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What Causes Severe Left Knee Pain And Numbness In The Right Leg?
Question: I have severe pain behind my left knee and down through my calf. My ankle is also very swollen. I had an ultrasound today that ruled out a blood clot. However, I've been experiencing numbness in my right leg (undiagnosed after more than a month) and might be favoring or overcompensating with the left. The pain in my left leg is most severe when I try to stand up after laying down or sitting for a long time. It seems to get better when I walk on it for a while, but then gets progressively worse again.
Brief Answer:
A step by step approach needs to be taken
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through your query and understand your concerns. There are a number of things to consider. Firstly, whether the pain is restricted only to the knee or whether it is actually radiating down from the thighs. If it is radiating from above, it could be due to causes like lumbar spondylosis and an X Ray of the Lumbosacral Spine (AP and lateral) needs to be done for the same. If that is the case, the resultant nerve compression could also explain the numbness in the legs. On the other hand, if that is not the case, an X Ray of the left knee needs to be taken to check whether the joint space is reduced. If so, it indicates osteoarthritis. If not, clinical examination like drawer test will indicate if there could be a problem with the cruciate ligaments of the knee. A clot was never a likely cause. However, electrolyte imbalance could give rise to pain in the calf muscles and taking plenty of fluids and juicy fruits should help.
You need to visit a doctor and get it examined. Thereafter, proper investigations will help in determining the cause. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause.
Let me know if I could help further.
Regards
A step by step approach needs to be taken
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through your query and understand your concerns. There are a number of things to consider. Firstly, whether the pain is restricted only to the knee or whether it is actually radiating down from the thighs. If it is radiating from above, it could be due to causes like lumbar spondylosis and an X Ray of the Lumbosacral Spine (AP and lateral) needs to be done for the same. If that is the case, the resultant nerve compression could also explain the numbness in the legs. On the other hand, if that is not the case, an X Ray of the left knee needs to be taken to check whether the joint space is reduced. If so, it indicates osteoarthritis. If not, clinical examination like drawer test will indicate if there could be a problem with the cruciate ligaments of the knee. A clot was never a likely cause. However, electrolyte imbalance could give rise to pain in the calf muscles and taking plenty of fluids and juicy fruits should help.
You need to visit a doctor and get it examined. Thereafter, proper investigations will help in determining the cause. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause.
Let me know if I could help further.
Regards
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Answered by
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