Leg Pain
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Vascular Interventional & Vein Associates
Vascular Surgeons located in Vero Beach, FL & Fort Pierce, FL
If you’re out for a walk and develop leg pain, you probably think you pulled a muscle. But leg pain is also a hallmark symptom of vascular disease. Pranay Ramdev, MD, FACS, at Vascular Interventional & Vein Associates determines if your leg pain is due to an artery or vein problem. Then he provides individualized care, beginning with conservative treatment and recommending a minimally invasive procedure only when needed to treat the underlying condition. To schedule an appointment, call one of the offices in Vero Beach or Fort Pierce, Florida, or use the online booking feature today.
Leg Pain Q & A
What vascular conditions cause leg pain?
Leg pain is one of the earliest signs of artery and vein conditions affecting your legs. These conditions include:
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
PAD is caused by atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of cholesterol-containing plaque in the artery wall. As the plaque enlarges, it blocks blood flow to your lower leg, depriving tissues of oxygen.
Without enough oxygen to support muscle activity, you develop leg pain that occurs when you walk or exercise, and then improves when you rest.
Venous insufficiency
The veins in your legs rely on one-way valves to keep blood flowing up your legs toward your heart. When a valve weakens or fails, blood flows back down your leg and accumulates in the vein. This condition, called venous insufficiency, causes leg pain, varicose veins, and high blood pressure in the lower leg.
Varicose veins
As the damaged valve allows the vein to become engorged with blood, varicose veins develop. For many people, these twisted, bulging veins are a source of aching, leg pain.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Venous insufficiency and PAD result in poor blood circulation, which is a top cause of deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in a vein in the center of your leg. Leg pain in your calf is a red flag for DVT.
What symptoms occur together with leg pain?
The vascular conditions responsible for your leg pain frequently cause other symptoms, including:
- Leg swelling
- Heavy-feeling legs
- Itchy legs
- Burning legs
- Skin rashes
- Thickened, discolored skin
- Hair loss on your leg
- Venous stasis ulcers
Venous stasis ulcers are open wounds that typically develop around your ankle. These ulcers require medical care because they don’t heal on their own. Instead, they enlarge and become infected.
How is leg pain treated?
After a physical exam and diagnostic imaging, such as on-site vascular ultrasound, Dr. Ramdev diagnoses the cause of your leg pain and creates a treatment plan to deal with the underlying problem.
DVT is treated with blood thinners and medications to dissolve the clot. In some cases, Dr. Ramdev may deliver clot-busting medication using a catheter guided through your blood vessels to the clot.
Treatment for venous insufficiency and varicose veins typically begins with compression stockings and lifestyle changes, such as losing weight if needed.
To get rid of the leg pain, eliminate varicose veins, and treat venous insufficiency, Dr. Ramdev recommends minimally invasive options such as injectable sclerotherapy or Venefit™ radiofrequency ablation.
As a specialist in minimally invasive vascular procedures, Dr. Ramdev treats PAD with an angioplasty or atherectomy. He does both procedures with a catheter that’s equipped to either push the plaque against the arterial wall (angioplasty) or to physically remove the plaque (atherectomy).
If you have ongoing leg pain, exceptional care is available at Vascular Interventional & Vein Associates. Call the nearest office or schedule an appointment online today.
