Woke up with severe pain in lower leg. Feels tender to touch. What can be done?
User rating for this question
Answered by
Practicing since : 2009
Answered : 6181 Questions
Question
hi I am 56 male 6'2" 277lb have had no health problems to date woke up this morning with sevre pain in my lower leg it has not gone away and it is tender to touch on the side of my chin it is only one leg my right it has not happened befor and I don't recall injuring it
cheers XXXXXXX
cheers XXXXXXX
Posted Thu, 29 Aug 2013
in Medicines and Side Effects
Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah 2 hours later
Hi XXXXXXX
Thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this leg and chin which hurt.
From the information you have provided, this problem could be caused by cellulitis, a clot in the leg or something else. We need to investigate and find out if you have other symptoms like fever, swelling, any colour change of the leg, any recent sitting for long or long trips, the aspect of the skin, etc. This would be followed by a careful examination to look for potential concerning pathologies like an infection or blood clots. This may require that we do some blood and/or imaging tests depending on what the findings are. If a cause is identified, then specific treatment would be offered.
If no cause if found, then we may attribute it to non specific musculo-skeletal pains and treat with rest, pain medications, ice packs and leg immobilisation to hasten recovery.
I will like to suggest that you apply these non specific measures now while you go in and get evaluated by your doctor to identify or rule out life threatening causes and treat accordingly.
Please, your weight seems too much for your height. This exposes you to their illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, joints and backache, stroke, heart disease etc. Reducing the amount of calories intake and increasing the amount you spent daily through physical activities is the best way to tackle this problem. talking and working with a dietitian would be a great idea, too.
Hope you find this helpful and addresses your query fully. Please, feel free to ask related follow up questions if need be.
Once more, thanks for this opportunity to address your health related inquiries.
I wish you a speedy recovery.
Dr. Ditah, MD
Thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this leg and chin which hurt.
From the information you have provided, this problem could be caused by cellulitis, a clot in the leg or something else. We need to investigate and find out if you have other symptoms like fever, swelling, any colour change of the leg, any recent sitting for long or long trips, the aspect of the skin, etc. This would be followed by a careful examination to look for potential concerning pathologies like an infection or blood clots. This may require that we do some blood and/or imaging tests depending on what the findings are. If a cause is identified, then specific treatment would be offered.
If no cause if found, then we may attribute it to non specific musculo-skeletal pains and treat with rest, pain medications, ice packs and leg immobilisation to hasten recovery.
I will like to suggest that you apply these non specific measures now while you go in and get evaluated by your doctor to identify or rule out life threatening causes and treat accordingly.
Please, your weight seems too much for your height. This exposes you to their illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, joints and backache, stroke, heart disease etc. Reducing the amount of calories intake and increasing the amount you spent daily through physical activities is the best way to tackle this problem. talking and working with a dietitian would be a great idea, too.
Hope you find this helpful and addresses your query fully. Please, feel free to ask related follow up questions if need be.
Once more, thanks for this opportunity to address your health related inquiries.
I wish you a speedy recovery.
Dr. Ditah, MD
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Google+
The user accepted the expert's answer
