What is leg pain?
Leg pain is a feeling of discomfort that occurs within certain areas of your leg, including your upper leg, knee, or lower leg. You might experience the following sensations:
- Dull, aching pain
- Shooting or sharp pain
- Numbness
- Burning
- Tingling
- Weakness
- Instability
- Swelling
- Discoloration
- Bruising
- Pain with movement
Leg pain can negatively impact your range of motion and your mobility. You might experience it after an automobile, work-related, or sports injury.
What causes leg pain?
Diseases and injuries are common contributors to leg pain. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, neuropathy, and osteoporosis can contribute to leg pain.
Other causes include strains, sprains, knee, hip, or back injuries, joint inflammation (bursitis), stress fractures, and tendinitis, as well as herniated discs, sciatica, and shin splints.
How does my doctor diagnose the cause of leg pain?
To find the root cause of leg pain and establish the most effective treatment, your pain specialist reviews your symptoms and medical history. They examine your legs to detect or rule out signs of a disease or injury. Your provider might ask you to move your leg in various positions.
They may recommend you undergo ultrasounds, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, other imaging procedures, blood tests, or knee joint fluid analysis.
What are my leg pain treatment options?
Depending on the type and severity of leg pain you experience, your pain specialist may suggest one of the following treatments:
Lumbar radiofrequency ablation
Lumbar radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radio waves to prevent nerves from transmitting pain signals to your brain. Your specialist inserts a needle, guided with X-ray technology, near targeted nerves to emit radiofrequency energy.
Epidural steroid injections
Your specialist can inject an epidural steroid into the space around your spinal cord to alleviate inflammation and pain.
Medial branch nerve blocks
Your provider injects medial branch nerves in your spine with an anesthetic to reduce leg discomfort.
Facet joint injections
Facet joints are tiny joints between vertebrae in the back part of your spine surrounded by fluid. Your pain specialist can inject an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medicine into facet joints to achieve pain relief.
Sacroiliac joint injections
Sacroiliac joints connect the base of your spine to your pelvis. Sacroiliac joint injections contain an anesthetic and steroid to reduce inflammation and leg or hip pain.
Trigger point therapy
Trigger point injections can relax knotted muscles that contribute to pain throughout your body, including back and leg pain.
Don’t let leg pain prevent you from being physically active or enjoying life to its fullest. Schedule an appointment with Interventional Pain Consultants by phone or book online today.
