The lower leg is the part of the leg from the knee to the heel.
Its base is made up of the tibia and tibia.
A patellar cup is attached to them.
Consider in more detail the symptoms of inflammation of the lower leg, the causes and methods of eliminating this ailment.
Inflammation of the lower leg: causes
Most often, inflammation of the lower leg occurs for the following reasons:
1. A muscle spasm that develops due to excessive stress on the legs or during prolonged physical training.
2. Ligament rupture, which develops with muscle injuries.
3. Damage to the meniscus (usually observed in athletes).
4. A sharp decrease in the content of nutrients in the body (calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.).
5. Treatment with certain medications can dramatically lower the salt content in the body. This, in turn, will give an impetus to outbreaks of inflammatory processes in the body (lower leg for example).
6. Various types of leg fractures.
7. Progressive arthritis or arthrosis of the ankle or knee can cause inflammation in the lower leg.
8. Blockage (thrombosis) of blood vessels flowing in the lower leg.
9. Various infectious bone lesions (for example, acute osteomyelitis).
10. Progressive atherosclerosis of the vessels that are located in the lower limb.
11. The so-called fractures from "stress or fatigue" in the lower leg.
12. Untreated periostopathy.
13. Chronic inflammation in the tendons of the tibia of the tibia.
14. Pinched nerve fibers, which usually develops in the presence of diabetes mellitus, in people with alcohol dependence and smokers.
15. Tears of muscles of varying degrees in the lower leg.
16. Severe forms of tendonitis.
17. Varicose veins (varicose veins).
Less commonly, the causes of inflammation of the lower leg can be:
1. The development of an oncological tumor in the lower leg - osteoma.
2. Long-term treatment with drugs such as Alapurinol or Corticostirol.
3. Compression of nerve roots.
4. Various syndromes of "trap" or squeezing, which develop in the tendons and lateral parts of the leg muscles.
Inflammation of the lower leg: symptoms and signs
With inflammation of the lower leg, patients may develop the following symptoms:
1. The appearance of a sensation of numbness and "running goose bumps" on the outer and inner side of the lower leg.
2. A burning sensation on the skin that occurs spontaneously (in fits).
3. Acute pain syndrome that develops after exercise or at rest.
4. Aching pain that gives to the knee, lower back and foot.
5. Weakness.
6. Possible fever with an infectious cause of inflammation. In this condition, the patient can also suffer from all signs of intoxication (nausea, lethargy, muscle pain, sleep disturbances and headaches).
7. Involuntary bending of the legs at the knees.
8. Appearing night pains in the legs, which have a fuzzy localization (the feeling that the whole leg hurts).
9. Swelling of the lower legs or one affected leg, which will be most noticeable after a day on the feet or physical activity. In this case, edema usually subsides a little during the night.
10. The appearance of an unpleasant crunch in the lower leg.
11. Redness of the lower leg.
12. In case of neurological disorders, the patient may experience very sharp shooting pains in the lower leg, which develop suddenly and only intensify with movements.
13. With arthrosis, a feeling of “wooden” stagnant legs is possible, especially in the morning.
14. Neuritis is characterized by the impossibility of flexion of the knee joint and partial paralysis of the foot. The sensitivity of the lower leg may also be partially impaired.
15. With atherosclerosis, a person may suffer from cramps in the lower leg and a strong feeling of crushing the legs.
Inflammation of the lower leg: diagnosis and treatment
When the first suspicions of inflammation of the lower leg appear, you should contact the following specialists:
1. Therapist or family doctor. It will help to identify minor causes of muscle pain and, if necessary, will refer the patient to doctors of a narrower specialization.
2. A traumatologist will treat damage to the integrity of bones, muscles and ligaments. Also, this specialist will monitor the treatment for dislocation of the ankle joint.
3. A neurologist should be consulted for shooting pains in the lower leg.
4. A neurosurgeon will help with damage to the peripheral nerves of the lower leg, which require surgical treatment.
5. An oncologist should be consulted if there is a suspicion of a tumor in the lower leg that begins with inflammation.
6. An infectious disease specialist will help with infection of the lower leg.
Diagnosis of inflammation of the lower leg involves the following procedures:
1. Radiography of the lower leg.
2. Ultrasound.
3. Computed tomography.
4. MRI.
5. General analysis of blood and urine.
Inflammation of the lower leg: treatment features
Treatment for inflammation of the lower leg is selected depending on the cause that caused it, the complexity of the pathology and general symptoms of the patient.
Traditional therapy involves the following:
1. The appointment of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac).
2. The elimination of pain with analgesics. With severe pain, the patient may also be prescribed some narcotic painkillers (Ketanov).
3. Compliance with bed rest is recommended for a week with acute inflammation. If bones and tendons were damaged, then the duration of bed rest may increase.
Also, with a stable course of the disease, the patient can move with crutches (without stepping on the leg).
4. In acute lesions, immobilization of the lower limb with plaster, splint or splint is recommended.
5. When the leg is swollen, it must be rewound with an elastic bandage.
6. For muscle cramps, warm compresses are recommended.
7. For muscle damage and problems with blood flow through the vessels, vasodilator drugs are prescribed (Niacin).
8. For infectious lesions, potent antibiotics are used. You need to take them at least ten days in a row.
9. If the cause of inflammation was a lack of useful trace elements, then the patient needs to review his diet and fill it with foods rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Most of them are found in fish, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. Also, the patient is recommended to drink plenty of fluids to give the body more strength to eliminate the focus of inflammation.
10. Massage is prescribed for circulatory disorders in the lower leg. Moreover, his course should include at least fifteen sessions. A massage is necessary for a professional masseur.
Also in this state, a person can do therapeutic exercises and visit the pool.
11. Acupuncture is practiced for muscle cramps. It should be performed by a specialist who clearly knows where the reflex zones are located, the impact on which can eliminate the spasm and improve the blood microcirculation in the muscle.
12. Surgical treatment is indicated in such cases:
• with open fractures and dislocations;
• with a strong infectious or bacterial lesion of the lower leg, due to which pus began to collect in the muscle tissue;
• in case of oncological pathology;
• in case of damage to the bones of the lower leg with arthritis or arthrosis, which led to joint deformation and loss of mobility of the limb (in this case, an artificial implant is installed - an endoprosthesis).
After eliminating acute inflammation, patients may be prescribed physiotherapeutic treatment. It provides for the following procedures:
• UHF therapy;
• magnetotherapy;
• mud treatment;
• electrophoresis.
These procedures will help improve blood circulation, relieve swelling and pain.
To reduce the risk of shin inflammation, you should follow these recommendations:
1. Refuse bad habits.
2. Do not give a strong load on the lower leg and legs in general.
3. Promptly seek medical attention if a leg is injured.
4. Avoid hypothermia of the legs.
5. Do not take uncontrolled drugs that can cause inflammation of the lower leg.
6. Eliminate problems in poor patency of the vessels on the legs, as over time they can lead to varicose veins and inflammation of the lower leg.
7. It is important not to start the course of diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis, since otherwise they can lead to joint deformation and outbreaks of inflammation in different parts of the body.
