Leg Pain

Vascular disease presents in many ways, unexplained leg pain is one of them. Leg tightness, burning, cramping, stiffness, numbness, tingling, coldness, and pain are the descriptions of patients who experience vascular related symptoms in the legs due to Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or Chronic Venous Insufficiency.  Experiencing constant or worsening leg pain can make it difficult to walk and leave you less able to keep up on your daily tasks. At Palm Beach Heart & Vascular in Boynton Beach, Florida, vascular interventional cardiologist Paul Michael, MD, focuses on prevention, detection, and intervention of vascular related causes of leg pain. To learn more about diagnosing your leg pain, call Palm Beach Heart & Vascular or book an appointment online today.

What is leg pain?

Leg pain can affect one or both of your legs. It might worsen when you walk or while at rest. If you have constant or recurrent discomfort in one or both of your legs, the experts at Palm Beach Heart & Vascular can help you identify its underlying cause and provide treatment. 

There are many injuries and conditions that can cause pain in one or both legs. Here are two of the most common causes of leg pain related to the cardiovascular system:

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Deep vein thrombosis is another term for a blood clot deep inside the leg. 

Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

Peripheral artery disease can cause leg pain at night among other symptoms. With this condition, the arteries are narrow, which reduces blood flow to your limbs.

Which symptoms come with leg pain?

Leg pain can show up as your only symptom, but the vascular conditions associated with it tend to cause a range of other symptoms, too. When you visit Palm Beach Heart & Vascular for an evaluation, your providers perform a physical examination and ask you to describe your symptoms. 

Aside from the leg pain, your symptoms might include:

• Redness on the skin
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Warmth
• Swelling
• Itching
• Leg wounds or ulcers

Your overall health and your diagnosis influence your treatment plan at Palm Beach Heart & Vascular. 

What are my treatment options for leg pain?

Your treatment for leg pain depends on the underlying diagnosis. The most effective treatments for one type of leg pain will not be the most effective options for another. The experts at Palm Beach Heart & Vascular work together to make an individualized care plan to manage your leg pain.

Your treatment might involve a combination of:

Lifestyle modifications

Making some changes to your lifestyle is the first line of treatment for leg pain due to cardiovascular issues. You may need to quit smoking, adopt a more nutritious diet, or get more exercise. 

Medications 

A variety of medications can help with leg pain and the underlying conditions causing it. Your prescriptions might include high blood pressure, cholesterol-lowering, or anti-clotting medications. 

Procedures

The experts at Palm Beach Heart & Vascular can treat conditions causing leg pain using the latest techniques, both surgical and nonsurgical. Depending on your condition, its severity, and the treatments you’ve already tried, your provider might recommend options such as angioplasty or stenting. 

Leg and foot ulcer care

DVT and PAD commonly cause leg and foot ulcers. To prevent infection and help the ulcer heal, you’ll need specific treatment, such as wound debridement and compression therapy. 

To learn more about your leg pain and treatments that can reduce it, call Palm Beach Heart & Vascular or book an appointment online today.