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Living with chronic leg pain isn't something anyone would choose. However, if you suffer from leg pain, there is a chance that it is impacting your daily life. This could include hobbies, sports, exercise, and other physical activities.
It makes you walk funny, it can be hard to get a good night of rest, and if it's so bad, it keeps you from working out. You have to juggle your life around it and make so many changes; it's a terribly depressing fact, especially if you're a go-getting person who loves the thrill of life and thrives on numerous challenges.
Pain in the legs can become quite a problem if not managed correctly. Although this seems like the end of the world, treatments are available at our pain management NYC center to manage your pain and get you back to living a normal life. The goal of this blog is to provide you with information on how you can recover from chronic leg pain and go on with your life.
Don't Ignore or Wait to Treat Your Chronic Leg Pain
If you are experiencing persistent pain in your legs or feet, it's important to address the problem early on, so it doesn't get worse. A pain physician may be able to rule out the root cause and other conditions that cause similar symptoms. If left untreated, chronic leg pain can cause weakness and loss of mobility, which may result in more severe health issues.
Understand the Cause of Your Pain
The first step toward recovery is to identify the cause of the problem. Knowing the root cause will make it easier for you to treat it effectively. See a pain management specialist who can assess and diagnose your condition accurately and recommend appropriate treatment options based on the root cause of your chronic leg pain. The following are some of the most common causes:
Arthritis
Arthritis can affect any joint in the body and is the most common cause of chronic leg pain. It affects more than 10 million people in America. It's usually caused by wear and tears over time, but sometimes an underlying disease process is involved (like rheumatoid arthritis). In some cases, arthritis can lead to deformity or even amputation if left untreated.
Muscle strain or sprain
Muscle strain happens when you overstretch or overuse a muscle — think runner's knee (iliotibial band syndrome) or shin splints (periostitis). In most cases, muscle strains will heal on their own within two weeks if they're treated properly.
Medical condition
Some medical conditions can cause leg pain that gets worse after running. These include blood clots, blood vessel disorders, and heart disease. If you experience leg pain after running and have any of these symptoms, be sure to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Ultimately, the best way to find out what's causing your leg pain is to visit a specialist. Although there can be many causes of chronic leg pain, the good news is that there are also lots of ways to treat it.
Different treatments work for different people and can even change over time as we learn more about how this condition actually works. Finding a treatment that works for you takes patience and persistence, but it's worth it—nothing is better than living without chronic pain.
Talk to A Specialist About Treatment Options
The best way to find what works for you is to talk with a New York pain management specialist about which treatments are best for you. Don't be afraid to ask for an appointment with a specialist who can help diagnose and treat your condition correctly.
A pain physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation may be able to offer more advanced treatment approaches to treat your chronic leg pain. There are many treatments to reduce chronic leg pain. Some of the options include:
Physical therapy
Physical therapy can strengthen and stretch muscles around your lower back and legs (such as quadriceps and hamstring stretches). Physical therapists teach exercises that help strengthen muscles that support the joints in your legs, spine, and pelvis. They also teach stretching techniques that improve flexibility and reduce tightness in these areas, often leading to muscle spasms and pain in the lower back.
Injections / Nerve block
This outpatient procedure is non-operative and is done by a highly trained licensed pain physician. These involve injecting anesthetic agents into painful areas around the knee joint or trigger points.
Complementary treatments
Consider non-drug treatment options such as medical massage and acupuncture, which can help relieve muscle tension and stress contributing to chronic leg pain.
Be Patient in Finding the Right Treatment
Recovery from chronic leg pain doesn't happen overnight. Finding the right combination of treatments and strategies that work best for you may take time. Remember that everyone heals differently and at different rates. If one approach stops working after a while, don't give up on it completely — try something else.
Be Proactive in Your Treatment Plan
It can be difficult to stay positive when you have chronic leg pain. You may feel like you're battling your pain alone. But remember that treatment is a team effort. Your healthcare team includes doctors, therapists, and other health professionals who work with you to develop a treatment plan to help you get back on track with your daily activities and manage your symptoms.
Be honest about what bothers you
The more information you give medical professionals, the better they can understand your condition and help find ways to relieve pain or other symptoms.
Stick to your treatment plan
Keep in mind that after treatment, you may not feel back to normal right away, but relief is possible if you stick to your treatment plan. However, you may have to change your lifestyle or make some adjustments in order for your treatment plan to work effectively for you.
Follow the advice and instructions
It's important that you follow the recommendations of the specialist very carefully so that they will work as well as possible for you. For example, a specialist can suggest stretches or exercises that are safe for people with pain problems or arthritis and show you how to do them correctly to help stretch and strengthen your muscles around the painful area.
If you don't follow these instructions exactly, the treatment may not be effective enough for you and could even cause additional problems down the line if it causes injury or harm in any way while trying to treat your chronic leg pain condition.
Take Care of Yourself Outside Treatment Sessions
There are some things you can do to take care of yourself outside or after the treatment session.
Ask for support
Make sure you have adequate support from family and friends during your recovery process. This will help take some of the load off and allow you to focus on getting better. In addition, it's important to find something that makes you happy, whether it's cooking, running, or playing with your children. This will help distract your mind from thinking about the pain and give you something positive to look forward to each day.
Stay active
Try activities that can help relieve stress and anxiety, strengthen muscles, and improve flexibility. Exercise is another good way for people with chronic leg pain to stay active and healthy. But don't push yourself and follow the recommended exercise.
Take time to rest
Rest is also essential for recovering from chronic leg pain. When you're in constant pain, it can be difficult to find a comfortable position that relieves the discomfort. Sometimes just closing your eyes and lying down on the couch can help with relaxation and relief from the stress of pain.
Eat a healthy diet
Eating a balanced diet can help reduce inflammation and improve circulation. For example, avoid fried foods and sugar, which increase inflammation in the body, and choose lean protein sources instead of processed meats.
Don't Give Up
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that you're not alone in this. If chronic leg pain is something you're facing, don't give up. With the proper treatment, advice, and guidance, it's possible to manage your pain and lead a more normal, healthy lifestyle.
There are many ways to minimize the impact of chronic leg pain. As you begin rebuilding your body, mind, and social life, be sure to include these steps in your daily routine. Hopefully, we've given you some useful information on how to get started on recovering from chronic leg pain. You will be able to get back to enjoying your life again and getting the exercise you need instead of letting your leg cause problems.
You deserve a lifetime of pain-free living—have hope that it is possible! Book an appointment with our pain management NYC specialist today to start your road to recovery.