What causes leg pain?
When you think of leg pain, chances are you envision a sports injury, strained muscles, or even a fracture. But leg pain has many possible causes:
Musculoskeletal conditions
Musculoskeletal conditions, the most common causes of leg pain, include ligament and tendon tears, fractures, sprains, pulled muscles, and the full range of ankle or knee injuries.
Inflammatory conditions
Arthritis, tendonitis, and bursitis represent the top inflammatory conditions leading to leg pain.
Vascular conditions
Leg pain is one of the key symptoms of peripheral artery disease, venous insufficiency, and deep vein thrombosis.
Nerve conditions
Peripheral neuropathy, or damaged nerves, often causes leg pain and cramps. Additionally, pinched spinal nerves due to conditions such as spinal stenosis, a herniated disc, and degenerative disc disease may cause pain that radiates down your legs.
What treatments alleviate leg pain?
If you suffer a complex fracture or rupture of a ligament or tendon, you may need surgery to repair the problem and ensure optimal healing. Otherwise, leg pain treatment begins with conservative therapies such as rest, activity modification, pain-relieving medications, and physical therapy.
If you still struggle with leg pain after standard treatment, it’s time to consider other options:
Interventional medicine
Interventional therapies target the source of your pain with treatments such as:
- Epidural steroid injections
- Nerve root block
- Joint and bursa injections
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Sacroiliac joint injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Lumbar sympathetic nerve block
These treatments stop nerves from sending pain signals to your brain, resulting in less pain.
Regenerative medicine
When arthritis or injured tissues cause your leg pain, Dr. Tsoi may recommend a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or stem cell injection. Platelets trigger healing and help regulate inflammation, while stem cells regenerate the new cells needed to repair your damaged tissues.
Acupuncture
Dr. Tsoi may recommend acupuncture to relieve leg pain, especially if it arises from a pinched nerve.
Sarapin® injection
If you have a soft tissue problem, Dr. Tsoi may inject Sarapin, a natural pain reliever from the pitcher plant.
When you need relief from leg pain, call Advanced Wellness & Musculoskeletal Pain Clinic, or schedule an appointment online today.
