Top Causes of Sharp Pain: Recognizing Symptoms That Require Attention

Experiencing sharp pain in the leg is not serious in most cases, but in some cases, it’s a sign of immediate medical attention. Learn what causes sharp pain in the leg and when you need medical attention in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

 

Common causes of leg pain

Many conditions can cause mild to severe leg pain, including:

  1. Peripheral artery disease (PAD):

This is a common condition that causes shooting leg pain. It happens when your arteries get narrowed due to fat deposits and lowered blood flow to the legs. It can make you feel weak or numb or cramped when you stand or walk. You can also notice odd colors in your legs. It can happen anywhere on the body, but it is seen especially on your legs or feet. Some people manage this condition with lifestyle changes like quitting smoking. If lifestyle changes don’t work, your doctor may recommend treating the problem or helping with pain. Some people may even need surgery.

  1. Diabetes neuropathy:

It’s a complication of diabetes, which causes nerve damage if you don’t manage your high blood sugar levels for long periods. This damage affects the nerves that manage leg sensations, including pain. It can cause sharp, shooting pain in your leg or legs along with tingling and numbness. You need to manage your diabetes properly and check your feet for wounds because you may lose the ability to sense when you have an injury which leads to severe infection.

  1. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT):

This occurs when there’s a blood clot in a deep vein, which keeps your blood flowing properly in the vein causing pain, and swelling in your leg, feel warm or red. If you notice any of these symptoms, call the doctor right away. It can lead to severe complications like pulmonary embolism, which is a life-threatening condition. Your doctor may treat you with blood thinning medications and in severe cases, they remove the clots surgically.

  1. Sciatica:

It is a common condition that causes strong shooting pain in your legs, back and butt. It is caused by a herniated disc in your spine, a slipped vertebra, a spasm of your butt muscles, or spinal stenosis. This compresses the sciatic nerve, which leads to tingling, numbness, and discomfort in the hips and legs and causes shooting pain when you stand or even sit. Your doctor may recommend OTC medication or physical therapy to manage the pain. In severe cases, surgery is recommended.

  1. Arthritis:

This is a common condition that affects joints and causes pain, inflammation, stiffness, and swelling, especially to hips, knees, or ankles, which make it difficult to walk or do other everyday activities. There’s no cure, however, physical therapy and lifestyle changes can help to improve your pain and slow the progression of the disease.

  1. Cramps:

Muscle cramps mean sudden shooting pain often in the calves, hamstrings, or quadriceps after getting tight. The exact causes are unclear, but it is believed to be due to dehydration, certain medical conditions, and medication side effects that may lead to muscle cramps. The pain can last for a few seconds to a few minutes but usually goes away without intervention. However, if cramps don’t go away on their own and occur often, then you should talk with your doctor to find out the cause.

  1. Injury:

Injury is a common reason for leg pain and mostly occurs in sports or physical activity. Pain can vary depending on the severity of the injury. This pain gets worse if you put pressure on the injured leg. It is caused by:

  • Muscle strains: A muscle strain occurs when pulling too far causes the tearing of a muscle. This is a very common injury in athletes.
  • Shin splints: This occurs when tissues, muscles, and tendons around your shin bone become irritated and inflamed.
  • Stress fractures: A stress fracture happens when you put repeated stress on a bone causing small cracks on it. It is also another sports injury.
  • Tendinitis: It is also known as tendonitis, which happens when the tendons between your bones and muscles become inflamed.

Injury can be treated based on cause. Usually, medication and physical therapy are used to treat injury. In severe cases, surgery is recommended.

 

When to worry?

You should worry about your leg pain if it is accompanied by any of these symptoms, including:

  • Your leg is getting red, black, or blue and swollen.
  • Your leg feels cold and pale to the touch.
  • Pain gets worse when you’re active and it doesn’t get better with rest.
  • At-home treatment doesn’t help with your pain.
  • You develop a fever.
  • Lack of a pulse in the ankle or top of the foot.
  • Your medication may cause the pain as a side effect. But you should not stop taking them before talking to the doctor.

These symptoms may indicate chronic medical attention that requires medical attention. So, don’t ignore these symptoms and seek them as soon as possible.

 

Many conditions can cause sharp pain in the muscles, especially in the leg. However, most of the pain can be treatable at home with home remedies and over-the-counter medications. In some cases, sharp pain can be an indication of severe conditions that require medical attention. That’s why don’t ignore the mentioned symptoms along with sharp pain to prevent severe complications by seeking medical help.

 

If you need help with sharp leg pain, visit our pain management clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!

Your pain needs professional assistance, visit our pain management clinic in Brooklyn today or call to get a consultation. The location at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212 is well-served by public transportation, including many bus routes, and the subway line. Visit our website at http://www.painmanagementbrooklyn.com/ or contact us on +1-347-384-5690 for additional details.