Pain in the calf muscle: causes and treatment. Symptoms of the disease - pain in the calf muscle Why does the calf muscle become inflamed

Pain in the calf muscle can be triggered by a fairly large number of reasons, from minor ones that do not require treatment, to pain caused by serious abnormalities in the human body. That is why it is important to know why the calf muscles hurt, and to be able to properly take measures to eliminate pain.

At the same time, if the pain began to repeat constantly, more and more intensified, convulsions appeared, it is necessary to contact specialized medical institutions for examination and treatment.

The most common reason why the calf muscles can hurt, which does not require special treatment, is the stagnation of lactic acid. This is due to increased, unusual activity of muscle tissues. Therefore, if you know that a muscle hurts precisely because of the increased load on the lower limbs, you should not be scared, as this is a kind of protective reaction of the body to loads unusual for it. Thus, he notifies that he needs rest.

After the legs have rested, the pains go away on their own, as the lactic acid gradually diverges. The process of disappearance of pain caused by this cause can be accelerated. To do this, you need to raise your legs up, you can lie near the wall, press your buttocks against the wall and raise your legs, resting them against the wall. Thanks to this condition, blood circulation in the legs improves and there will be an outflow of blood from them, as a result of which lactic acid is processed at a faster pace and pain disappears faster.

In addition, the pain caused by overload can be relieved by soaking the feet in cool water.

The second reason, which may have provoked pain in the calf, may be a muscle strain that occurs during an unsuccessful leg position, a sudden movement, or, for example, running. The pain syndrome that arose for this reason also does not need treatment. In this case, the leg must be allowed to rest and ensure peace.

The calf muscles hurt after running due to the fact that unprepared muscle tissues do not have enough time to relax from previous contractions, and the person is already performing the following movements. This provokes muscle strain. That is why it is necessary to warm up before any sports activities. Only after a proper warm-up, the muscle fibers of the legs will be able to properly respond to the processes occurring in the body during running.

In this case, as a rule, the calf muscles hurt after running, and not on time.

Causes requiring medical intervention and their symptoms

Why there are pains in the calf muscle, their causes and how to treat, every person needs to know. Since pain in the calf muscles, with the exception of causes caused by temporary leg overloads, is a fairly serious symptom, as a rule, often symbolizing serious health problems.

The most common causes that provoke pain in the calves or a feeling that pulls the calf muscle of the right leg or left:

side effects of drugs;
damage to the nerve tissues of the legs;
inflammation of the venous wall of the legs;
thrombosis of the veins of the leg;
atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower leg;
calf muscle disease;
violations of the normal activity of the musculoskeletal system and other causes.

If a muscle in the calf area hurts due to varicose veins, this is quite easy to understand. Since this disease has a pronounced external character, that is, it manifests itself in the form of swollen peripheral veins, easily visible under the skin due to protrusion. Veins with varicose veins become very swollen, tortuous and have a blue color, and there is also a seal in the calf muscle.

If pain in the calf muscles is caused by varicose veins, then the following symptoms of the disease will help to detect it: pain occurs mainly in the afternoon, swelling appears in the ankle area, fatigue and pain in the legs are felt.

However, these symptoms often occur even before the veins become visible. This is important to know, because the sooner you start treating varicose veins, the more effective and safer the treatment will be.

The reasons why the calf muscles hurt are sometimes not serious, that is, they often do not require serious treatment. These causes include damage to the nerve tissues of the legs. The pain syndrome provoked by this cause is not permanent, but occurs unexpectedly and disappears after a short time. Damage to the nerve fibers is also often accompanied by a feeling of numbness or heat in the lower limb, in which the nerve is damaged.

Inflammation of the venous walls and thrombosis of the veins of the leg are characterized by severe pain in the calves.

With chronic inflammation of the venous wall (phlebitis), the skin on top of the inflamed vein becomes red and hot. Often this disease is accompanied by a rise in temperature, a person begins to feel weak.

Thrombosis of the veins (thrombosis) is expressed in the appearance of blood clots, which begin to interfere with free circulation. Here you can see such a main symptom as a large swelling of the leg, which also acquires a dark red color with a bluish tinge. With this disease, the calf muscle hurts very much.

Treatment of phlebitis and thrombosis is mainly carried out in hospitals, as these are quite serious diseases that require immediate medical intervention.

Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower leg is a disease of the arteries of the lower leg that has arisen due to a violation of lipid and protein metabolism. It is often accompanied by deposits of cholesterol and various lipoproteins in the lumen of blood vessels, as a result of which blood circulation in the legs is disturbed.

You can detect this disease by the following symptoms:

the skin of the lower leg becomes drier than the rest;
muscles begin to atrophy;
hair loss occurs in the lower leg area;
there is the appearance of a fungus on the legs.

A neglected disease often leads to gangrene. Also, a characteristic feature of this disease can be noted that a person begins to limp and often stops while walking, as movements cause him pain in the calf muscles.

Diseases that provoke the appearance of pain in the calf area include:

myositis is an inflammation of the calf muscle tissue;
trichinosis is a disease with worms that can penetrate into any tissue of a living organism;
rheumatic fibromyalgia - a disease that affects muscle tissue and tendons;
myopathy is a neuromuscular disease characterized by muscle damage, often provoked by the use of drugs.

In case of violations of the musculoskeletal system, and more specifically the spine, it is also often found that the muscle on the right leg hurts, less often on the left.

The occurrence of pain is caused by such pathologies and diseases as osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia and various kinds of pathological curvature and damage. This is due to the fact that due to pathologies, for example, the appearance of a tumor, the calf muscle is pinched by pressing on it. This pathology is characterized by a symptom of the onset of pain after sudden movements, and as a rule, it is given only in one lower limb and often there is pain in the lumbar region.

Moreover, all these violations can provoke not only ordinary pain, but also the so-called convulsions.

What are calf cramps

Leg cramps are an uncontrolled contraction of muscle tissue, accompanied by severe pain syndromes and a feeling that something is tightening the muscles of the legs.

This symptom occurs suddenly and usually goes away on its own.

In addition to the above reasons, factors such as dehydration of the body, lack of useful vitamins, rapid climate change, long-term overstrain of the muscle tissues of the legs, and disruption of the thyroid gland are also capable of provoking it.
You can also note a number of factors that contribute to the occurrence of seizures, the hallmark of which is the occurrence at night during sleep, these are hypothermia and muscle strain.

During such attacks, the calf muscle becomes like a stone in hardness and deforms, and there is also a feeling that all the muscles of the legs have been pulled together and that the vein may burst.

The reasons for which it is felt for several days that the calf muscles of the legs are pulled are precisely the transferred convulsions. This is due to the fact that the muscle fibers stretched at the time of the attack. It is recommended to use an elastic bandage to get rid of this feeling more quickly.

How to treat

It is necessary to treat pain in the calf region of the legs only after establishing the cause of its appearance. To do this, you need to undergo an examination, take blood tests, urine tests, undergo MRI, computed tomography, x-rays and other body tests that the doctor will prescribe based on your complaints and description of the pain that has arisen.

But until the moment of contacting specialists, it is not necessary when the calf muscles hurt to get lost, tormented along with the pain by the question of what to do. At the first appearance of severe pain, as well as cramps, you can do a light massage of the calves, by lightly rubbing or pinching the place of pain. It is also recommended to put your feet on a cold floor or douse them with cold water, which will help restore normal blood circulation in the veins.

After the first manifestations of pain in the calf muscles, so that later treatment is not needed or the treatment is less painless, it is necessary to walk only in comfortable shoes that do not deform the legs (without heels, etc.), and you can also use elastic bandages.

In no case should acupuncture or other similar methods be used to relieve pain. They can only be carried out by a specialist with special knowledge in this field.

It must be remembered that the calf muscles of the legs do not hurt for no reason, which is why it is necessary to undergo a diagnosis and take measures for treatment when such pain appears.

A person may experience a problem called myalgia - pain in the muscles of a different nature. The treatment of unpleasant symptoms varies depending on the location of the pain, the characteristics of the body and the underlying causes of muscle pain.

Why does muscle pain occur?

Changes in contractile processes in the muscles of the skeleton are responsible for the violation of the functions of the muscles. The causative agents of reactions lead to reflex muscle contraction (hypertonicity) with painful sensations. As a result, this leads to the release of norepinephrine and the formation of neuromuscular enzymes.

Muscle tension occurs for various reasons:

tension;
pathology of the viscera;
overload;
inflammatory processes.

Muscle structure

Causes and symptoms of pain in different muscle groups

Any manifestation of discomfort in the muscles can be either a simple overstrain after sports activities or a sign of serious problems. In any case, it is worth considering various factors: from the form of pain to the actions preceding it.

Pain in the muscles of the legs

Various can be associated with diseases of the joints, blood vessels, spine, or directly the muscles themselves:

vascular atherosclerosis

Vessels - dull myalgia. Heaviness in the muscles of the legs occurs due to a downed outflow of venous blood and a further increase in pressure, which leads to varicose veins.
Diseases of the peripheral nerves - paroxysmal pain. Occurs on the basis of movement disorders. It does not hurt constantly, but myalgia attacks can last for several minutes.
Diseases of the joints - twisting pains. Weak joints in the legs often begin to hurt due to a cardinal change in weather. In more serious cases, pain occurs due to gout already in old age. Unwellness in the knees indicates the destruction of the cartilage plate.
- aching pain, muscle weakness. Inflammation of the muscles of the legs occurs due to hypothermia, intoxication of the body, leg muscle injuries and various infectious diseases. In the latter case, purulent inflammation and fever are possible. In the worst case, muscle atrophy occurs.
Osteomyelitis - acute long-term ailments. The cause of the disease lies in the bones and all bone components.
Excess weight - aching constant pain. With excess weight, the load on the bones and muscles increases, for this reason, aching pains in the legs may appear at a fairly early age, and in old age they are inevitable.

Muscle tissue in myositis

Chronic overexertion can also cause pulling colic and pain when moving.

With a load exceeding the adequate capabilities of the muscles, microcracks appear in the muscles and are accompanied by frequent malaise for several days. With further stress on damaged muscles, there is a risk of muscle rupture.

thigh muscles

Pain in the femoral muscles can be the cause of diseases:

- Lumbar shootings. Overexertion of the lumbar leads to sharp pains reflected in the gluteal and thigh muscles.
Diseases of the spine - myalgia, extending to the right or left legs. Problems associated with the intervertebral disc or inflammation of the sciatic nerve leads to radiating pain. The factors for the occurrence of such diseases are associated with a sedentary lifestyle or hereditary diseases of the back.

calf muscles

Types of diseases in which the calf muscles hurt:

flat feet

Stagnation of blood in the veins- stabbing and aching sensations in the calf. Working on the legs, or, conversely, sedentary work, leads to circulatory disorders, as a result of which oxygen starvation begins in the muscles of the legs and the accumulation of toxins.
Thrombophlebitis- Throbbing pain and burning in the lower leg or thigh. A constant burning sensation due to inflammation of the walls of the veins and blood clots inside occurs due to possible inflammation and violation of the integrity of the walls of blood vessels.
- compressive spasms. Such a disease is accompanied by a feeling of cold feet, even in the warm season. The discomfort itself is aggravated by walking. Arterial damage develops for various reasons: age, heredity, smoking, unbalanced nutrition towards the consumption of animal fats.
- Lead heaviness in the legs. Foot problems arise due to poor heredity, excess weight and constant wearing of uncomfortable shoes. Accompanied by aching spasms with rapid fatigue when moving.

Cramps occur quite often as stabbing tension in the tibial, quadriceps, deltoid, and soleus muscles. Involuntary muscle contractions in the legs occur due to severe overexertion, hypothermia, or incorrect position of the limb.

If cramps torment you too often, you can stretch your legs several times a week to develop and warm up your muscles.

In the muscles of the hands

The components of the arms are the shoulder muscles, forearm, shoulder and hand muscles.

The reason may lie both in the pathology of the limb, and in non-standard loads on the hands:

Polymyositis- muscle weakness. Tension in the muscles may arise from rheumatic disorders of the limb or the whole body. Muscle stiffness occurs first in the neck, then in the shoulder muscles and can later spread to the entire body up to the feet.
Infectious diseases- aching myalgia. During the flu, Coxsackie and brucellosis, the weakness of the body is reflected in the muscles of the hands, resembling the sensation of a bruise on palpation, but there are no direct problems with the muscles in this case.
Injury- sharp pain. With mechanical damage during physical exertion, muscle rupture occurs. In addition to acute colic, swelling of the limb and pain during tactile contact are observed.
convulsions- sharp undulating tingling. Overexertion, incorrect position of the hand or hypothermia leads to sudden convulsions. You should relax the muscles and massage the sore spot.

Stooping can also cause painful muscle tension in the arms. Kyphosis is reflected by pain in the shoulder and neck region.

Pain in all muscles of the body

Sometimes discomfort does not occur locally, but is dispersed throughout the body.

This happens due to the following reasons:

fibromyalgia

Blood diseases- aching muscles. If you suspect lymphoma or leukemia (the muscles of the whole body hurt, but there are no typical signs of a viral disease), you should immediately consult a doctor.
Weakened immunity- sensation of bruising. During viral and infectious diseases, along with a high temperature, the body aches and hurts as if after a strong physical exertion. Such ailments disappear after the end of the active phase of the development of the disease.
- symmetrical malaise throughout the body. Most often, chronic muscle fatigue occurs on the basis of psychological trauma. Constant stress and overwork leads to constant wandering muscle pain throughout the body, most manifested in the back of the head, neck, chest, hips and knees.
Food poisoning- General weakness. In addition to the pain of all muscle groups, fever is observed (less often - chills and cold sweat), weakness of the whole body and sharp colic in the abdomen. In this case, you should wash the stomach by inducing vomiting, taking sorbents and plenty of clean water.
Tick bite- It's a dull pain. In the case of infection with encephalitis, after a vector bite, in addition to body pain, small blisters with white fluid appear in the bite area. You need to go to the hospital as soon as possible.

Tick-borne incephalitis

Starvation is a serious muscle load. Due to the inhibition of all metabolic processes during a long hunger strike, not only the organs, but also the muscles of the body are excessively strained.

Muscles of the back and neck

Pain in this area bothers people due to frequent physical activity and improper selection of mattresses for beds.

A neck injury causes constant muscle tension. Even a slight displacement of the vertebrae with mechanical damage leads to depression, paresthesia of the limbs, dizziness and constant problems with sleep at night.

But there are other causes of muscle pain in the neck:

- malaise of the entire upper back and neck. The cervical discs are displaced and form a bulge outside the spinal column itself. Due to the occurrence of a hernia, there is a weakening of the muscles of the hands and a constant migraine.
Stress- Severe neck pain. Chronic fatigue and tension, as well as frequent neurosis, lead to pain in the neck.
- spasms of the neck muscles. The pain is sharp and aching, sometimes it can be given to the arms and shoulder blades. Spasms begin due to the erasure of the cervical vertebrae due to the depletion of a layer of a special lubricating substance between the joints.
cervical myositis- Tearing or aching night or day pains. The cause of the disease lies in the weakened state of bone tissue, their infection or purulent infections. Treatment of such symptoms is prescribed by a specialist.
Hypertension- morning sickness. High blood pressure often worries people not only with migraines, but also with pain in the muscles of the neck, most often in the morning.
- pain in the neck muscles and headache. Atypical spiked processes of the spine contribute to the pinching of nerve endings, which leads to pain.
neck inflammation- Pain in the anterior or sternocleidomastoid muscles. The defeat of the submandibular lymph nodes disturbs the pulling and intense pain of the anterior muscles. behind is characterized by pain, accompanied by shooting pain in the back, behind the ears, in the lower part of the face and in the eyes.

Development of spondyloarthrosis and osteochondrosis Cervical hernia Osteoporosis is the destruction of bone tissue

In the absence of sports or elementary exercises with a sedentary lifestyle, spasms of various limbs, including the neck, occur.

Pain in the muscles of the back, for example, in the trapezius, occurs when:

The load on the body during pregnancy causes pain

Overwork- aching pains. With excessive load on the back area, aching pain appears from the shoulder blades to the lower back.
Short shoulders- constant muscle tension. With a pathology of a shorter shoulder length relative to the body, constant tension arises. Ultimately, because of him, the muscles of the shoulders and shoulder blades begin to hurt.
Gynecological problems- back pain. This is what worries women the most. Treatment is prescribed taking into account gynecological features.

Pain in the muscles of the tongue and throat

There are a number of diseases in which the tongue and throat hurt:

Emotional state - constricting throat and cheekbones spasms. The psychological state of excitement, jealousy or irritation may be accompanied by spasms in the throat and cheekbones. Most often, this precedes the appearance of tears, and apart from a bad mood, this does not portend anything dangerous.
Inflammation is a sharp pain. Laryngitis and tonsillitis weaken the work of the entire oropharyngeal cavity.
Drug intoxication - aching pain. This phenomenon is accompanied by pain not only in the throat, but also in the abdomen. General weakness is accompanied by chills or fever.

Muscle pain after exercise

Light pain in the area of tense parts of the body is considered the norm, but with an excess of training or improper selection of power loads, the muscles can tear, which will lead to acute pain during muscle engagement.

Muscle pain in a child

Muscles in children from time to time can hurt after long loads due to active games, the irregularity of such manifestations is not terrible and natural. Acute joint pain with a swollen limb and possible fever signals an injury to the child.

Most often, the younger generation is concerned about muscle spasm during sleep or sports activities. In this case, you should leave the tense muscle alone, warm it up and massage it.

If a growing body does not receive a sufficient amount of trace elements such as magnesium, calcium, and B vitamins, then spasms and ailments in the body can become systematic.

Osteopath massage

Pain in the muscles in the lower abdomen in women

Cramps in the lower abdomen may indicate inflammation of the genitourinary system, but there are other reasons:

Vaginismus - spasms of the muscles of the vagina. If you feel discomfort during intercourse due to poor preparation and fear, vaginismus can develop, dangerous by pinching the partner's organ inside the woman.
Inflammation of the uterus - tension in the muscles of the abdomen. The entry of harmful microorganisms into the fallopian tubes and ovaries is called salpingo-oophoritis and is accompanied not only by muscle pain, but also by fever and migraine.
Piriformis Syndrome is a neurological compression of a nerve. The pain is especially pronounced in the buttocks and thighs, but can radiate to the lower abdomen, during the movement of the legs it intensifies due to the tension of the pinched nerve.

Pain in Piriformis Syndrome

Pain diagnostics

In order to find the cause, the following studies should be carried out:

medical history;
symptoms;
instrumental research methods (MRI, ultrasound, X-ray);
medical examination;
laboratory research;
electrophysiological methods.

Which doctor should I contact for treatment?

Depending on the cause of myalgia, the following doctors can conduct and prescribe treatment:

traumatologist;
surgeon (including vascular);
neuropathologist;
gynecologist;
rheumatologist;
infectious disease specialist;
physiotherapist.

A specialist for a more specific disease may be recommended by the therapist after reviewing the disease data.

First aid for an attack of pain at home

Serious pain in the muscles due to dangerous pathologies cannot be treated at home.

But in the case of short-term cramps or pain associated with joint diseases, you can alleviate the symptoms with the main methods:

Painkiller. Taking possible painkillers will help temporarily relieve ailments, but the cause of the occurrence will not be solved.
In case of overstrain, you should gradually relax the limb and make a light warming massage.
Cooling. If there are symptoms of injury in the form of swelling and pain in the muscles, an ice pack or an ice rag should be applied to the sore spot within the first 10 minutes from the moment of injury.
Warm. If more than 15 minutes have passed, the cold will not help. In this case, the swollen limb should, on the contrary, be warmed.

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How to treat muscle pain?

The consulting physician may prescribe the following treatments depending on the type of disease:

. Prescribed for muscle strain syndrome and done by specialists, home massage can only alleviate the symptoms. However, it must be done after the exacerbation is removed.
Most often, myalgia is treated with electrophoresis with prozerin or calcium chloride. In some diseases, electrical muscle stimulation and thermal procedures are used.
. Exercises to improve the condition of the muscles during sedentary work or an inactive lifestyle are prescribed by an individual physiotherapy doctor.
Acupuncture and manual therapy. Such methods have been considered effective since the time of ancient China, but are not as well developed in medicine as other methods of treatment. Manual therapy is considered similar to massage, but has its own individual differences.

Hernia Physical Therapy Foot Massage Kumbhakasana Exercise Muscle Relaxation Manual Therapy

Drug treatment can help indirectly by reducing the diseases that caused myalgia:

Tablets help relieve pain during treatment or at the initial stage.
help in a short time with mechanical minor damage to such muscle areas, which are easy to get to the active components. Most often, ointments have a warming effect.
injections are a more serious method of treatment and are prescribed exclusively by the attending physician.

Folk remedies

Folk methods of ancestors are taken much more seriously by many than modern methods of treatment:

Ointment from a mixture of laurel and juniper. Both components are ground into flour and mixed with petroleum jelly, ointment is applied to the affected area for the whole night.
Crushed boiled potato with skin applied in gauze to the sore spot at night.
A mixture of lard or butter with field horsetail.
Large leaves of cabbage with soap and salt applied to the affected area.
Lotions for the night from honey and grated horseradish or black radish.
Infusion of thyme drink 2-3 times a day.

Muscle pain during pregnancy

Myalgia during childbearing often occurs in women in the iliac and pectoral muscles who were not active before pregnancy:

Surely the back will hurt from the heavy load of the growing fetus, as well as the muscles of the pelvic floor. The muscles of the legs suffer no less, because she has to support the weight of another organism.
It is best to start preparing for conception in advance and train both the body as a whole and the pelvic muscles separately for a less painful passage of the birth itself.
Myalgia should be treated by taking vitamin complexes for pregnant women., engaging in special physical education and eliminating overstrain in the expectant mother.

Conclusion

It is dangerous to self-medicate when serious pathologies of the muscles and accompanying unpleasant reactions of the body are detected, therefore, in case of unpleasant excesses, you should immediately contact a therapist who, according to the results of analyzes and checks, can appoint an appointment with a narrowly focused doctor.

The gastrocnemius muscle is a biceps muscle located in the back of the human lower leg. Caviar is responsible for the stability of the body in the process of movement, for the motor function of the foot. Pain in the calf muscle is a common occurrence in the adult population. Often, along with pain, the calf swells (swells). Often the pain and swelling affects both calves at the same time.

Most suffering people do not attach importance to swelling and swelling of the legs, blaming the process on fatigue or a temporary excess of water in the body. Caviar can get sick suddenly, as a result of the slightest discomfort, then quickly pass. But the phenomenon is a consequence of a serious illness. If the calf of the leg is swollen, pain appears, it is necessary to use the help of a doctor to identify the cause of the onset of symptoms and prescribe follow-up measures for recovery.

Causes of pain and swelling of the calves of the legs:

Dangerous heart or blood vessel diseases;
Serious diseases of the liver, kidneys;
Diseases of the venous vessels;
Pathology of arterial vessels;
Diseases of the calf muscles;
Damage to the nerve trunks approaching the lower extremities;
Diseases of surrounding tissues;
Pathology of the spine.

Known other factors affecting the appearance:

abuse of drugs, diuretics and laxatives;
taking contraceptive or hormonal drugs;
pregnancy, premenstrual syndrome;
improper, unbalanced diet with an excessive content of carbohydrates and salts;
slow excretion of salts by the body;
allergic reactions;
leg injury.

Many diseases are described, accompanied by pain and swelling of the calf muscle:

Acute occlusion of the leg artery;
Inflammation of skeletal muscles - myositis;
Neuritis (osteochondrosis) and polyneuritis (diabetes, chronic alcohol poisoning, dystrophic pathologies, infectious diseases);
Osteomyelitis;
Pathology of the joints of the legs;
Injuries associated with ruptures or tears of the Achilles tendon;
Inflammatory processes on the skin, in the subcutaneous tissue of the lower leg;
Inflammation of the sciatic nerve on the right, left side, other diseases of the spine.

Let's name the common cases of swelling of the calves with pain.

Phlebeurysm

The disease affects predominantly the female half of the population (sometimes in men) after 20 years, is often hereditary. The causes of occurrence are different: prolonged stress on the legs, wearing shoes with heels above 5 cm, pregnancy, injuries, smoking and others. During the course of the disease, superficial veins are affected, which is noticeable visually.

In the aggravated stage, there is a feeling of heaviness in the legs, frequent fatigue, cramps (usually at night), pain. At times, swelling occurs at the site of damage to the caviar, dermatitis can develop, and long-lasting trophic ulcers occur. Varicose veins do not always affect both legs equally, sometimes the disease is more pronounced on the right or left leg. If the prerequisites for varicose veins have appeared on one limb, it is worth directing enhanced measures to prevent the appearance of varicose veins on the second leg.

Prevention of varicose veins

Do not get involved in hot baths;
Reduce weight (subject to extra pounds);
Do not wear overly tight clothing or clothing that squeezes blood vessels (for example, jeans that are too tight);
Alternate loads;
Introduce foods rich in fiber into the diet;
Soak your feet in cool water at the end of the day;
More often try to walk on the dew or along the water's edge;
Do special exercises for the legs.

Thrombophlebitis (thrombosis)

A common vascular disease in which the calf muscle hurts pulsatingly, the sensations gradually turn into a burning sensation. The pain is permanent. With thrombosis, the calves of the legs swell, heaviness appears, the skin at the site of the lesion acquires a smooth, shiny appearance, and veins become visible. The pain is distributed along the back of the leg from the foot to the thigh, increases with flexion. Similar to varicose veins, thrombosis can develop in the right leg, the left leg, or both.

Thrombophlebitis is dangerous. Thrombi formed in the vessels or their particles are able to move along with the blood, due to which there is a blockage of the vessel and a fatal outcome is possible. If signs are found that are similar in symptoms to thrombosis, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor.

Prevention of thrombophlebitis

Drinking water in the amount required by the body, water - effectively prevents the appearance of blood clots.
Introduce foods that have blood-thinning properties into your diet:

Reduce the intake of foods that affect blood clotting:

broths cooked on meat;
sausages, smoked products, jelly;
wheat flour products;
heavy cream;
lentils, peas;
wild rose, chokeberry;
mango, bananas;
decoctions of herbs that reduce bleeding and blood fluid.

Refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking.
Reduce the amount of salt;
Try to avoid the use of diuretics, contraceptives, hormonal drugs, supplements aimed at increasing libido.
Lead a mobile lifestyle, go out into nature more often, breathe clean air, play sports.

General measures for the prevention and removal of pain during swelling (edema) of the calves of the legs

Reducing calf swelling is the top goal for swelling. The elevated position of the legs will help. It is recommended to place the feet on an elevation, at a level exceeding the level of the heart, so that the load and pressure on the lower body is minimized. It is permissible to use special devices.

During sleep, place your feet on pillows to ensure an elevated state.

For the prevention of edema, special tights, socks, stockings are used, which are easy to purchase at a pharmacy or specialized orthopedic stores.

It is important to wear the correct, appropriately sized shoes: they should not press or press on the heel or toe. To choose a comfortable size, it is recommended to purchase shoes in the afternoon, when the legs are already tired and slightly swollen.

To reduce swelling of the calf (calves) of the legs, it is recommended to follow the advice:

increase the load on the muscles of the legs, through walking;
avoid static state, stand less;
do not sit in a “foot to foot” position without squeezing the veins of the back of the lower leg;
reduce salt intake, prevents the release of water from the body;
do not use excessively medicinal, diuretic, laxatives, hormonal and contraceptive drugs;
drink more plain clean water (the average human norm for water consumption is 2 liters per day).

An alarming sign is that with the application of preventive measures, the swelling of the legs does not disappear. Then you need to see a doctor.

Treatment of pain and swelling of the calf muscles of the legs

Most diseases of the calf muscle can be easily eliminated with treatment at home and in a hospital. However, there are diseases, for example, acute vascular pathologies, myositis, complicated chronic vascular insufficiency, certain pathologies of the spine, which require the intervention of a surgeon or constant medical supervision.

It happens that complete relief from pain and swelling of the legs is impossible. Then traditional methods of treatment (injections, tablets, heating) are used to maintain and alleviate the symptoms of the underlying disease. For example, with diabetes - insulin, with varicose veins - special elastic tights or stockings.

Of course, it is necessary to understand an important thing - in no case do not try to solve the problem with your legs on your own. Only a doctor can correctly establish the causes of pain and swelling of the legs through examination and analysis. Follow the recommendations for prevention, in order to reduce the risk of disease - is valuable and correct. It is also necessary to perform certain measures to reduce pain - to do exercises and massages, to use special devices, but only when establishing a specific diagnosis and consulting a doctor.

Pain in the calves of the legs a widespread phenomenon. Often it occurs as a result of prolonged physical exertion on the lower limbs and does not signal pathologies. However, the answer to the question "Why do calves hurt?" is not always unambiguous, since the causes can lie in very serious diseases. This applies to those cases where sharp pain and convulsions are repeated regularly or drawing pain in the leg in the calf, does not pass for a long time.

If you are faced with a similar problem, we recommend that you contact the CELT Pain Clinic! This is a division that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of pain syndromes in various locations. The high professional level of our specialists, their extensive experience, along with modern medical equipment and treatment methods, allows them to return our patients to a full life, excluding pain from it.

Causes of calf pain

Causes of pain in the calves of the legs may lie in muscle overwork, but often such a clinical manifestation can signal pathologies of arterial vessels, veins, tissues, surrounding muscles and the spine. If you have persistent pain in your left or right calf, or regularly experience leg cramps, you need to seek medical attention, as the consequences can be unpredictable.

Diseases of the veins

A pain symptom in diseases of the veins is a valuable signal, because it is thanks to it that serious pathologies can be identified that require immediate medical attention:

Varicose veins - characterized by persistent pain in the calf muscles, which are felt in the afternoon and are accompanied by swelling of the ankles. This disease can also be determined visually, since visible vein expansions appear on the lower extremities. The reason that the calf of the right or left leg hurts, in this case, is the development of edema of the leg, as a result of which compression of the nerve endings occurs;
Acute vein thrombosis - requires immediate treatment, because blood clots that form in deep veins can enter the vessels of the pulmonary circulation and clog arteries, leading to pulmonary embolism, which is often fatal. Pain in the affected calf covers the inner surface of the lower leg and spreads up to the thigh and down to the foot. They are accompanied by swelling of the lower leg, a feeling of heaviness in the legs and increased pain when trying to bend the foot.

arterial disease

Arterial disease is the cause of inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, which leads to their destruction. Pain in this case is caused by ischemia (lack of blood supply) and with different diseases they are of a different nature:

Acute form of obstruction of arterial vessels - characterized by acute pain with a burning sensation, which is accompanied by swelling of the affected leg and its cooling;
Chronic arterial insufficiency is characterized by two types of pain: attacks during acute ischemia and constant pain due to chronic lack of blood supply. Both types of pain can be accompanied by convulsions, atrophy of muscle tissue, the appearance of ulcers and gangrene.

Muscle diseases

Nerve fiber damage

One of the symptoms of neuritis and polyneuritis is severe pulling pain that occurs in attacks and can spread along the affected nerve. This manifestation may be caused by compression of the nerve roots. Often, his companions are:

trophic disorders in the innervated (i.e., in organs and tissues supplied by nerves) area;
feeling of numbness, tingling, or goosebumps;
movement disorders in the innervated area;
decreased sensitivity.

Other reasons

Pain in the calves of the legs can occur due to damage to neighboring tissues:

osteomyelitis of the tibia;
diseases of the knee joint;
diseases of the ankle joint;
skin inflammation.

Reflected pain in the calves of the lower extremities is one of the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.

Our doctors

Diagnosis of pain in the calves of the legs

Particular attention in the CELT Pain Clinic is given to diagnostic studies that allow you to accurately determine the cause of pain in the calves. In addition to examination by a doctor and taking an anamnesis, the following diagnostic methods can be used:

ultrasound examination of the arteries and veins of the affected limb;
Magnetic resonance imaging ;
electroneuromyography;
laboratory research.

Treatment of pain in the calves of the legs

The treatment of calf pain in our Pain Clinic often begins with the elimination of painful symptoms, if they are pronounced. Systemic therapy involves taking pills or intravenous injections according to an individually designed scheme. The process involves modern drugs that inhibit the transmission of pain along the nerves or block their perception in the central nervous system.

In addition, all the efforts of our specialists are aimed at eliminating the cause due to which it arose. The method of treatment is developed after all diagnostic studies have been carried out and the diagnosis has been correctly made. It takes into account the individual characteristics of the patient's body and the root cause of the disease.

So, acute vascular pathologies often require urgent surgical intervention; in chronic forms, conservative treatment is carried out in a hospital. If it does not bring the desired results, surgical correction of the vascular defect can be performed.

Surgical intervention is also indicated for diseases of the spine: neoplasms, prolapsed discs with severe neurological disorders.

Get treatment at the CELT Pain Clinic and return to your usual way of life!

Calf muscles pull, hurt. What's this? As if there is no reason. But not everything is so simple. There are many reasons that cause discomfort in the calves of the legs. And we will tell you about the most common ones.

Reason 1. Increased stress during sports training. Almost everyone experienced pain in the calf muscles after increased physical activity. Here we lie on the couch for years and dream of a beautiful pumped-up figure. And suddenly they decided "I'll take it from Monday." And he took it ... He gave such a load that the body, completely unprepared for such extreme conditions, malfunctioned in all systems. Moreover, you can get serious sprains and rupture of ligaments. Conclusion: loads are necessary, but they need to be increased gradually, and start with the simplest exercises.

Reason 2. Phlebeurysm. If you feel pain under the knee on the back side, which extends down to the calves, you most likely have varicose veins. Vessels, losing their elasticity, cannot cope with the flow of blood and expand. It is this process that responds with pain in the calves. Look at the skin of the legs from behind. We saw swollen veins and bluish-purple stars - the cause of your pain is varicose veins.

Reason 3. Thrombophlebitis. Disease of the cardiovascular system. The disease has recently been rapidly “getting younger”. A blood clot, or thrombus, is fixed on the wall of the vessel and, not only does it create an obstacle to the normal functioning of the circulatory system, it can also come off at any moment and with the blood flow, hitting one of the important arteries, clog it. Which is fraught with very sad consequences. Therefore, if your calves hurt, be sure to examine the vessels of the legs.

Reason 4. Neurology and diseases of the spine. In this case, there is a direct connection. A pinched nerve caused by problems in the spine radiates with pain in the leg. The pain may be concentrated in the lumbar region, in the buttock and often in the leg, including the calf muscle. Moreover, in the muscle of one leg, left or right.

Reason 5. Pregnancy. A growing organism in the womb of a future mother puts a huge load on the whole body as a whole, including the legs. In addition, a woman eats heavily during this period, sometimes she cannot control fluid intake, which provokes swelling of the lower extremities. Doctors say that pulling pains in the calves of the legs during pregnancy is the norm. But still, you can alleviate the condition if you do a light foot massage and a contrast shower every evening. If you take a bath with chamomile decoction before going to bed, this will also reduce discomfort in the legs.

The cause of pain in the muscles of the legs can also be a lack of calcium, magnesium and iron. Eat fish and cheese, vegetables and fruits, drink dairy products.

Treatment with traditional medicine

Compresses and wraps

In the spring, when young leaves appear on the birch, pick a full bag of them, tie them up and put oppression on top. After a while, when the leaf is just beginning to turn, untie the bag and lower your legs into it. Sit like this until you feel your feet start to sweat.
Fresh dandelion compresses relieve pain very well. Tear dandelion leaves, crush them and coat the legs with the resulting mass of caviar before going to bed. Tie the top with a waterproof bandage.

Goose cinquefoil is used for compresses and wrapping the legs. To cover five tablespoons of chopped grass, pour boiling water, wait until it cools slightly, put the grass on gauze in an even layer and wrap your legs. For compresses, pour four tablespoons of Potentilla into half a liter of water and boil for twenty minutes. Strain after five minutes. In a slightly cooled broth, wet a compress cloth and apply to the calves for half an hour.

Rubbing

Prepare a rub for pain in the calf muscles from ficus and agave. Pick a ficus leaf and three agave leaves. Wash them and chop them finely. Also cut five hot peppercorns. Pour everything with half a liter of vodka and leave in a dark place for three weeks. Shake daily. Rub your feet every day.
Relieve pain and rubbing, prepared according to the following recipe. Separate the yolk from one raw chicken egg, add a spoonful of turpentine and a tablespoon of natural apple cider vinegar. Whisk everything well. Rub the calves of the legs for pain.
A three-day course of treatment according to the following recipe helps to get rid of pain for a long time. Pour unrefined vegetable oil into a glass and, adding a spoonful of fine edible salt, achieve its complete dissolution. Rub the mixture on your feet and lower legs every evening. After the procedure, put plastic bags on your feet, warm socks on top. After half an hour, remove, wash your feet and go to bed immediately.

Chestnut tincture will relieve pain. Grind chestnut fruits and, having weighed fifty grams, fill with a bottle of vodka. After three weeks, strain and use to lubricate sore feet.
Prepare chestnuts in the same way as in the previous recipe and fill a glass jar or bottle to the top with them. Pour in ammonia so that it completely covers the chestnuts. Insist in the cabinet for one month, shaking the dishes from time to time. Lubricate the problem muscles with the finished tincture, then tie them with a warm cloth. If you carry out this procedure twice a day, after three days there will be a noticeable relief. By the way, chestnut on ammonia is a very good remedy for bronchitis. Before going to bed, lubricate the chest with tincture and put on warm underwear on top. In seven days, there will be no trace of bronchitis.
Eliminate cramps tincture of wormwood. Pick the wormwood, chop it up and fill a half-liter jar. Pour in vodka so that it completely covers the herbal raw materials. After three weeks, strain the tincture, wring it out, and every evening rub the calves of the legs just before going to bed.

Salt water can rub your feet. To do this, dissolve one tablespoon of salt in a glass of heated water. Rub your legs, starting with the feet and ending with the groin. Also, do not wipe, you need to wait until it dries completely. Repeat the procedure twice a week.
Apple cider vinegar is used for rubbing and wraps. To wrap, soak a suitable piece of cloth in vinegar and wrap it around the calf muscle. Put a waterproof bandage on top. For rubbing, vinegar is used in its pure form. As soon as you feel a spasm, immediately rub the problem area with apple cider vinegar.
Vodka infusion of garlic will relieve convulsions. Peel the garlic and chop twenty-five to thirty cloves. Put the garlic mass in a glass jar and fill with a bottle of vodka. Start treatment after two weeks. Rub the calves every evening with garlic tincture for one month.
Instantly acts with cramps in the calf muscles rubbing from black root. Fill fifty grams of herbal raw materials with half a liter of vodka and leave for twelve days.

Also quickly relieves cramps tincture of dope seeds. Put three-quarters of a glass of dope seed for a month and a half to infuse in half a liter of vodka. As soon as you feel cramps, soak a cotton pad in the tincture and wipe the calf of your legs.

Trays

Salt water has a wonderful property of getting rid of cramps in the calf muscles. Dissolve about four handfuls of salt in two liters of warm water. Pour water into a small basin and, lowering your legs into it, sit for ten minutes. Do not wipe your feet, wait until they dry. Do salt baths for three days, then two days later, and so you get to once a week.
Every night, just before bedtime, take a foot bath of tansy infusion. Pour five spoons of tansy flowers into a thermos and pour half a liter of boiling water. After three hours, pour into a bowl of warm water. Lower your legs for half an hour. Treat with baths of tansy infusion until the cramps disappear.

A very simple treatment. It is recommended for people aged with atherosclerosis. You will need three standard packs of bay leaves and a bucket of water. Put the water on the fire, lower the bay leaf from one pack into it, bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Wait for it to cool to a comfortable temperature and put your feet in it for twenty minutes. Wipe your feet and put on warm socks. A day later, bring the same water to a boil again, adding a bay leaf from the second pack. Take a foot bath. Save the water until the next day. Repeat the same with the bay leaf from the third pack. The course of treatment is completed, it gives a guaranteed result of getting rid of pain. You can repeat only after six months.

For oral administration

For pain, regardless of their cause, the internal intake of an infusion of equally divided birch leaves, carrot seeds, bearberry, immortelle, St. John's wort and cherry stalks will help. Pour one spoonful of the collection into a thermos and pour in a glass of boiling water. After ten hours, strain the infusion, and take one spoonful three times a day.
For five days in the morning, on an empty stomach, eat a spoonful of honey, drinking it with a glass of kefir. Convulsions should pass, if they appear again, repeat the course. Then, for prevention, carry out course treatment four times a year.

We will not cook alcohol tinctures at home - we will buy them at the pharmacy. Hawthorn, peony, valerian, motherwort - you need one hundred ml, eucalyptus - fifty, mint - twenty-five. Mix everything in one glass bottle and add ten grams of clove spice. Infuse for two weeks, shaking occasionally. Then strain and take twenty-five drops half an hour before each meal.
Replenish the body with calcium, relieving you of cramps balm, prepared according to the following recipe. Fold in a jar with a volume of one liter, thoroughly washed chicken or quail eggs. Squeeze the juice from the lemons and pour them over the eggs so that they are completely covered with it. Refrigerate for fourteen days. During this time, the shell under the action of citric acid should dissolve. Mix the contents of the jar well and strain. Add one hundred ml of quality cognac and one tablespoon of honey, stir. Before each meal, take one spoonful of balm approximately half an hour before.

Make onion tea for yourself every night and drink it before bed. In a glass of boiling water, brew a pinch of onion peel and drink after ten to fifteen minutes. You will sleep peacefully all night.
Delicious treatment with raisins. Pour two tablespoons of washed raisins every evening with one glass of boiling water. Leave overnight. In the morning, immediately after waking up, drink the infusion and eat the raisins.
Fly agaric should be treated carefully, observing the dosage. This is a very effective tool. Dial fly agarics, chop their hats and fill a glass jar to the top. Close the lid tightly, wrap it in a bag and, if there is a cellar, put it there, if not, just bury it in the ground. A month later, a liquid substance forms in the jar. It must be drained and two hundred and fifty ml add seven hundred and fifty ml of vodka. You need to start treatment with one drop added to half a glass of milk. The next day - two drops, and so up to five drops in half a glass of milk, take once a day at the same time, preferably in the evening. Then drink for five days in descending order, reducing the number of drops one at a time. After five days, start the second course, but with the difference that the number of drops will increase to ten, also adding one per day. Then - descending.

Miscellaneous

A very interesting way of traditional medicine, which will save not only the problem we are talking about, but also reduce, if any, dry calluses and remove foot fungus. Every evening, peel and finely chop six onions, put them in a basin and trample on it for twenty to thirty minutes. Then wash your feet and do a light massage using any vegetable oil.
A strange but very common way to treat pain in the calf muscles. In order to implement it, you will need a lot of wine corks. Poke holes through the corks, thread the fishing line through them. The length of the fishing line should be such that it can completely tie the calf muscle with it. As soon as you feel pain or cramps, put a cork necklace on your leg, securing its ends with adhesive tape. You can gird your leg with corks once a day for half an hour as a preventive measure.

Aspen is a good helper for problems in the calves of the legs. Take yourself two aspen chocks. Let one lie near the sofa or your favorite chair. When sitting in front of the TV, place your bare feet on it. Another chock should lie in your bed at the feet. You can put a healing chock under the bed on your side, where the legs are.
As a remedy for pain and cramps in the calf muscles, a regular magnet is recommended. The magnet should be attached to the calf with a bandage or plaster. At first, a sharp pain will be felt, but it will soon subside. The magnet can be left attached all night.

Prevention

Don't put undue stress on your legs. You should alternate them with rest. If you suffer from pain and cramps in the muscles of the legs, put a small roller under your legs at night.

If your work involves sitting for a long time, be sure to put a low stand under your feet.

Daily morning exercises are a must! Squat, swing back and forth and to the sides. These exercises are aimed at improving blood circulation.

Do a light massage of the calf muscles daily. But, do not overdo it, a light massage!

Pay attention to shoes. High heels are not your option, your option is no higher than four cm. Wear orthopedic insoles - they relieve stress on the muscles.

It is useful to wear sneakers - for training the calf muscles.

A contrast shower will relieve fatigue. It should start with a hot jet, after a minute - cold. Alternate five times, ending cold.

Diseases, nature and causes of pain in the calf muscles

Diseases	The nature of the pain	The reasons
Atherosclerosis	Pain in the muscles of the calves, aggravated by walking.	Sealing of the walls of blood vessels.
Thrombophlebitis	Constant throbbing pain, turning into a burning sensation.	Circulatory disorders.
Myositis	The pain is intense, aggravated by movement.	Muscle strain. Complications after past illnesses, incl. flu.
Diseases of the spine	Radiating pain from the buttocks or lower back.	Spinal disorders, incl. disc displacement.
Diseases of the peripheral nerves	Intermittent, paroxysmal pain.	Damage to the sciatic nerve.
Osteomyelitis	Aching pains.	Bone disease, pain radiates to the muscles.
fibromyalgia	It manifests itself during physical or mental overload.	Joint diseases. Physical and mental stress.