
Dr -- 1. I Awoke This Morning With Tightness, Soreness,

1. I awoke this morning with tightness, soreness, discomfort in my left leg
2. the problem is located in the back of my leg - at the joint where the thigh & calf meet - directly on the other side of the knee
3. do you think it could be a blood clot? if so what should I do about it?
4. what symptoms should I be watching for -- to ensure that it is not a blood clot?
Thank you.
it could be
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
unilateral pain, tightness or any kind of discomfort may indicate a blood clot. The area is usually warmer than the surrounding (healthy) tissues. Intense pain is more in favor of a superficial vein clot (less important than with deep vein thrombosis).
On the back side of the knee, other problems may occur as well like Baker's cyst for example.
Signs of a blood clot may include discomfort, swelling, warmth above the involved area and even low-grade fever. Unfortunately, there is no way to diagnose such disorders at home... You should visit the ER for appropriate testing.
I hope I've answered your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Kind Regards,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis,
Internal Medicine Specialist


1. I underwent a examination yesterday by a physician’s assistant
2. He told me based on his experience that it does not appear to be a blood clot
3. So I am planning on monitoring the situation for a few days
4. The pain is usually experienced when I flex and extend my leg from a bent position
5. Do you have any more suggestions or recommendations?
thank you
sciatica is also possible
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
I'm sorry for the delayed answer as I didn't notice your new question on time...
Pain that gets worse when flexing or extending the leg may indicate sciatica. Obviously I can't diagnose such disorders without clinical examination and thrombosis is also likely and cannot be excluded on clinical grounds only. If sciatica is typical then a doctor won't miss the diagnosis. My suggestion is still to visit the ER in order to get a definitive diagnosis. If it's sciatica indeed then it would be easy for the doctor to diagnose it.
Best wishes,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis

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