What venous conditions cause leg pain?
Several types of vascular disease, such as peripheral artery disease often cause leg pain. When it comes to vein problems responsible for leg pain, the top causes include:
Chronic venous insufficiency
When one-way valves in your leg fail to work properly, blood flows back down the leg. As a result, the blood accumulates in that part of the vein, a condition called chronic venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency causes leg pain all on its own. It also leads to other vein problems that cause leg pain, such as varicose veins and venous leg ulcers.
Deep vein thrombosis
Any condition that affects blood clotting or slows down the blood flow in your legs can result in a blood clot. When the clot develops in the veins deep in your leg, you have deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT causes sudden, severe leg pain and requires quick treatment to prevent serious complications.
Will I have symptoms other than leg pain?
The venous diseases that cause leg pain often lead to other symptoms. One of the most obvious symptoms is varicose veins. However, you may also experience:
- Swelling in your lower legs and ankles
- Numbness or tingling in your legs
- Changes in skin color and texture in your lower leg
- Itchy skin on your lower leg
- Hair loss on the affected leg
- Open sore on your lower leg
Open sores, called venous leg ulcers, are a serious problem because they’re hard to heal. Without expert wound care from the team at NJ Vein Specialists, venous ulcers enlarge and can cause a skin or bone infection.
How is leg pain treated?
Your treatment depends on the underlying cause of your leg pain. Deep vein thrombosis is immediately treated with anticoagulants or other medicines to quickly dissolve the clot.
Otherwise, the first line of treatment for most venous conditions that cause leg pain includes elevating your leg and wearing compression stockings to improve blood flow and promote ulcer healing.
When you need treatment for varicose veins, the team at NJ Vein Specialists may recommend endovenous radiofrequency ablation, sclerotherapy, or a microphlebectomy. All these procedures are minimally invasive, performed in the office, and don’t require downtime.
If you develop leg pain that’s severe or ongoing, call NJ Vein Specialists or book an appointment online today.
