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What Causes Severe Throbbing Pain In Lower Legs Post Flight Journey?
Question: Hi. I arrived in XXXXXXX following a 10 hour flight yesterday. I moved around during the flight, drank plenty of water, no coffe/alcohol. Today both my lower legs have a constant throbbing kind of pain. It's not centered around one area but extends from the feet to just above the knee. Not swollen nor red. I am currently elevating both legs and the pain seems to extend to beyond the back of my knees. It doesn't hurt when I walk, only when resting/sitting/lying down. Is this normal? I will be traveling away from urban areas tomorrow for several weeks and am slightly worried about DVT. I am on a daily dose of 50mg Inderal for an unrelated condition. I am a smoker, weigh 82kg at 167cm height and am taking thyroid meds (carbimazole)
Brief Answer:
DVT best to be ruled out by ultrasound
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
your decription can fit DVT. However there is no absolute reliable clinical sign/ symptom to determine that. So if you were my patient i would rule that out by ultrasound possibly in the nearest ER before travelling further, just to be on the safe side.
Hope this is helping you , if you have any clarificatons you can get back to me, if this was helpful please kindly rate my answer. Best regards
DVT best to be ruled out by ultrasound
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
your decription can fit DVT. However there is no absolute reliable clinical sign/ symptom to determine that. So if you were my patient i would rule that out by ultrasound possibly in the nearest ER before travelling further, just to be on the safe side.
Hope this is helping you , if you have any clarificatons you can get back to me, if this was helpful please kindly rate my answer. Best regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thanks very much for your reply. I don't want to go to the ER just to be told it's vericose veins or waste anyone's time. My right leg started with the pain, either last night or this morning. It has since greatly improved and hardly hurts, especially if elevated. Late this morning my left leg started to hurt, like numbing pain or 'growing' pains from when I was a child. I've tried massaging it and found a slightly harder spot near the spine and a vein goes off it towards my calf muscle. A thin line along my shin is tender to touch but the calf and all else isn't sensitive to touch. The leg continues to throb. I'm attaching two photos, one of my whole (ugly) leg and another closer to the lump in question. If they are varicose veins, are they prone to play up after flying? I've had similar pains before maybe after sitting at a desk or car too long but always went away after a day. If the pain has subsided in both legs by the morning, can I stop worrying? Are 'tired or fatigued' legs normal after a flight?
Brief Answer:
Varicose possible, DVT can still be behind it, only secure way ultrasound
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
no one in the ER is going to feel you have wasted their time, since it is commonly known that no clinical sign and not even your description and your pictures that i looked at can be 100% securely judged to rule out DVT, since that is all too unreliable unfortunately. So my answer is: yes it might just be varicose, but since DVT is a dangerous condition (lung embolism 30% lethal) that might hide behind it. The only serious and secure advise i can give you is to have it ruled out by ultrasound.
Otherwise my advise would be irresponsible and put you in danger, i hope you understand.
Hope this is helping you , if you have any clarifications you can get back to me, if this was helpful please kindly rate my answer. Best regards
Varicose possible, DVT can still be behind it, only secure way ultrasound
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
no one in the ER is going to feel you have wasted their time, since it is commonly known that no clinical sign and not even your description and your pictures that i looked at can be 100% securely judged to rule out DVT, since that is all too unreliable unfortunately. So my answer is: yes it might just be varicose, but since DVT is a dangerous condition (lung embolism 30% lethal) that might hide behind it. The only serious and secure advise i can give you is to have it ruled out by ultrasound.
Otherwise my advise would be irresponsible and put you in danger, i hope you understand.
Hope this is helping you , if you have any clarifications you can get back to me, if this was helpful please kindly rate my answer. Best regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Thanks so much for your sage advice. Despite both legs being near pain free this morning your warning made me go to the ER anyway. They found a clot in my right groin area and after Ultrasound, bloods and CT scan i'm now waiting for blood thinners and will be discharged again shortly. You may have saved my life. Thanks again.
Brief Answer:
Glad my advise was helpful
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
sorry to hear that my suspicion became true but off course i am glad that you got the proper treatment in time since that is important to avoid serious complications. Wishing you all the best,
Please kindly rate and close this query, many thanks
Glad my advise was helpful
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
sorry to hear that my suspicion became true but off course i am glad that you got the proper treatment in time since that is important to avoid serious complications. Wishing you all the best,
Please kindly rate and close this query, many thanks
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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