Recently we have been asked for home and natural remedies for calf pain. To give an answer, it is important to know the reasons why this type of pain manifests itself.
This discomfort ranges from mild numbness and tingling to excruciating pain that affects your ability to walk and can be felt anywhere between the knee and ankle along the back of the leg.
In this area you will find the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, as well as the tendons, blood vessels and ligaments. Calf muscle pain is commonly known as a “Charley horse” episode when no trauma is involved, but calf pain can be caused by nerve damage or direct injury to the lower leg.
Calf muscle tension can also be felt as a burning or tingling sensation, called paresthesia. Serious health conditions, such as Deep venous thrombosiscan present with this form of pain and, if left untreated, can lead to stroke or a heart attack.
Calf pain is classified into three grades or levels based on the severity of the damage or injury.
Grade I: refers to an overstretch or tear of a smaller calf muscle. There is a slight pain, but it does not affect
Grade II: medium-sized tearing or stretching of muscle fibers. Lameness may be visible, along with possible bruisesas pain increases and strength decreases.
Grade III: severe damage or complete tearing of the muscle. Movement is disturbed and bruising and swelling occur. The skin surface may invert over the calf and extreme pain increases when weight is placed on the leg.
Possible symptoms and causes of calf pain
Calf muscle strain Calf muscle pain is a common result of straining the medial gastrocnemius muscle during physical activity, such as with sports. This type of strain is often called a tennis leg, which originates from a reported case of a tennis injury in 1883. Pain, bruising, and swelling along the back of the leg can be felt and seen, lasting for months and sometimes years.
Achilles tendonitis The damage or injury to Achilles tendon it may be a tear, irritation, or overstretching caused by overuse, weak calf muscles, arthritis, or the aging process. Calf pain symptoms can include pain in the upper leg, stiffness, tenderness, and severe pain, especially after climbing stairs or running.
Baker’s cyst Also known as a popliteal cyst, it is a fluid-filled bulge that develops behind the knee. It causes increased pain in the calf with activity and movement of the knee. The cyst may be the result of a tear in the cartilage or arthritis.
lower leg contusion A direct blow to the calf can compress the muscle over the bone, resulting in bruising. Immediate pain is felt and can range from a pinching sensation to severe, along with tenderness and pain. This condition is common in contact sports such as soccer, and the trauma can cause temporary sudden loss of use of the leg.
Leg cramps The cramps In the legs, they occur when the calf muscles involuntarily contract and spread apart. The sufferer usually experiences calf pain at night. Tightness and pain can range from mild to severe, and can last a few seconds or several minutes. This form of calf pain can occur for unknown reasons or due to excessive exercise, pregnancy, medications, or liver disease.
Sciatica This condition is characterized by leg pain, weakness, and numbness due to injury or damage to the sciatic nerve that runs from the bottom down through the legs. The sciatica it is a symptom of a lower back problem, such as spinal stenosis, a lumbar herniated disc, spondylolisthesis, or degenerative disc disease.
Diabetic neuropathy Nerves can be damaged by high blood sugar or glucose levels, inflammation, injury, and from external sources such as alcohol and tobacco use. There is often pain in the lower legs, such as in the calves, as well as numbness and tingling sensations.
Rheumatoid arthritis Commonly known as RA, this condition causes inflammation and swelling of the joints that leads to pain, stiffness, and tenderness. Calf pain can be felt when moving after long periods of rest, especially first thing in the morning. The causes of rheumatoid arthritis have not yet been confirmed, as it is considered a autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the healthy tissues of the body.
Varicose veins or varices Blood traveling from the tissues to the heart can pool and cause swelling. As a result, weakened or damaged valves within the veins appear as what are known as varicose veins and can appear on the calves. The varicose veins they are often the result of a sedentary lifestyle, trauma, obesity, and genetics. This condition can lead to blood clots and skin ulcers.
Blood clots You can form a blood clot inside the veins, affecting blood flow and causing pain and swelling in the calf. This usually occurs after a surgical procedure where the patient is unable to move for a long time.
Deep venous thrombosis Known as DVT, this is when blood thickens and clumps together to form a blood clot in a vein. It is caused by injury, infection, inflammation, or as a result of surgery.
A blood clot in the lower leg can make the calf swollen, hot to the touch, and painful, especially when placing weight on it. In rare cases, a blood clot in the lower leg can travel to the lungs and block blood flow, known as a pulmonary embolism.
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Peripheral artery disease This common condition can occur in the legs when narrowing of the arteries restricts blood flow. There may be pain in the legs when walking, which is known as claudication. Additionally, death of body tissue can result with inadequate blood flow.
Calf numbness, cramps, and pain worsen with activity, but can also be severe when the body rests with disease progression.
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folk remedies
Remedy for calf pain # 1: Apply a cold or ice pack to the affected calf to treat inflammation, pain, and swelling. Once the swelling has subsided, apply heat packs to the calf to continue pain management. If you apply heat too soon, it can increase pain and swelling.
Remedy for calf pain # 2: Attach heel pads to both shoes to relieve any strain on the calf muscle while walking. The pads will lift the heel while shortening the length of the muscle.
Remedy for calf pain # 3: Pour 1 tablespoon of willow, previously washed and chopped, in a cup of boiling water. Cover and let cool. Strain and take 2 times a day. Avoid this remedy if you are allergic to aspirin.
Remedy for calf pain # 4: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and, upon reaching the boiling point, remove from the heat and pour in 1 tablespoon of devil’s claw. Cover and let cool. Strain and take 2 times a day.
Remedy for calf pain # 5: Pour 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder into a glass of water and beat until fully integrated. Take 2 times a day.
Remedy for calf pain # 6: Perform stretching exercises to strengthen and lengthen the tendons and muscles of the calves. Repeat these exercises four or five times a day.
- With your knee bent, move your foot up and down 10 times, flexing your ankle. Once the pain subsides, do the same exercises with your leg straight.
- Move your foot in a large circular motion 10 times both clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Place the affected leg in front of the other and slightly lean forward with the knee of the affected leg slightly over the foot. Keep both feet flat on the floor for 15 seconds as you feel a stretch in your calf.
- Facing a wall, lean forward with your hands on the wall for support. Place the leg with the injured calf behind the foot of the other leg and hold the stretch for 15 seconds.
- Place your hands on a table or counter with your feet wide apart and raise your heels so that you are standing on your toes. Do this several times.
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recommendations
Rest the calf muscles It can relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed up recovery time, whether it’s a minor or major calf problem. Use crutches when walking is required to avoid placing weight on the affected leg.
Go to the doctor There are times when calf pain indicates a serious underlying condition and requires emergency medical attention. The following signs and symptoms may occur with or without calf pain:
- The lower leg appears pale
- Cold sensation in the leg
- shortness of breath or shortness of breath
- Confusion, weakness, or lethargy
- a high fever
- Difficulty applying weight to the leg
- painful walk
- A very swollen calf
- A calf that is red and warm to the touch
- Hearing a popping sound
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