Have Severe Leg Pain. Have Arthritis, Gout And Chronic Back Pain. X-ray, Scan Normal. Guide?

Posted on Thu, 12 Sep 2013

Question: I HAVE HAD SEVERE LEG CALF PAIN FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS. IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE LATELY.
I HAVE HAD XRAYS /MRI/ FULL BODY SCAN/AND NERVE CONDUCTIVETY TEST.-------------NO HELP
SURELY WITH ALL THE NEW TECH THERE HAS TO BE AN EXPLANATION. THEY HURT SO BAD THAT I HAVE TO LIE DOWN. IN ABOUT 30 MIN THEY EASE OFF.
PLEASE HELP ME.

THANKS, XXXXX

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (57 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need some more information on your symptoms

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX

Before I answer your query, I need a detailed history regarding your symptoms. Please answer the below mentioned questions in an elaborate possible manner
* Is your calf pain present in both legs
* Whether they occur only during night time
* Nature of pain - sharp stabbing, dull aching, burning, crampy ?
* Do you feel the pain continuously throughout the day or is it related to any physical activity
* What eases the pain - like resting, keeping legs high, massaging etc
* Onset of pain - is it sudden or occurs gradually over a period of time
* Does your calf muscles feel tender to touch
* Do you appreciate any local warmth over the calf muscles
* Please detail the list of medicines you are taking along with their doses
* If possible , kindly send the reports of the investigations you underwent

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (2 hours later)

AS I HAVE ALREADY SAID: I HAVE TAKEN ALL THE TESTS THE DOCTORS
ASKED FOR. BOTH LEGS HURT---IN DAY TIME--DULL ACHING PAIN---AS LONG AS I AM STANDING OR WALKING--HURTS LOT LESS WHEN SITTING OR LAYING WITH LEGS HIGH---MUSCLES TENDER TO TOUCH---WARMTH HELPS SOME.

MEDS----- ALLOPURINOL--300 MG--1 A DAY

CELEBREX 200 MG 1 A DAY

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Few possibilities for your leg pains

Detailed Answer:
Hi, Nice to hear from you.

Based on your description of symptoms, I consider a few possibilities causing you leg pains.
(1)Adverse reaction to Drugs - Myalgias are the established side effects of allopurinol usage. Less commonly Celebrex (celecoxib) also causes muscle aches & pains.
(2) Lumbar spinal stenosis - this condition typically produces pains in both legs especially during walking and gets relieved by taking rest by sitting down or lying.
(3) Buerger's disease (Thrombo angitis obliterans) - this condition also produces pain in legs especially calf muscles while walking and pain vanishes at rest. This condition results due to narrowing of blood vessels in the legs secondary to Smoking. So this is common in SMOKERS.
(4) The other minor causes could be Potassium deficiency, Calcium & Vitamin D deficiency.

So, I suggest you to consult your treating physician and discuss about the above possibilities.

Good day

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar