Pain in the lower leg may be a result of several causes. But often it happens that lower leg pain increases while lying down at night. This condition is mostly related to sciatica or nerve compression. It is so severe that it may cause an individual to ache from pain and spend sleepless nights.
However, there are many underlying reasons why you feel leg pain when lying down but not standing. The situation may be identified by many symptoms and treated by advanced techniques.
What Are Symptoms of Lower Leg Aches at Night?
Aches in lower leg at night may show following accompanied symptoms
- Discomfort in the leg leading to throbbing or cramping
- Cramps in both legs
- Numbness and itching in the legs
- Restlessness
- Difficulty in staying asleep
- Tiredness in whole day
- Sharp pain in the leg bones during the day and night
- Abnormal skin color change especially redness on the legs
- Localized warmth and swelling
- Legs feeling heaviness
- Bulging and bluish veins in the legs
- Inflammation in the legs
- Itchy area around veins in the legs
What are the Possible Causes?
There are several causes behind the fact that you feel leg pain when lying down but not standing.
- Neuropathy
Neuropathy affects the nerves in the body in many ways like the legs , leading to aching legs when you lie. These conditions involve some low levels of vitamins, physiological damages, or wounds that affect the nerves. The sciatica leg causes the pain that may still be followed by the already mentioned annoying ache. This situation is connected to an inflamed hip nerve.
- Venous Insufficiency
Venous insufficiency leads to poor circulation, affecting the leg veins. As discussed previously, veins facilitate pumping blood back to the heart supported by small valves in the veins. These are one-way valves that work by opening and closing to pump blood upward to the chest. However, when those valves lose their strength, blood flows backward into the vein, leading to pain, inflammation, cramps, heavy legs and varicose veins. Advanced studies on venous insufficiency show leg sores and possibly blood clotting.
- Bursitis
This ailment occurs when fluid-filled pockets present between the joints become swollen. It can occur from an accident, injury, allergy, or from repetitive activities. Accompanied by pain, bursitis may also cause tenderness, inflammation, and skin sensitivity that feels warm when touched.
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae, each differentiated by soft discs that help in movement. However , due to injury or aging, these discs start bulging out, which causes narrowing the spinal canal. When this happens, they can suppress the nerves that radiate down to your legs. This is referred to as lumbar spinal stenosis. Accompanied by pain, symptoms related to lumbar spinal stenosis include numbness in the buttocks or and cramping during.
- Varicose Veins
Excessive pressure on veins weaken and cause inflammation, this can result in varicose veins. The lower area of legs is most affected by varicose veins. These enlarged veins cannot be ignored, as they cause pain and cramping. It may also lead to pooling especially when resting. The individual may feel throbbing leg pain when lying down as blood pools in the calves.
- Overuse or Dehydration
Muscles will get cramps and feel aching if they have been overworked or get any injury during the day. One may observe this feeling more prominently at night when the muscles are still at the same position for hours.
Additionally, this muscle cramping at night may also be observed due to salt imbalance. It occurs due to dehydration and a poor diet. In fact, low magnesium levels lead to muscle cramps. That is why magnesium supplements are administered before bed to alleviate leg pain at night.
- Nerve Issues
Pinched nerves or spinal cord injuries leading to nerve compression mostly occur as a result of sciatica, as sciatica affects lower legs. So the pain from the lower back can radiate into the legs, which become worse while lying down.
How Is Leg Pain Diagnosed?
If you experience severe leg pain that disturbs your daily routines, you should visit a physician for diagnosis and treatment. The doctor will inquire about your symptoms and evaluate it after physical examination. If you visit pain management clinic, your healthcare provider may recommend imaging tests and including:
X-ray: X-rays can assist in the visualization of bones.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) produces detailed images of inner organs by using a magnetic field and radio waves.
Ultrasound: This test produces images of your body’s structures using sound waves.
When to See a Doctor
It’s a good option to see a leg pain doctor for leg pain if the condition gets worse with walking,with increased swelling, or if it doesn’t get improved after a few days of home treatment.
It’s important to visit a doctor quickly if any of the following are true:
- There are indications of possible infection. These infections may lead to redness, warmth, or a fever.
- Your leg is swollen and yellowish in color or unusually cool
- You observe a calf pain after prolonged sitting
- You have swelling in both legs along with breathing problems
- Pain gets worse suddenly
immediate medical attention is required if any of the following happens
- You’re unable to walk or stand
- You develop pain, swelling, redness, or warmth in your calf
- You have a sudden injury with a deep cut or exposed tissue
- You heard a popping or grinding sound when you injured your leg
Prevention of Leg Pain
If you are finishing an exercise and observe cramps in the middle of the night. You want to get rid of this condition immediately, but there are no chances to do that. However, what you can do is follow these 8 steps.
1.Stretch:Straighten your leg and then flex it, pulling your toes toward your shin to stretch the muscles. Stretch the cramped muscle, and gently rub. For a thigh cramp, try pulling the foot on that leg up toward your buttock. Hold on to a chair to steady yourself.
2.Massage: Use your hands or a roller to massage the muscles.
3.Stand: Get up. Press your feet against the floor.
4.Walk: Wiggle your leg while you walk around.
5.Apply heat: Use a heating pad or take a warm bath.
6.Apply cold: Wrap a bag of ice in a towel and apply it to the area.
7.Take pain medications: Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with the pain.8.Elevate: Prop up your leg after the cramp starts to feel better.
