Symptom: Leg pain

Introduction: Leg pain

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

See full list of 193 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 (29 causes)
• Leg cramps (7 causes)
• Thigh pain (11 causes)
• Leg pain on walking (5 causes)

See full list of 25 types for Leg pain

Leg pain: Multiple Symptom Checker

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

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Leg pain: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Leg pain and Pain (93 causes)
• Leg pain and Nerve symptoms (86 causes)
• Leg pain and Sensations (86 causes)
• Leg pain and Leg symptoms (80 causes)
• Leg pain and Limb symptoms (73 causes)
• Leg pain and Weakness (45 causes)
• Leg pain and Swelling symptoms (38 causes)
• Leg pain and Back symptoms (34 causes)
• Leg pain and Movement symptoms (34 causes)
• Leg pain and Back pain (33 causes)
• Leg pain and Muscle weakness (32 causes)
• Leg pain and Muscle symptoms (31 causes)
• Leg pain and Digestive symptoms (29 causes)
• Leg pain and Paresthesias (29 causes)
• Leg pain and Head symptoms (27 causes)
• Leg pain and Skin symptoms (26 causes)
• Leg pain and Sexual symptoms (25 causes)
• Leg pain and Skin problems (25 causes)
• Leg pain and Abdominal symptoms (24 causes)
• Leg pain and Numbness (24 causes)

See full list of 1016 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Leg pain

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Pain (2986 causes)
• Leg symptoms (1076 causes)
• Sensations (3186 causes)
• Nerve symptoms (3474 causes)
• Common symptoms (4555 causes)
• Limb symptoms (1032 causes)

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 (202 causes)
• Ankle pain (38 causes)
• Knee pain (116 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Leg pain

12 MEDICAL SYMPTOM BOOKS: FULL TEXT ONLINE! Read the full text of 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.

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...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...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 B12...read more »

Prostate cancer can present late: Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer among males. Patients with prostate cancer commonly present with local symptoms such as urinary retention,...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

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.

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.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Leg pain (21 listings)

Stories from Users for Leg pain

Real-life user stories relating to Leg pain:

• palpitations, lightheadedness, heavy-feeling limbs, no diagnosis for 2+ years!
• unexplained pain in groin,leg, hands, feet after having sex
• Joint Pain plus red lumps / bumps / spots on my legs and arms...getting worse!
• leg pain
• Right hip/buttock and leg pain
• Help: Young but Hurting
• Unpredictable acute leg pain, background pain.
• really hurting.
• 19 year old female w/memory loss and sharp leg pains
• Tired of feeling ill, tired of no diagnosis
• Hurting real Bad.
• Groin, pelvic and leg pain- right side only
• Chronic leg pain, worsening HELP PLEASE
• Painful leg and foot
• Leg Pain When Standing
• Groin pain on right side, shooting pain in right leg
• Help with leg pain
• Severe Leg Pain
• buttocks-down the leg aches when sitting or lying
• Leg Pain

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

• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (171)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Hand numbness
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • Anxiety and high BP
  • More user stories
• Musculoskeletal (Muscles, joints and bones) (405)
  • Joint and muscular pain after taking chantix
  • Arm pain after sneezing
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Joint swelling, stiffness, severe foot pain
  • Muscle twitches/spasms
  • More user stories
• Integumentary (Skin) (244)
  • 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
• Neurological (Nerves) (357)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • Eye twitch
  • Essential tremor
  • More user stories

Videos for Leg pain

Patient Surveys for 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
• Osgood-Schlatter's disease
• Pergolide
• Piribedil
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Propranolol
• Ropinirole
• Varicose veins

See full list of 193 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

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

See full list of 193 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 193 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
• 179 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 193 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: