What Causes Right Calf Pain Due To A Growing Lump?

Posted on Wed, 14 Oct 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 14 Oct 2015 Answered on

Tue, 3 Nov 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I was walking in my living room when I felt pain in my right calf. I looked down and I had a small lump. It is painfully tender to the touch and firm. It is a bit dark, like a bruise, but deeper under the skin than a bruise. It developed so suddenly. It is smaller than a quarter. It's been an hour and it is still very tender. I am 32 and morbidly obese. I'm worried it's a clot but don't want to go the ER unless it is something serious. I did not bump into anything and there are no cuts or anything else on the surface that could've been infected.

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
A lump is unlikely to be a clot!

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about this lump. The descriptions makes it unlikely to be a clot for several reasons. Clots often cause swelling and pain in the entire leg and not just the affected part. This seems to be an under the skin blood accumulation and supported by the darkish coloration. For now, I will recommend ice packs on the affected area for pain and inflammation relief. keep me updated about its progress but not for an ER visit at this time.

I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thanks for using our services and feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.

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