Leg pain

Leg pain: Introduction

Pain can arise from a variety of causes ranging from accidental trauma to nerve conditions. Pain-like sensations often described as pins-and-needles, prickling or burning sensations are called paresthesias; see leg paresthesias. All pain or pain-like sensations need prompt medical investigation.

» Review Causes of Leg pain: full list

Causes of Leg pain:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Leg pain. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Locations of leg pain:
  • Ankle pain
  • Foot pain
  • Knee pain
  • Hip pain
  • Shin pain
  • Calf pain
  • Thigh pain
• Muscle strain
• Ligament strain
• Over-exertion or injury
• Previous knee injury
• Previous hip injury
• Shin splints - see also causes of shin splints
• Stress fractures (type of Fractures)
• Compartment syndromes
• Patellofemoral problems
• Degenerative joint disease
• Intermittent claudication
• Venous claudication
• Night cramps
• Blocked artery
• Varicose veins
• Phlebitis
• Thrombophlebitis
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Gout
• Leg trauma
• Referred leg pain - getting leg pain when the real cause of the pain is elsewhere.
  • Sciatica
• more causes...»

See full list of 202 causes of Leg pain

» Review Causes of Leg pain: full list

Causes of Types of Leg pain:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Leg pain:

• Calf pain (33 causes)
• Leg cramps (8 causes)
• Thigh pain (25 causes)
• Leg pain on walking (5 causes)
• more types...»

Review causes of types of Leg pain in more specific categories:

• Leg pain in children (34 causes)
• Leg pain during pregnancy (18 causes)
• more types...»

See full list of 27 types for Leg pain

Leg pain: Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Leg pain, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Symptom Checker

• Leg pain: Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

• Leg pain and Pain (108 causes)
• Leg pain and Nerve symptoms (102 causes)
• Leg pain and Sensations (102 causes)
• Leg pain and Leg symptoms (89 causes)
• Leg pain and Limb symptoms (80 causes)
• Leg pain and Weakness (50 causes)
• Leg pain and Swelling symptoms (43 causes)
• Leg pain and Muscle symptoms (38 causes)
• Leg pain and Muscle weakness (37 causes)
• Leg pain and Back pain (36 causes)
• Leg pain and Back symptoms (35 causes)
• Leg pain and Digestive symptoms (34 causes)
• Leg pain and Paresthesias (33 causes)
• Leg pain and Movement symptoms (32 causes)
• Leg pain and Abdominal symptoms (29 causes)
• Leg pain and Head symptoms (29 causes)
• more...»

See full list of 2113 Symptom Checker combinations related to Leg pain

Leg pain: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Leg pain:

• Pain
• Arthritis & Pain
• Injury & Recovery
• Leg Care & Injury
• Knee Care & Injury
• Sleeping & Insomnia
• more product offers...»

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Pain (5505 causes)
• Leg symptoms (1585 causes)
• Sensations (5742 causes)
• Nerve symptoms (6069 causes)
• Common symptoms (7552 causes)
• Limb symptoms (1192 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Leg pain

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Leg pain:

• Leg rash (10 causes)
• Leg injury
• Foot pain (213 causes)
• Ankle pain (40 causes)
• Knee pain (118 causes)
• Muscle strain
• Ligament strain
• Over-exertion or injury
• Previous knee injury
• Previous hip injury
• Shin splints
• Stress fractures (2 causes)
• Compartment syndromes
• Patellofemoral problems
• Degenerative joint disease
• Intermittent claudication (21 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Diagnostic Guides for Leg pain

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from published book sections related to Leg pain from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Leg pain. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Leg pain

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Leg pain: Undiagnosed Conditions

Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:

• Nerve Disorders: serious diseases commonly undiagnosed:
  • Diabetic Neuropathy -- Undiagnosed
  • Peripheral Neuropathy -- Undiagnosed
  • Multiple Sclerosis -- Undiagnosed
  • more ...»
• Chronic Pain Disorders -- serious medical disorders that may be undiagnosed:
  • Fibromyalgia -- Undiagnosed
  • Arthritis -- Undiagnosed
  • Chronic Pain Syndromes -- Undiagnosed
  • Migraine -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Leg pain: Research Related Doctors & Specialists

• Nerve Specialists:
  • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
  • Neurology (Brain/CNS Specialists)
  • Pediatric Neurology (Child Brain Specialist)
  • Spinal Cord Injury Medicine
• Pain Specialists:
  • Pain Medicine
  • Rheumatology (Arthritis / Joint Pain)
• Arthritis & Joint Health Specialists (Rheumatology):
  • Rheumatology (Joint Health)
  • Pediatric Rheumatology (Child Joint Health)
• more specialists...»

Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:

• Rate Your Doctor by Taking a Survey Online
• Research Your Doctor
• View Online Patient Surveys from Other Patients of Your Doctor
• Research local doctors and specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Misdiagnosis and Leg pain

RLS sleep disorder causing night-time leg sensations often misdiagnosed: A common but relatively unknown sleep-related disorder called Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is often misdiagnosed. The typical symptoms are night-time tingling,...read more »

Leg cramps at night a classic sign: The symptom of having leg muscle cramps, particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes. However, there are also various other causes. See causes of leg cramps or misdiagnosis of diabetes....read more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See symptoms of Vitamin...read more »

Prostate cancer can present late: Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer among males. Patients with prostate cancer commonly present...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Leg pain

Diagnostic tests for Leg pain:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Leg pain. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Watch walking and nature of any limp
  • Inspect and feel legs for size and symmetry, any bruises, swellings, discoloration, tenderness, ulcers or rashes. If focal tenderness, swelling or redness of the skin this would suggest cellulitis, superficial thrombophlebitis, osteomyelitis or lymphangitis. If there is tenderness without swelling or redness this may suggest bursitis or deep venous thrombosis
  • Inspect pattern of any visible or bulging leg veins
  • Examine lumbosacral spine, if suspect leg pain may be referred from spine
  • Feel the pulses in the legs - if reduced or absent should suggest arterial embolism, peripheral atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or obstruction of the abdominal aorta and its branches by atherosclerosis.
  • Examine the lymph nodes in groin
• more tests...»

See full list of 33 diagnostic tests for Leg pain

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Leg pain. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had the leg pain? - to determine if acute or chronic e.g. if sudden and severe calf pain not related to trauma must consider acute lower limb ischemia (sudden obstruction of blood supply) from thrombosis (clot) or embolism (plug). An acute onset may also suggest cellulitis or deep vein thrombosis.
• Where exactly do you experience the pain? - e.g. thigh, calf, shin, hip, knee, foot or ankle. If deep and very localized and not generalized must consider bone tumor, fracture or rarely infection; if superficial must consider muscular pain.
• Did the pain follow trauma or activity? - if not must consider a vascular cause of leg pain e.g. vein or artery blockage or rupture. If there is a history of trauma, this would suggest a fracture, sprain or torn ligament.
• Is the site of the pain the same as the site of the trauma? - if not the leg pain is referred e.g. from spine or hip.
• Is the pain related to movement? - if pain is related to movement may be due to bone or joint problems; if pain is not related to movement the pain must arise from a soft tissue lesion e.g. artery or vein blockage.
• more questions...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Leg pain (21 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Leg pain) may include:

• Fever? - may suggest osteomyelitis, cellulitis, spinal cord infection.
• Symptoms of sciatica (spinal canal stenosis)? - e.g. may be a long history of back pain, back pain radiating down into the buttocks and legs, weakness, burning, numbness in legs, may be associated with bowel and bladder symptoms if severe.
• Symptoms of acute lower limb ischemia? - e.g. sudden severe leg pain, pallor of skin, paresthesia or numbness of lower leg, paralysis or weakness of leg.
• Symptoms of chronic peripheral vascular disease? - e.g. pain in buttock, thigh and calf, especially when walking up hills and stairs; persistent fatigue over the whole lower limb; impotence is possible. If severe, pain may occur at rest especially at night.
• Symptoms of varicose veins? - e.g. swelling of feet, leg fatigue, leg heaviness, itching.
• more symptoms...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Leg pain (21 listings)

Home Diagnostic Testing and Leg pain

Home medical tests possibly related to Leg pain:

• Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Test Kits
  • Home Blood Glucose Testing Kits
• more tests...»

Stories from Users for Leg pain

Real-life user stories relating to Leg pain:

• unexplained pain in groin,leg, hands, feet after having sex
• Right hip/buttock and leg pain
• Joint Pain plus red lumps / bumps / spots on my legs and arms...getting worse!
• leg pain
• hurt from med-levaquin anyone else?
• Help: Young but Hurting
• 19 year old female w/memory loss and sharp leg pains
• Unpredictable acute leg pain, background pain.
• Leg Pain and Foot swelling
• Continuous pain in left leg
• Groin, pelvic and leg pain- right side only
• Chronic muscle and leg pain
• 10 year old with leg and thigh pain
• really hurting.
• Numbness in foot and pain in leg
• 18yr Old Undiagnosed Leg/Foot Pain, Severe
• Hurting real Bad.
• Groin pain on right side, shooting pain in right leg
• Leg joint pain with no sweeling, redness or neat?
• hurt myself while asleep

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Leg pain or relevant symptoms:

• Musculoskeletal (Muscles, joints and bones) (663)
  • Joint and muscular pain after taking chantix
  • Arm pain after sneezing
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Joint swelling, stiffness, severe foot pain
  • Diastasis recti in adult male
  • More user stories
• Neurological (Nerves) (606)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Eye twitch
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • So many symptoms but no diagnosis...GGRRR
  • More user stories
• Integumentary (Skin) (432)
  • Itchy red bumps all over body? Hives?
  • Sensitive Skin to Touch
  • Painful skin and no answers!!!
  • Pinprick red dots, itchy skin, wrongly diagnosed
  • Skin blisters, joint & muscle pain, Photos..
  • More user stories
• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (333)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Palpitations, inner left arm pain
  • Hand numbness
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • More user stories

Videos for Leg pain

Patient Surveys for Leg pain

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• Survey about diseases related to your Leg pain
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Causes of Leg pain listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Leg pain as a symptom include:

• Achilles tendinitis
• Baker's cyst of knee (and rupture)
• Blount's disease
• Bromocriptine
• Cabergoline
• Cramp
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Functional disorders
• Intervertebral disc herniation
• Limb ischaemia
• Lysuride
• May-Thurner syndrome
• Meralgia paraesthetica
• more causes...»

See full list of 202 causes of Leg pain
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Leg pain:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Leg pain as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Irbesartan
• Avopro
• Karvea
• Madopar
• Kinson
• Valacyclovir
• more causes...»

See full list of 112 medications causing Leg pain

Organs affected by Leg pain:

The list of organs typically affected by Leg pain may include, but is not limited to:

• Leg

Detailed list of causes of Leg pain

The list below shows some of the causes of Leg pain mentioned in various sources:

• Achilles tendinitis
• Acute intermittent porphyria - leg pain
• Addison's Disease - leg pain
• Addisonian crisis - leg pain
• Adult hypophosphatasia - thigh pain
• Allergic tension-fatigue syndrome - leg pain
• Anaemia
• more causes...»

See full list of 202 causes of Leg pain

How Common are these Causes of Leg pain?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Leg pain. Of the 202 causes of Leg pain that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 5 causes are "very common" diseases
• 8 causes are "common" diseases
• 3 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 0 causes are "rare" diseases
• 5 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 188 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 202 causes of Leg pain

Conditions listing symptoms: Leg pain:

The following list of conditions have 'Leg pain' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Leg pain Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Leg pain based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: