Swollen legs may occur for a myriad of reasons. The more important causes in the elderly includes: Venous insufficiency where the leg veins are compromised and the blood from the legs cannot return to the heart efficiently. It is due to conditions like varicose veins where the valves in the veins are inadequate and the veins bulge.
What causes leg pain in the elderly?
stenosis causes weakness in the legs and leg pain that is usually the strongest when the person stands up— and is relieved when the person sits down. Muscle Pain: Elderly people are at risk for muscle aches, strains and sprains. Another painful muscle disorder is fibromyalgia, a condition that causes
What causes sore legs in seniors?
What can cause tired leg muscles and sore feet symptoms in older adults?
- Varicose Veins. ...
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency. ...
- Risk Factors for Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), is another common condition experienced by older adults, smokers, and people with certain medical conditions.
What causes extreme leg pain?
What’s Causing Your Leg Pain?
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) This is a blood clot in a vein, usually in your thigh or lower leg. ...
- Peripheral Neuropathy. This happens when there’s damage to the nerves in your body that relay messages to and from your brain.
- Electrolyte Imbalance. ...
- Spinal Stenosis. ...
- Burning Thigh Pain. ...
Why do you have painful legs while lying down?
These conditions can include:
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Sciatica
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Radiating Pain From Another Injury
- Peripheral Neuropathy
What happens when you age and your leg muscles are in spasm?
What is Leg Pain?
What is the pain of a blood clot in the leg?
How to prevent muscle spasms as you get older?
How to help elderly with cramps?
How to treat a sprain in the leg?
Why do players get cramps?
See 2 more
Why do older people get sores on their legs?
Leg ulcers are a common presentation in the elderly population associated with a negative impact in the quality of life. Several factors including venous and arterial insufficiency, immobility and obesity all contribute to an increased incidence in this age group.
How do you treat leg ulcers in elderly?
The mainstay of treatment for venous ulcers is compression therapy, exercise and leg elevation at rest. Long term treatment with double bandages (zinc paste bandages and elastic compression), changed once weekly, is the recommended standard treatment in the elderly.
How can elderly prevent leg ulcers?
There are several ways to help prevent a venous leg ulcer in people at risk, such as:wearing compression stockings.losing weight if you're overweight.exercising regularly.elevating your leg when possible.
What do sores on legs mean?
Venous ulcers (open sores) can occur when the veins in your legs do not push blood back up to your heart as well as they should. Blood backs up in the veins, building up pressure. If not treated, increased pressure and excess fluid in the affected area can cause an open sore to form.
Are leg ulcers serious?
“Never ignore a venous leg ulcer,” says wound care specialist Jocelyn Ehren, CNP. “While the majority of vein illness symptoms are temporary and easily treated, venous leg ulcers are more severe and, when left untreated, can negatively affect your health.”
Are leg ulcers life threatening?
Left untreated, these ulcers can cause serious complications. If you begin to experience irregular symptoms or notice pain in your lower extremities, seek immediate medical attention. Don't self-diagnose. Your wound or symptoms could be indicators of a more serious condition.
What does an early stage leg ulcer look like?
aching or swelling in your legs. red, flaky, scaly and itchy skin on your legs (varicose eczema) swollen and enlarged veins on your legs (varicose veins) an unpleasant and foul-smelling discharge from the ulcer.
What causes sores on legs that won't heal?
Venous insufficiency is by far the most common reason for open sores on the legs that do not heal. And, venous insufficiency accounts for 80-85% of non healing leg wounds. Typically, the legs swell. The swelling impairs oxygen and nutrients getting to the skin.
What cream is best for leg ulcers?
The most frequently used topical antimicrobials in wound care practice are chlorhexidine, iodine, silver containing products, mupriocin and fucidic acid.
What causes red sores on legs?
Possible causes include eczema, hives, insect bites, heat rash, and more serious causes like skin cancer. What causes little red spots on legs? It can be difficult to discern what's causing red spots on your legs. Possible causes include eczema, hives, insect bites, and heat rash.
What do diabetic ulcers look like on your legs?
Look for blisters, cuts, cracks, sores, redness, white spots or areas, thick calluses, discoloration, or other changes. Don't rely on pain; even feeling more warmth or cold than usual can be a sign that you have an open wound on your skin, and it's possible that you may feel nothing at all.
Can leg ulcers cause sepsis?
Leg ulcers can become infected. If the infection is not diagnosed and treated quickly, a patient may go on to develop sepsis, a life-threatening condition which can lead to a medical negligence claim.
What cream is best for leg ulcers?
The most frequently used topical antimicrobials in wound care practice are chlorhexidine, iodine, silver containing products, mupriocin and fucidic acid.
What is the latest treatment for leg ulcers?
Topical oxygen therapy (TOT) is an innovative technology in the management of resistant-to-healing venous leg ulcers. TOT is applied directly to the wound and does not require a full-body compression chamber.
What is best treatment for leg ulcers?
Treating an infected ulcer If your ulcer becomes infected, it should be cleaned and dressed as usual. You should also elevate your leg most of the time. You'll be prescribed a 7-day course of antibiotics. The aim of antibiotic treatment is to clear the infection.
What is the best dressing for leg ulcers?
Graduated compression hosiery is recommended to prevent recurrence of venous leg ulcers.
Leg Pain in Older Adults: Where Is It Coming From?
Aches and pains seem to be part of the aging process for many people. Hip pain is especially common but doesn’t always come from the hip so diagnosis can be tricky.
Severe Upper Leg Pain | 10 Causes for Extreme Pain in Upper Leg
Severe leg pain located around the thigh can be caused by trauma from a femoral break or muscle strain. A deep, shooting pain in the upper leg can also be caused by deep vein thrombosis, spinal stenosis, or a thigh bone infection. Read on for more information on causes and treatment options.
Why Do My Legs Hurt? 11 Causes of Lower Leg Pain and Sore Calves
Apply ice to get some relief. Or take anti-inflammatories if your doctor says they're okay for you. Avoid doing anything that causes pain. When it hurts less, stretch and strengthen your leg.
Leg Muscle Pain: What are the Causes When to be Concerned? - Angiologist
2. Pain that Happens at Night. The timing of the pain is important. As I wrote, leg pain at night has a set of causes that is not identical to pain that happens also at other times. The three main causes to think about are: Lack of blood flow to the muscles.
Why do ulcers in legs hurt?
Ulcers are often painful. But sometimes ulcers present with no pain. This is due to nerve damage from unmanaged diabetes. A lack of pain is one reason why many people misdiagnose themselves and fail to seek medical treatment.
Why do ulcers on the legs keep recurring?
Without treatment, these types of ulcers can keep recurring. This condition is most commonly caused by poor circulation , though it may be attributed to a variety of ailments. These wounds are also more common in women, but they can affect both men and women of any age.
How to prevent ulcers in legs?
Since poor circulation is the most common cause of leg ulcers, it makes sense to control conditions that can cause poor circulation, like: Staying well with a healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce your weight, thereby decreasing your risk of leg ulcers.
What happens if pus drains from a swollen ulcer?
If pus is draining from your ulcer, you likely have an infection. Infections are treated with antibiotics to avoid further complications.
What is the best medicine for blood clots in legs?
Your doctor may also recommend aspirin to prevent blood clots in the legs, but it’s important that you don’t start any medication without first consulting your doctor.
Do leg ulcers increase with age?
The odds of developing leg ulcers increase with age, and they’re often hereditary — in other words, if your parents had leg ulcers, you’re more likely to develop them.
Can leg ulcers be treated early?
These wounds are also more common in women, but they can affect both men and women of any age. If they’re treated early, leg ulcers can improve without causing any further complications.
What causes a sore on the bottom of the leg?
Any process of inflammation or tissue damage can manifest as a sore on the leg. Leg sores may affect primarily the skin or can extend into the subcutaneous tissues, muscles, bone, and deeper structures of the leg. Depending upon the exact cause, they may be associated with. itching.
Why do my legs itch?
redness, swelling, oozing, crusting, ulceration, and. itching. Common causes of leg sores include insect bites and stings , cuts and abrasions, and skin infections.
How many people are allergic to hay fever?
It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions. The parts of the body that are prone to react to allergies include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and stomach. Common allergic disorders include hay fever, asthma, allergic eyes, allergic eczema, hives, and allergic shock.
Where is the leg?
In popular usage, the leg extends from the top of the thigh down to the foot. See a picture of the Leg and learn more about the...
What causes ringworm?
Ringworm is caused by a fungus. See Answer
What causes a swollen leg in elderly people?
Broken Foot. Broken Leg. Knee (Prepatellar) Bursitis: an inflammation of the bursa in your knee. Although these are not the only conditions that cause leg swelling, it is among the more common and important causes of a swollen leg in an elderly person.
What causes swelling in the legs?
6 Common Causes of Swollen Legs Due to Inflammation 1 Gout: a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. The build up of uric acid could result in sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in joints especially near the base of the big toe. 2 Sprained Ankle: an injury which occurs when the ankle is rolled, twisted or turned in an abnormal manner that results in tearing or stretching of the ligaments. 3 Popliteal Cyst (Baker’s Cyst): a prominent swelling at the back of the knee. It is usually caused by an underlying injury or condition in the knee joint. 4 Broken Foot 5 Broken Leg 6 Knee (Prepatellar) Bursitis: an inflammation of the bursa in your knee.
How to stop swelling in legs?
Do Light Exercise : Exercise can help improve your circulation and reduce the chance of fluid accumulation.
Why do my legs swell?
There are several reasons for swelling of the legs but in most instances, it is due to fluid accumulation in the legs. Sometimes excess fluid pools within the tissue spaces (edema) while at other times it may be accumulated within the blood vessels. Fluid normally flows in and out of the tissue spaces and blood vessels in order for nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide or wastes. The body has several efficient mechanisms to ensure that fluid does not accumulate in any part of the body.
What is a sprained ankle?
Sprained Ankle: an injury which occurs when the ankle is rolled, twisted or turned in an abnormal manner that results in tearing or stretching of the ligaments. Popliteal Cyst (Baker’s Cyst): a prominent swelling at the back of the knee. It is usually caused by an underlying injury or condition in the knee joint.
What does it mean when your legs are swollen?
This may indicate a blood clot in your lungs or other serious heart issues: Difficulty in breathing. Shortness of breath. Dizziness.
What causes brittle bones in elderly?
Kidney problems where the kidney’s ability to regulate the water levels in the body are affected thereby causing the retention of fluid in the body. Fractures of the leg bone which is more commonly in the elderly with age-related decrease in bone density and diseases that cause brittle bones like osteoporosis.
What causes ulcers on the legs?
The most common causes of ulceration are venous and arterial disease. Diabetes mellitus, pressure, vasculitis, metabolic abnormalities and skin cancer are all unusual causes of leg ulceration, but must be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Is leg ulceration a common problem in elderly people?
Chronic leg ulceration is a very common clinical problem in the elderly. Good management depends entirely on making an accurate diagnosis, and planning treatment after considering all aspects of patient well-being.
Is leg ulceration a clinical problem?
Chronic leg ulceration is a very common clinical problem in the elderly. Good management depends entirely on making an accurate diagnosis, and planning treatment after considering all aspects of patient well-being. All elderly patients with leg ulcers benefit from an assessment of their vascular status, since the effects ...
Why do my legs swell?
How Leg Swelling is Treated. As I noted above: most of the time, leg swelling in an older adult is caused by chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), an issue with the leg veins not doing an adequate job to return blood to the heart.
Why does one side of my leg swell?
Swelling on one side only: Most of the causes of swelling described above will cause both legs to be affected, so if only one leg is swollen, it might be caused by: A blood clot, which usually does limited harm in the leg but could break off and travel to the lung causing severe illness or even death, Infection.
How does edema happen?
We notice edema when our shoes are too tight, or we get marks on our ankles from our socks. But what’s really going on inside the body?
What is the term for edema caused by fluid overload in the lymphatic vessels?
Lymphedema means edema caused by fluid overload in the lymphatic vessels, not the veins. When there’s too much fluid for the lymph system to drain, or not enough capacity in the lymphatic channels, swelling is the result.
What is the edema in the lower limbs?
In cirrhosis of the liver, edema may occur in the lower limbs or, more commonly, localized to the belly (called ascites). The liver is where the body makes albumin, a major component of protein in the blood, but in cirrhosis, the damaged liver can no longer maintain adequate production of albumin and other key proteins. The resulting lower blood protein levels mean that fluid will leak out into the interstitial spaces, which can cause edema and also noticeable swelling of the belly.
What are the signs of swelling in the leg?
They include: Breathing symptoms: Shortness of breath, cough, and trouble breathing when lying flat might be indicators of pulmonary edema, from CHF or another cause.
Why do older people have edema?
Edema (or swelling) of the lower limbs is common in older adults. The most common cause (about 70%) of leg edema is due to Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI).
What happens when you age and your leg muscles are in spasm?
Amongst the many things that can go wrong while we age is the unwanted and often painful involuntary contraction of leg muscles and in other areas as well. Although it is unintentional but the contraction sometimes lasts for more than several seconds and turns from being a muscle in spasm to a muscle cramp. It begins with a tightening of the muscle and if it happens to remain that way for some time, it means that it has turned into a cramp.
What is Leg Pain?
When it comes to leg pain, it can be burning, tingling, dull or numbing, etc. Furthermore, it can either be acute, meaning sudden and short term, or chronic and persistent.
What is the pain of a blood clot in the leg?
DVT is a serious leg pain that refers to a blood clot in the deep veins of the leg. It can take place due to an individual sitting for hours during the day or traveling on a long-distance flight. One of the most common symptoms of DVT is swelling in addition to a hot and painful sensation on one side of the leg. Furthermore, this might only occur while walking or standing up. The good news is that the clot will most probably dissolve itself by walking and exercising. However, if the person feels dizziness and shortness of breath, medical attention maybe required.
How to prevent muscle spasms as you get older?
Therefore, the key is to regularly exercise and eat healthy meals to ensure that your body is receiving sufficient minerals and vitamins to repair itself. This way, you will be able to reduce the frequency of cramps or strains as you grow older.
How to help elderly with cramps?
Even though most people tend to use painkillers but we suggest stretching and massaging the muscle. If a cramp takes place , hold the toe and pull it towards the body while straightening the leg. Plus, walk on heels until the cramp eases off.
How to treat a sprain in the leg?
If it is a sports-related injury such as sprains or strains, the best way to treat is by resting. Use ice to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain. However, you should put it in a cloth and then use it rather than applying directly to the skin. Furthermore, lift the leg above the level of the heart to allow gravity to drain and reduce the swelling and pain.
Why do players get cramps?
When you overburden them, they will simply fall out. This is why you see prominent players being left out of competitions because they had over-stressed themselves in the previous matches or training. If the condition is left ignore and dehydration is persistent at the same time as well, the issue will turn into a cramp.
Prognosis
Pathophysiology
- There are several reasons for swelling of the legs but in most instances, it is due to fluid accumulation in the legs. Sometimes excess fluid pools within the tissue spaces (edema) while at other times it may be accumulated within the blood vessels. Fluid normally flows in and out of the tissue spaces and blood vessels in order for nutrients, oxyge...
Symptoms
- The legs are the most prone to swelling because the return of fluid to the heart is against gravity. Therefore any problem in terms of excess fluid within the body, reduced heart function, problems with the blood vessels and related dysfunction will lead to fluid accumulating in the legs first before arising in other parts of the body. Leg swelling is, therefore, a sign of an underlying proble…
Cause
- Although these are not the only conditions that cause leg swelling, it is among the more common and important causes of a swollen leg in an elderly person. Further diagnostic investigation is necessary to conclusively identify the cause.
Treatment
- If your legs swelling is not caused by more severe underlying medical condition, the following remedies might provide some relief during the recovery period In addition, taking over-the-counter (nonprescription) pain medication may lessen painful swelling.
Diagnosis
- While swelling of legs is often non-emergent medical condition, one should seek immediate medical help if any of the following symptoms or conditions occur with the swelling. This may indicate a blood clot in your lungs or other serious heart issues: