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What Causes Swelling On Upper Thigh?
Posted on
Fri, 25 Mar 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sat, 26 Mar 2016
Answered on
Tue, 31 May 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : My 77 year old dad has a puffy swelling on his mid upper thigh. No heat no redness and mild discomfort. He asked me to look as he is travelling out of country
It may be a torn or ruptured muscle/tendon and as he leaves tomorrow i wonder if compression therapy would work
It may be a torn or ruptured muscle/tendon and as he leaves tomorrow i wonder if compression therapy would work
Brief Answer:
no compression...
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
a picture is not enough to diagnose anything but I can say that if it's a muscular problem then applying ice for the first 3 days is beneficial. Compression might help to reduce the swelling but too much pressure may impair the blood flow.
Please remember that muscular injury causes pain, so if he's only got a mild discomfort then a serious muscular injury (serious enough to cause swelling) is not very likely - but it can't be excluded.
Causes like venous thrombosis might have to be considered despite the lack of warmth in the area, mostly because it's too dangerous to be ignored and because of his traveling plans.
He'd better visit a doctor for a close look and appropriate treatment. Till then applying ice packs (not directly on the skin to avoid skin injury) and elevation may help.
Kind Regards!
no compression...
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
a picture is not enough to diagnose anything but I can say that if it's a muscular problem then applying ice for the first 3 days is beneficial. Compression might help to reduce the swelling but too much pressure may impair the blood flow.
Please remember that muscular injury causes pain, so if he's only got a mild discomfort then a serious muscular injury (serious enough to cause swelling) is not very likely - but it can't be excluded.
Causes like venous thrombosis might have to be considered despite the lack of warmth in the area, mostly because it's too dangerous to be ignored and because of his traveling plans.
He'd better visit a doctor for a close look and appropriate treatment. Till then applying ice packs (not directly on the skin to avoid skin injury) and elevation may help.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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