceps in structure and is located on the front of the lower leg. It performs the key role assigned to it - turning the foot along the sagittal surface (plane). This includes another important part, characterized by the stabilization of movements and the maintenance of balance performed during calm walking and running. This all happens due to the peculiarity of its attachment, since it, together with the soleus-like muscle, is attached to the Achilles tendon, and ultimately to the foot.
Often, discomfort and aching sensations occur when the calves of the legs hurt after training; in principle, this is the norm, since after performing various physical exercises and techniques, a load on the calves is possible, which entails natural biological consequences. Pain can occur after exercise, and, of course, when this area is injured. Since the muscle has its own characteristic structural features, this entails its special mobility and lability. A large number of different vessels pass through it, which will allow the tissues to receive nutrition much more intensively, so often it is problems with the vessels (obstruction and inflammation) that can be the reasons why the calves hurt, causing suffering for the patient.
Symptoms are an important part of a correct diagnosis. It is very important to find out not only the cause of the disease, but also its subjective and objective manifestations. For example, the nature of pain in the calves allows the doctor to roughly determine what disease is causing it, conduct additional examination to confirm the diagnosis, and prescribe appropriate treatment. For example, if a person becomes very ill from pain or is unable to stand on his feet, he should definitely be placed on a flat, soft surface, a bed, ottoman or sofa. He will naturally try to take a forced position in which he will feel most comfortable and also feel less pain in the lower leg area.
You should not allow the patient to make sudden movements with a high amplitude, because with certain diagnoses, such as blood clots, it can go higher in the bloodstream, which can lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as stroke, heart attack, or rupture of a blood clot. This can be extremely dangerous to human life. Next, you need to calm the victim down and find out the nature of the discomfort:
It should be remembered that when interviewing, you need to use terms such as pulsating or tingling, sharp or not, boring or spasmodic. Since these characteristics can make a correct diagnosis in a matter of seconds and avoid unforeseen consequences. In truth, it is worth noting that when walking and after running, the calves of the legs hurt most often due to sprain and overload. Next, the doctor will consider the most likely diagnoses.
Unfortunately, the reasons that cause pain in the calves are different, and quite serious. The lion's share of calf diseases is inextricably linked with vascular dysfunction. Sometimes the calves of the legs hurt during pregnancy, which is also due to insufficient blood circulation and, accordingly, tissue nutrition.
If your calf hurts, which in itself is an asymmetrical phenomenon, in most cases it is caused by sedentary work, a sedentary lifestyle, including work that is continuously associated with being in a forced position, for example, standing for several hours a day, as they do These are security guards and military personnel. Lack of vitamins is another reason, especially the lack of potassium, an essential trace element that plays a key role in cardiac activity.
With thrombophlebitis, the pain in the leg in the calf area is pulsating in nature, and what is noteworthy is that the discomfort is constant, compared to other diseases. There is also a pronounced burning sensation.
Atherosclerosis of the arteries is another common problem that is directly related to this topic. The arteries become more compacted, which is reflected in the muscles, and most often it is on them that the unpleasant sensations are of a squeezing or pressing nature. The painful feeling does not have a constant severity, but it becomes more frequent only with vigorous activity - walking. What is worth noting is that due to poor blood circulation, the feet become cold to the touch.
Spine problems. Compression of the intervertebral discs leads to the production of involuntary nerve impulses that can radiate to the lower leg. This will cause pain in the calf of the right leg. The most interesting thing is that there may be no pain in the spine itself. The most common cause is inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
Inflammation of the muscle itself. This group most often includes myositis. It happens that bone tissue becomes inflamed.
Neurological diseases are another reason. An inflamed nerve can cause pain in the calf of the left or right leg. Often neurological pain is caused by “irritation” of a nerve, most often in the lumbosacral spine. If there are characteristic symptoms, namely the presence of more at rest, in a lying position, and its decrease when walking, the doctor performs a duplex ultrasound angioscanning of the vessels of the legs to check the condition of the veins. And if they are fine, he will refer you for examination to a neurologist or orthopedist.
The therapeutic effect should be aimed primarily at eliminating the primary disease that causes the secondary one. If your calves hurt, treatment and diagnosis should be carried out immediately!
Some people experience calf muscle pain throughout their lives. There are many reasons for the appearance of these unpleasant sensations. Soreness in the calves requires urgent medical attention. Untimely treatment or self-medication can lead to undesirable consequences.
Muscle strain. Very often, after a long winter, we want to walk more in warm weather. A large load on the muscles from unaccustomed use can lead to sprains. The load must be increased gradually so that the muscles get used to the work. The pain is sometimes located under the knee. It may get worse at night. These symptoms are often associated with varicose veins.
Phlebeurysm. This is the most common disease. Varicose veins are treated very effectively. In order for swollen veins to return to their previous position, it is necessary to strengthen the walls of the vessels. The disease begins due to increased pressure in the blood vessels. Its increase occurs as a result of incomplete outflow of blood. Venous congestion causes pain. This occurs due to the effect on nerve endings. Soreness may be accompanied by heaviness in the lower extremities.
Sedentary work. In this position, the veins are subject to significant stress, since they send blood up the body with greater intensity. Veins tend to cope with such work if the walls of the vessels are strong enough.
Thrombophlebitis. A dangerous disease that requires immediate treatment. The resulting thrombus remains on the vessel wall for some time. It may suddenly separate. This fact in some cases leads to death, since a blood clot can clog the aorta.
Atherosclerosis. More often this disease occurs in old age. The condition is characterized by thickening of the walls of blood vessels. Sometimes there is pain in one of the calf muscles. The pain may worsen with movement. There is a feeling of cool feet.
Sciatica. The disease is more common in older patients. It occurs as a result of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and the pain spreads to the calf muscles.
Neurological diseases. Since the pain is paroxysmal in nature, making a diagnosis becomes more difficult. The pain can be located in the calves, and the source of pain itself can be in the lower back. This is explained by the fact that pinched nerve endings cause pain to be transmitted to the left or right calf muscles. For diagnosis, ultrasound, x-rays, and in some cases, tomography are performed.
Inflammation of the calf muscles. The inflammatory process in the calves, or myositis, is easily diagnosed by palpation. Nodules can be felt in the calf muscle. Treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis. Myositis can occur as a result of injury.
Treatment of pain in the calves
Before starting any treatment, consult a doctor. He will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe a treatment regimen.
Treatment of pain in the calves should be primarily aimed at eliminating the underlying disease. If pain in the calves begins to appear regularly, and you do not know what action to take, then you should immediately contact a medical facility for a diagnosis. Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the problem.
An inflamed nerve can cause pain in the calf of the left or right leg. Having answered the question regarding why the calves hurt, you should be puzzled by treatment methods. Unbearable acute pain in the calves is, unfortunately, familiar to many.
Thousands of people around the world regularly experience pain in the calf muscles. Not many people know the reasons for this phenomenon, although they really want to get rid of it.
There are quite a few reasons for the appearance of such pain, so not timely treatment or improper self-medication can lead to serious consequences.
Thus, many people may notice that their legs hurt after working out. If your calves hurt, you should first examine the entire surface of your legs from the back.
Moreover, the disease is slowly getting younger, so even if a child has pain in his calves, thrombophlebitis cannot be discounted without a full range of diagnostic procedures.
Spinal diseases can easily cause a pinched nerve. For this reason, a person may feel that the calf of his left leg or right leg hurts.
The source may be located much higher, but the pain may bother the buttock, lower back, or the leg itself in different places. Ice perfectly relieves pain and has an anti-inflammatory effect in the first minutes after injury.
Of course, this can be called an emergency way to get rid of pain, but not treatment. Even after the pain goes away, because the muscles must be warmed up before jogging.
For pain, you can rub the following ointments: Finalgon, Finalgel, Fastum gel, etc. The cost of the listed drugs starts at 200 rubles, but they will quickly relieve a person of unbearable pain, and thereby allow him to breathe deeply.
This extremely simple but effective remedy greatly reduces inflammation and irritation, so the pain will soon subside.
For this reason, its treatment, in most cases, is surgical. Complaints of pain in the calf muscles are not uncommon; moreover, they may be accompanied by cramps and severe swelling. Good old foot baths are more important than ever during pregnancy.
It is recommended to do such contrast baths in the evening so that pain does not bother you at night. You can also simply soak your feet in warm water with the addition of chamomile decoction.
You can predict the appearance of systematic pain in the legs by playing sports. But for me, oddly enough, this kind of aching pain often happens before rain and it always works.
My calves started hurting somewhere from the seventh month of pregnancy, and only massage helped, because most painkillers cannot be used, all of them have contraindications - pregnancy.
But in most cases, a person is in no hurry to see a doctor if he occasionally experiences cramps or simply cramps a muscle, because he does not know why his calves hurt and what it can lead to.
Therefore, in order to establish reliable causes of pain in the calf muscles, you need to know about its structure and functioning.
Pain can occur after exercise, and, of course, when this area is injured. In truth, it is worth noting that when walking and after running, the calves of the legs hurt most often due to sprain and overload. Unfortunately, the reasons that cause pain in the calves are different, and quite serious.
With thrombophlebitis, the pain in the leg in the calf area is pulsating in nature, and what is noteworthy is that the discomfort is constant, compared to other diseases.
Often neurological pain is caused by “irritation” of a nerve, most often in the lumbosacral spine. The areas of the body at the back of the legs, just below the knees, are generally called the calves.
Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the problem. This pathology requires urgent medical intervention, so pain in the calves in such a situation becomes a very valuable symptom.
Therefore, treatment for such a disease should begin immediately. With such a disease, both painful attacks and constant pain may appear, and in any case, the pain is accompanied by cramps.
First of all, it is worth saying that pain in the legs requires immediate contact with a specialist. This means that for some time you need to forget about physical exercise and allow your own muscles and ligaments to recover. Despite its high prevalence, the causes of this disease are not known to everyone.
A vascular surgeon treats varicose veins. For this reason, death may occur. This is a characteristic feature of a neurological cause - “radiating” pain to one limb.
Moreover, it affects not only mature people, but also teenagers who suffer from spinal curvature.
Of course, for the reasons listed above, there are various treatments that are suitable for one disease, but not at all recommended for another. For this reason, we will consider all treatment methods separately for each ailment.
But when the pain is not caused by injury, and is systematic, then a warm compress is the best solution. In order for the leg muscles to withstand hours of training more steadfastly, they should be thoroughly warmed up.
This way, the whole body will prepare for the workout and the muscles will stretch in advance. We are talking about ice cubes that need to be moved over the sore areas of the legs. Ice will not completely relieve pain, but it will certainly stimulate microcirculation.
This will cause pain in the calf of the right leg. The most interesting thing is that there may be no pain in the spine itself. As already mentioned, pain in the legs is often accompanied by swelling.
Why do my calves hurt? For what reason are the muscles cramped so much that it is impossible to take a single step? Many people ask these questions, trying to understand what causes such unpleasant sensations. In some cases, the pain is accompanied by cramps and swelling in the lower leg area, bringing many unpleasant minutes while waiting for help. Why does this condition develop and what can be done to avoid it?
There are a great many factors that cause myalgia - discomfort in the lower legs. Let's try to understand the situations that cause pain and cramps in the lower extremities.
Varicose veins on the legs are one of the most common causes of pain in the calves. Insufficient blood flow leads to congestion of the veins, which is felt as heaviness and discomfort in the calf muscles. This condition is often accompanied by cramps and swelling. In severe cases, trophic ulcers develop, threatening infection of the entire lower limb. Varicose veins are a dangerous condition that requires treatment under the supervision of a phlebologist. Lack of adequate therapy leads to thrombosis and other serious complications.
It is one of the complications of varicose veins. In this case, the calves of the legs hurt, quite severely, and medications are not always able to relieve the discomfort. The pain is throbbing, constant, spreading over the entire back surface of the lower leg. The left and right limbs are equally often affected. Lumpy, altered veins protrude above the surface of the skin. The local temperature rises and edema develops. Without treatment, this condition can result in the detachment of a blood clot from the vessel wall and the development of pulmonary embolism.
This word in medicine refers to inflammation of any muscles, including the calf muscles. The main symptom of this disease is pain in the calves. At first, the discomfort does not bother the patient too much and appears only when walking. Over time, the pain intensifies, the legs swell, and the skin over the affected muscles turns red. In rare cases, body temperature rises. If purulent complications develop, myositis is treated in a hospital setting using antibiotics and other potent drugs.
With unilateral damage, the cause of myositis is most often a previous injury. If both the left and right legs are affected, an infectious process may be suspected (for example, the consequences of influenza or another disease). There are frequent cases of muscle damage by parasites (for example, toxoplasma or trichinella). Any of these conditions should be treated by a qualified physician after a thorough diagnosis of the disease.
Myopathies are dystrophic changes in muscle tissue. These are hereditary metabolic disorders that lead to a lack of certain enzymes necessary for normal muscle function. As a result, the organ atrophies, causing pain in the calves and other areas. The muscles often pull when walking, resulting in weakness and fatigue. The lesion is most often bilateral, often involving several muscle groups. Treatment is symptomatic; there are no effective ways to restore full mobility to the legs.
In this condition, the pain is paroxysmal in nature, felt along the course of the nerve fibers and lasts no more than two minutes. Between attacks no unpleasant sensations are noted. The lesion is often one-sided: either the left or the right leg hurts. In order to cure this pathology, it is necessary to understand the causes of existing neurological disorders.
Often, pain in the calf muscles is caused by various systemic diseases. This may be osteochondrosis, vascular atherosclerosis, excess weight and other conditions. Treatment of these diseases inevitably leads to the elimination of any unpleasant symptoms in the leg area.
Standing or sedentary work, prolonged stay in one position have an adverse effect on the functioning of muscles. Pain appears in the calves, legs pull when moving, and swelling of the legs develops. If the patient does not change his body position, the muscles contract in a strong cramp. Similar symptoms also develop in athletes with inadequate physical activity.
If pain in the calves occurs for the first time, most likely it is associated with overwork or excessive stress on the organ. How to treat muscles in this case? First of all, you should take a comfortable position in which the pain subsides. The cramped muscle needs to be rubbed vigorously with your hands, thereby causing a rush of blood. A cold towel soaked in water and applied to the affected area will help alleviate the condition.
If the muscles are pulled when walking, you should reduce the speed of movement and give your legs the opportunity to rest a little. A light massage of your calves will help you cope with unpleasant sensations and allow you to continue your walk. In some cases, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to reduce pain.
What to do if the painful sensations recur or are accompanied by cramps? First aid remains the same, but after the symptoms subside, you should definitely see a doctor. An experienced doctor will be able to identify the cause and prescribe treatment aimed at getting rid of unpleasant symptoms. If there are problems with blood vessels, medications are prescribed that increase the tone of the veins and prevent the development of thromboembolic complications. Infectious myositis can be cured with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs. Myopathies are observed by a rheumatologist and other related specialists. The consequences of injuries require muscle development with the help of exercise therapy, massage and physiotherapy.
When using folk remedies to relieve leg pain, it is worth remembering that they do not replace treatment with an experienced doctor. However, alternative medicine should not be completely neglected. Simple ways to reduce pain and relieve swelling are available to everyone and can be used at home. Foot baths using medicinal herbs (chamomile, plantain, mint, sage, nettle) have proven themselves well. A contrast shower, dry heat and light massage will also help cope with painful sensations in the calf muscles.
What can you do to prevent calf pain? Follow simple recommendations that can significantly improve the patient’s condition. The following actions will be beneficial:
Take care of your feet - and your attention will not be in vain. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor. Do not delay your visit to the doctor - timely detection of the disease will avoid serious complications and give you the opportunity to live a full life without pain.
1. Diseases of the venous vessels:
2. Pathology of arterial vessels:
3. Damage to the nerve trunks innervating the lower extremities.
4. Diseases of the calf muscles:
5. Diseases of surrounding tissues:
6. Spine pathology:
7. Diabetes.
1. Deep vein thrombosis of the leg, postthrombotic disease.
2. Varicose veins of superficial veins.
In some cases, anamnesis data can help in diagnosis - often deep vein thrombosis of the leg occurs after prolonged forced immobilization resulting from injuries, serious illnesses or surgical interventions. The occurrence of pathology is facilitated by oncological diseases (especially cancer of the lungs, stomach and pancreas), long-term use of oral contraceptives. Often, deep vein thrombosis of the leg occurs in the postpartum period.
The triggers for the development of thrombosis of the internal veins of the leg are most often a bacterial infection, leg injury, physical or nervous strain.
1. Damage to the arterial wall due to a chronic disease (atherosclerosis, obliterating endarteritis) or trauma to the vessel (mechanical, electrical trauma, frostbite, damage to the vessel during medical procedures).
2. Changes in blood composition in leukemia, severe chronic diseases, due to the administration of medications.
3. Circulatory disorders due to vascular spasm, shock reactions, after operations on the arterial trunks.
More often, pain in the calves occurs with combined damage to several nerves - polyneuritis. In addition to pain, polyneuritis is characterized by decreased sensitivity, paresthesia, as well as motor and trophic disorders in the innervated area. In severe cases, polyneuritis can lead to increasing weakness and degeneration of the innervated muscles, flaccid paralysis, and the appearance of gross degenerative changes caused by impaired tissue trophism (dermatitis, non-healing ulcers, etc.)
1. Diabetes.
3. Infectious diseases:
Diagnosis of pathologies of surrounding tissues that cause pain in the calves of the legs, as a rule, does not cause difficulties, since there is a pain syndrome and corresponding visible pathological changes in the affected tissues.
In addition, pain with radicular syndrome has the following features:
The most common cause of radicular syndrome is osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Particularly severe pain occurs when a prolapsed intervertebral disc occurs. This complication of osteochondrosis often occurs with sudden excessive physical effort, especially when lifting weights. Statistically, doctors most often make such a diagnosis during the summer vacation period, when city residents begin to engage in physical labor that is unusual for them (it is very typical that the same statistical data is recorded abroad, so that some Western researchers have dubbed radicular syndrome due to a prolapsed disc a disease of vacation time) .
1. Damage to arterial vessels of medium and small caliber, and resulting chronic arterial insufficiency.
3. Development of infectious and inflammatory processes against the background of impaired trophism (chronic ulcers, etc.).
First, the doctor examines the legs to identify characteristic changes in the calves, measures blood pressure, determines the pulsation of the arteries in the lower extremities, listens to heart sounds, after which, first of all, prescribes vascular ultrasound, Dopplerography, arteriography and rheovasography, since these studies allow in most cases to diagnose. If doubts remain after the initial studies, then if atherosclerosis is suspected, angiography is prescribed, if Raynaud's syndrome is suspected, laser Doppler flowmetry and cold testing are prescribed, if obliterating endarteritis is suspected, functional tests (except cold testing), thermography and capillaroscopy are prescribed.
Most often, the doctor prescribes only a general blood test and palpates the diseased area in order to identify lumps, since this is what makes it possible to make a diagnosis in combination with characteristic clinical symptoms and the history of the development of the disease. A blood test for rheumatoid factor is prescribed only if the rheumatic nature of the disease is suspected, when myositis does not go away with treatment.
The doctor always prescribes a general blood and urine test, as well as microscopy of meat remains (if, of course, this is possible). In addition, if the disease lasts less than two weeks, then a biopsy of the calf and deltoid muscles is prescribed and examined under a microscope, during which they try to detect Trichinella larvae between the muscle fibers. If any are detected, then other tests are not prescribed, since this is not necessary, since the diagnosis of trichinosis is fully confirmed. If the disease lasts more than two weeks, then instead of a biopsy, a blood test is prescribed for the presence of antibodies to Trichinella and an allergy skin test. If these tests are positive, then the diagnosis is also considered confirmed.
To determine which nerve is inflamed, functional neurological tests are performed, which consist of the doctor asking you to make various simple movements with your leg, toes, etc. Depending on what movements a person can and cannot make, the affected nerve is determined. Next, to determine the degree of damage to the nerve transmission, any of the following methods are prescribed - electroneurography, electromyography, the method of evoked potentials. Moreover, the doctor can use any one method, or a combination of two, or all three.
Usually, a complete blood count, blood tests for rheumatic factor, C-reactive protein, uric acid, as well as an ultrasound and x-ray of the affected joint are first prescribed (make an appointment) . If technically possible, x-rays are replaced with computed tomography. The data from these examinations makes it possible to find out whether we are talking about arthritis or arthrosis and, depending on this, prescribe additional tests. So, if arthrosis is detected, then magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed to assess the condition of the non-osseous structures (ligaments, tendons, cartilage) of the joint. And if arthritis is detected, then synovial fluid analysis, arthrography and arthroscopy are performed. If technically possible, thermography and magnetic resonance imaging are prescribed as additional examination methods for arthritis, allowing to assess the condition and degree of functional activity of tissues.
It is mandatory to examine and palpate the inflammatory focus, prescribe a general blood and urine test, as well as bacteriological culture of the discharge to determine the pathogen provoking the infectious process and its sensitivity to antibiotics. A blood test for ASL-O titer is prescribed only for erysipelas, and it replaces culture of the discharge. That is, in case of erysipelas, they do not do a bacteriological culture of the discharge, but perform a blood test for the ASL-O titer. An immunogram is prescribed only in the case of a long, protracted process that does not end with recovery, despite the treatment.
First of all, to diagnose radicular syndrome, the doctor performs a neurological examination, identifies the presence of trigger points in the spine, and also finds out in which areas there is a weakening of sensitivity, paresis, or a decrease in muscle tone. Data from a neurological examination, knowledge of trigger points, areas of decreased sensitivity, low tone and muscle paresis allow us to diagnose radicular syndrome. To definitively confirm the diagnosis, electroneuromyography is performed. Further, to identify the cause of radicular syndrome, either an X-ray or computed tomography of the spine is first prescribed, which makes it possible to diagnose spinal curvature, osteochondrosis, spondyloarthrosis, spondylolisthesis, and ankylosing spondylitis. If X-ray or computed tomography data do not allow us to determine the cause of the radicular syndrome, then magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed, which also makes it possible to diagnose intervertebral hernia, tumors, spinal cord hematoma, and meningoradiculitis. If technically possible, you can immediately do a magnetic resonance imaging scan (sign up) instead of an x-ray (sign up) or computed tomography.
1. Fighting excess weight (weight loss improves blood flow in the extremities, reduces stress on the spine, alleviates the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system).
2. Quitting smoking and alcohol.
3. Gentle regime for the limbs (prolonged static tension of the lower leg muscles should be avoided).
4. Complete nutrition. You should limit your salt intake, as salt promotes fluid retention in the body and causes swelling in the legs.
5. Correct work and rest schedule. Leisurely walks in the fresh air. Healthy sleep.
Women's calves hurt, the reasons for their occurrence, of course, each of them wants to know, cure and forget.
Pain does not just arise anywhere, especially when you need to walk a lot, you need to get rid of it before everything is completely neglected.
Whether you like it or not, this reason is excess weight. When our bones and muscles are loaded 1.5 - 2 times more than a person’s normal weight, no one can stand it and get sick.
So are the calves, because they are muscles. Carrying the weight of an entire person, plus another half, think for yourself.
How to help? Lose weight and only lose weight. It will get even worse over the years.
Getting rid of excess weight is not at all difficult if you do it correctly, in detail “How to lose excess weight correctly” is written in accessible language.
We overstrain our muscles after inactivity, for example, we walk a lot after the winter period, we started playing sports, and our calves will definitely hurt.
The reason is an increase in the formation of lactic acid in the blood.
If your calves hurt in the morning after yesterday’s exercise:
Pain at night occurs due to problems with the veins; varicose veins occur in women with age during menopause; read more in “Varicose veins in women”.
The pain is felt under the knee and is bursting, boring, like a toothache.
It will help: drugs to strengthen the vascular wall of the veins:
You move little, sit a lot. It is clear that for some, work involves low mobility and sedentary work.
But let's think, because we all realize that this will not add to our health. So, walk home from work, no matter how tired you are, you want to live long, right? There is no way without this.
Over time, deviations will make themselves felt by swelling of the legs, veins will pop out, and constant goose bumps in the legs (osteochondrosis and poor circulation will be added).
Remember, you will move, you will live!
Once the development of osteochondrosis is affected, sciatica is added along with its disorders (the sciatic nerve suffers).
Hernias, protrusions of the spine, pain along the nerve radiates to the legs, thighs, calves, feet.
The pain can be so severe that it cannot be relieved with painkillers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and they resort to injections of hormonal drugs.
Salvation from all pain in the joints of the spine, daily gymnastics (namely daily without breaks).
There is such a disease, thrombophlebitis of the legs, you can read “All about thrombophlebitis of the legs”, the causes and treatment are described in detail.
A very dangerous disease based on blockage of veins by blood clots; if they break off, they can block the heart, lungs, and brain.
Timely treatment and timely diagnosis of the blood condition will help. If fibrinogen is elevated (the norm is 2000-4000), thinning medications are needed:
Diseases of the vascular system:
Treatment of the underlying disease and control of blood cholesterol levels will help:
Who among us has not experienced leg cramps? Rarely anyone. Usually this symptom makes itself felt at night.
Why does it happen? Lack of magnesium, calcium.
The calf muscles may become inflamed (myositis). The pain is very strong, if you feel the calf of your leg, you will notice nodules. They talk about the correct diagnosis.
There is such a disease - trichinosis, a parasitic infection of our muscles.
You can become infected by eating pork that has been poorly cooked.
Symptoms of this disease can be mistaken for poisoning:
It is important to consult a competent doctor in time and talk in detail about the symptoms. The doctor is treating you as an infectious disease specialist.
Neurogenic pain: neuritis, polyneuritis.
The pain is intense along the nerve, pulling, tearing, unbearable.
Diabetes mellitus and chronic alcoholism are common causes of polyneuritis; they are known to provoke pain in the calves.
If you press on your calf, you will feel pain. Contact a neurologist or endocrinologist.
If you have alcoholism, contact either a narcologist or a psychiatrist.
If this disease is of infectious origin, you can also ask a therapist for help.
Treatment of the underlying disease will help, in this case normalizing the condition of diabetes mellitus, stopping drinking (you won’t drink it all, there’s no point).
After operations or serious treatments for blood diseases, changes in the fluidity and composition of the blood occur. Pain appears in the legs, calves, and throughout the body.
Only treatment of the underlying disease and normalization of your condition (recovery) will help.
There is such a disease: obliterating endarteritis, but it is little studied.
A hereditary predisposition is suspected mainly in women over 40 years old.
The causes may be colds, harmful production, nicotine, infections, viruses.
Treatment is prescribed only by a specialist. You can contact any doctor.
The causes of unpleasant pain in the calves are:
We remove excess weight, your body will come to life:
If we follow these simple rules, we will live a long time.
It turns out that there are a lot of reasons why women’s calves hurt.
Install it, heal and run for a long time without pain in your calves.
Sincerely, Tatyana Nikolaevna, author. Check in with me more often, write, I’m waiting!
Watch the video, reasons why women's calves hurt: