Calf muscle pain

Tired legs at the end of the day are a natural phenomenon. It is either ignored or attributed to uncomfortable shoes and heavy loads. Unpleasant sensations, heaviness in the legs, pain in the calf muscles - none of these symptoms cause concern until they are repeated quite often. Why do legs hurt even when physical activity is not too high? What is the reason for the periodicity of leg pain? Questions like these arise in almost every person, and it is time to answer at least some of them.

In most cases, unpleasant sensations in the legs caused by ordinary fatigue pass quickly and do not leave even memories. But there are cases when pain in the legs is a constant companion of life. Pain in the calf muscles should not be ignored even when it occurs for the first time. Any painful sensations should be considered as the first alarm bell of our body.

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What causes calf muscle pain?

The main causes of leg pain can be divided into two categories:

• Natural behavior of a muscle in response to fatigue or direct impact (mechanical response);
• Diseases whose main symptom is muscle pain in the lower limbs.

The natural behavior of the muscle in response to fatigue is a slight feeling of heaviness, possible slight swelling of the upper tissues, slight pain in the calf muscles. This is the result of the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, prolonged pressure on soft tissues and blood vessels by uncomfortable shoes, or wearing high-heeled shoes.

Read also: Shoes that are harmful to health

The above unpleasant sensations quickly pass if you elevate your legs (above head level to ensure better blood flow) and take a cool foot bath. It is better to give your legs a contrast shower.

Another variant of natural behavior of the calf muscles is what we are accustomed to calling "pulled muscle". At the moment of a sharp movement, the muscle does not have time to relax and there is a strong tension. For example, as a result of not walking fast, the leg suddenly twists and immediately there is a sharp pain in the ankle joint. Or, during running, pain appears in the calf muscles. Such a reaction will be an indicator that the warm-up was not carried out effectively enough, the muscles in the first case are not trained, in the second - not "warmed up", which led to a disruption in their work.

The pains described are characterized by the following common features:

• sudden appearance;
• are not of a long-term nature;
• are removed without the use of medications;
• do not have a specific cyclicality (they may never repeat themselves again).

In these cases, the pain can be reduced by applying a tight bandage, cold, and keeping the leg as still as possible.

Diseases that cause pain in the calf muscles

Diseases that can cause pain in the calf muscles as one of their symptoms include:

• varicose veins;
• thrombophlebitis;
• atherosclerosis;
• spinal diseases;
• neuralgic diseases;
• muscle inflammation;
• infectious diseases;
• myopathy

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Varicose veins

Complaints of constant heaviness in the legs, a feeling of distension in the calf muscles that does not stop even at rest, are characteristic of one of the most common vascular diseases - varicose veins.

Blood flow through the vessels slows down with age. Genetic predisposition, sedentary lifestyle, work that involves standing for a long time, improper lifting of weights, heavy weight, pregnancy and childbirth in women, improper metabolism - all these and many other reasons lead to deformation of the veins and, as a result, deterioration of blood supply to the muscles of the lower extremities. Pain in the calf muscles is the result of stagnant processes, blood flows poorly, and therefore the muscles do not receive enough oxygen for high-quality work. Hence the feeling of distension in the legs.

Thrombophlebitis

Constant pain in the calf muscles of a pulsating nature, turning over time into a pain resembling a burning sensation, are clear signs of one of the most common vascular diseases - thrombophlebitis. Please note that the pain in thrombophlebitis is constant, relieved (relieved) only by means of drug treatment. If you have such pain, you should immediately seek help from specialists.

Atherosclerosis

The legs are cold, even in the summer heat, the calves of the legs seem to be pulled together, compressed. Pain periodically joins these unpleasant sensations. This is how another enemy of our health manifests itself - atherosclerosis. In the process of this disease, the walls of the vessels are deformed, due to the deposition of fatty (cholesterol) plaques on their inner surfaces, which complicates the normal flow and outflow of blood from the lower extremities. Cholesterol deposits thicken the vessel from the inside, hence the feeling of pulled, compressed calf muscles. Again, as in the above-described diseases, normal blood circulation is disrupted. Constant lack of "nutrition", high pressure inside the vessels cause pain in the calf muscles, which, over time, also becomes constant.

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Neuralgic diseases

Sometimes painful sensations in the legs, even sharp pains, may have nothing to do with the muscles and blood vessels of the legs themselves. Neuralgia is a disease associated with inflammation of the peripheral nerves. You can often hear "something entered the leg." Well, if it "enters", then there is neuralgia. Signs of the manifestation of pain of a neuralgic nature are their unexpectedness and short-term nature. They appear in attacks, "entered" and, after a few minutes, "let go", pain in the calf muscles appears, they seem to twist for a moment, then disappears.

The apparent mildness of the manifestation of the described symptoms should not lead you to the conclusion that such manifestations are safe. If the described cases have occurred in your life at least once, do not wait for the next one. Consult a doctor - a neurologist or a neuropathologist. This will help you avoid an unexpected and unpleasant "meeting" with the manifestation of neuralgia in the future.

Diseases of the spine

Pain in the calf muscles can be the result of one of the diseases of the spine. When the pain does not just appear, but "shoots" into the leg, this is a clear example of problems with the spine. Such "behavior" is inherent, for example, in the displacement of the vertebral discs. The spine itself, at this moment, may not bother you, but with such alarm bells it lets you know that a threat has appeared.

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Myositis

The most severe pain in the calf muscles can probably only be caused by myositis. Myositis most often occurs as a response to an infectious disease, such as the flu. Myositis can be caused by an injury to the calf muscle, severe overexertion, or improper distribution of a large load on the muscle (in women, for example, the cause can be prolonged walking in high heels). Myositis can be caused by parasites (parasitic myositis), such as trichinella, toxoplasma.

The pain caused by myositis cannot be confused with anything else - aching, sharply increasing with the slightest movement. Palpation (probing) of the muscle is painful, compactions, nodes and cords can be felt. In cases of parasitic myositis, pain in the masticatory muscles and tongue, an increase in body temperature are characteristic.

What to do if there is pain in the calf muscles?

The examples given are enough to make a final conclusion - leg pain does not just happen. There are no pains that can be called trivial. If you have pain in your calf muscles - know that your body is giving you instructions for action and even showing you a specific place that you should pay close attention to. Listen to yourself, be attentive to everything that is happening inside you, any disease is easier to prevent than to become a victim of a long fight with it.