In medicine, different categories of leg diseases are distinguished: vascular, muscular, neurological and joint and bone disease. Consider the main symptoms and causes of leg ailments.
Diseases of the vessels of the legs
Pain in the leg muscles may well be the first symptoms of veins on the legs, for example, varicose veins, thrombosis, atherosclerosis. Also, signs of vascular disease in the legs are cold feet, densification of the walls of the vessels, heaviness in the legs, dilated veins, convulsions, edema, and the like.
The causes of these diseases: sedentary work and sedentary lifestyle; malnutrition and excess weight; smoking; Nervous overvoltage.
Diseases of leg joints
Among leg diseases, problems with joints are among the most common. Diseases of the joints and the spine are divided into groups: dystrophic and inflammatory.
Dystrophic include diseases that have a name with the end of "oz" - osteochondrosis, arthrosis, etc. Symptoms of these diseases: pain, limited mobility in the joint, deformation of the joint, crunch during movement. The cause of dystrophic diseases of the spine and joints are trauma and microtrauma, physical overload of the joint, overweight, malnutrition, poisoning of the body with nitrates and heavy metal salts. All this leads to a disruption of the blood supply to the cartilage and its deformation.
Inflammatory diseases of the joints have names with the end of "it" - arthritis, polyarthritis, spondylitis, etc. Symptoms of these diseases are pain, swelling of the joints, red and hot skin in the place of swelling, deformation of the joints, their limited mobility. The causes of inflammation of the joints are certain diseases of the heart and blood vessels, bacterial or viral inflammation, metabolic disorders and the formation of salt crystals in the joint cavity. There are also autoimmune causes of inflammation, when cells of the immune system perceive tissues of their own joints, as foreign ones.
Disease of restless legs
This is a neurological disease, the symptoms of which are extremely unpleasant sensations in the legs: the legs are aching, twitching, burning sensation, pressure, causing the patient to constantly move his legs, as during movement these symptoms significantly weaken. Usually this condition appears or worsens in the evening, before going to bed or in the first half of the night, which leads to insomnia, and later - to nervous exhaustion.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) can be a hereditary disease associated with a lack of dopamine in the brain. In another case, the cause of RLS is the lack of iron in the body, anemia, kidney failure, sciatica, diabetes mellitus or spinal cord injuries.
How to treat leg diseases?
Each disease requires a special kind of treatment, as well as certain medications. Therefore, it is advisable not to engage in self-treatment so as not to harm yourself, but to seek help from a qualified doctor.
It is much easier and more effective to prevent leg ailments, than to try to deal with their consequences later. To maintain their health, follow these tips:
- Wear comfortable shoes, since tight and uncomfortable shoes can cause disruption of the normal circulation of blood in the body.
- Alternate sitting in place with prolonged walking. In both cases, there is a heavy load on the legs, so it is important to alternate.
- Move more, go in for sports or walk. Constant physical exertion on the legs helps to strengthen the muscles and keep them toned.
- Let the feet unload and rest. Sometimes it is useful to lie down and throw your legs somewhere higher (on pillows, for example), because it is in this position that the legs are as relaxed as possible and rest from the day's load.
- Do not wear tight clothes. It, just like shoes, prevents the normal circulation of blood to the legs.