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Developed Sharp Pain In The Right Calf Muscle While Walking. What Are The Chances Of Blood Clot?
Question: Developed sharp pain in the right calf muscle while walking. Am 65 yrs old; no apparent injury. This is causing continuous pain when walking; pain free at rest. Assume an unknown injury but worried about blood clot?
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
The pain in the calf while walking with no pain at rest can be due to-
1. Muscle strain and tear - Usually due to overwork and overstretching of the muscles. Recent increase in leg exercises may cause these. Gradual increase in exercise and pain killers with mild symptoms. Doing a hot fomentation will be helpful.
2. Muscle ischaemia- associated with diabetes usually. There is acute pain associated with it. You can get your blood glucose levels checked.
3. Muscle cramps: Muscles may cramp, causing significant pain. This may be due to a lack of stretching or an imbalance of electrolytes in the bloodstream. You need to get your serum sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium levels checked.
4.Experiencing pain in legs and calf specially on walking indicates a vascular problem most likely.The pain may be caused by claudication caused by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to your leg muscles.
5.Peripheral neuropathy- This can occur from direct nerve irritation or from a medical illness like diabetes, thyroid imbalance, etc.Chronic illnesses like alcoholism, cancer, and vitamin deficiencies may also result in nerve pain that often affects both legs. There are some illnesses that cause leg weakness that may be associated with complaints of leg pain, like Guillain-Barré syndrome and multiple sclerosis.
6. XXXXXXX vein thrombosis- comes last among the list of probable diagnosis as there is no swelling.
All the above causes can be ruled out by your physician after some tests and examination.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Thanks for posting your query.
The pain in the calf while walking with no pain at rest can be due to-
1. Muscle strain and tear - Usually due to overwork and overstretching of the muscles. Recent increase in leg exercises may cause these. Gradual increase in exercise and pain killers with mild symptoms. Doing a hot fomentation will be helpful.
2. Muscle ischaemia- associated with diabetes usually. There is acute pain associated with it. You can get your blood glucose levels checked.
3. Muscle cramps: Muscles may cramp, causing significant pain. This may be due to a lack of stretching or an imbalance of electrolytes in the bloodstream. You need to get your serum sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium levels checked.
4.Experiencing pain in legs and calf specially on walking indicates a vascular problem most likely.The pain may be caused by claudication caused by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to your leg muscles.
5.Peripheral neuropathy- This can occur from direct nerve irritation or from a medical illness like diabetes, thyroid imbalance, etc.Chronic illnesses like alcoholism, cancer, and vitamin deficiencies may also result in nerve pain that often affects both legs. There are some illnesses that cause leg weakness that may be associated with complaints of leg pain, like Guillain-Barré syndrome and multiple sclerosis.
6. XXXXXXX vein thrombosis- comes last among the list of probable diagnosis as there is no swelling.
All the above causes can be ruled out by your physician after some tests and examination.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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