Why do I have pain in my legs?

Dr. Fernando Quirós Mata, specialist in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery

Having pain in your legs may be inevitable, but living with it is optional.

Have you ever had to pause your day or wake up at night because of pain in your legs? This is a reality suffered by millions of people around the world and can be due to multiple causes. Human beings rely heavily on our legs to move and perform many of our activities, therefore it is essential to ensure the proper functioning of the same. The lower extremities are structured in a perfect balance through the integration of a complex system of arteries, veins, joints, bones, muscles and nerves. Any disturbance in these systems could be the cause of the annoying pain in your legs.

Vascular Causes

Broadly speaking, the circulatory system is composed of the arterial system and the venous system. The arteries allow us to carry blood from the heart to the tissues to provide oxygen and nutrients; naturally, when the arteries become diseased, clogged or broken, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues is interrupted, which will manifest in our body as severe pain if it is due to an acute condition, or as a cramping pain and fatigue associated with walking, if it is secondary to a blockage of the arteries.

On the other hand, veins function as a drainage system for the human body. That is, they take blood from the tissues and return it to the heart in order to continue the cardiac cycle. Naturally, in the legs, the transport of blood back to the heart must be against gravity and this is done by a system of valves within the veins. When these valves fail or when there are injuries and/or compressions affecting the veins, the blood flow within them will be interrupted. Regardless of the cause, pain will always be present and depending on the origin it could be accompanied by varicose veins, capillary vessels, cramps, itching or ulcers in cases of Superficial Venous Insufficiency; and on the other hand, if accompanied by swelling and changes in skin color we could be facing the scenario of thrombosis or the formation of clots in the veins, which can have serious health consequences.

Nerve Causes

The cause of your pain could also be related to an injury or compression of the nerves that control your limbs. Nerves are a conduction system for electrical impulses from the brain to all tissues of the human body. So the pain associated with nerve injuries is sometimes accompanied by burning, numbness and/or weakness.

Structural causes

Muscular causes are a frequent cause of pain and are commonly due to tendonitis, muscle tears and injuries associated with exercise or repetitive activity. Similarly, localized pain may be due to sprains or bone fractures, especially if the pain occurs after trauma.

As we can see, the causes of pain in the extremities can be multiple and sometimes there may be several conditions that cause it simultaneously. For this reason, it is essential to go to your doctor specialist to determine the cause and offer the best treatment for your case.

At Clinica Biblica we are dedicated to the comprehensive and exhaustive management of limb pain, circulatory diseases, varicose veins and capillaries; all under the care of Dr. Fernando Quiros, Specialist in Peripheral Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy.