Thigh pain is a common problem that many people experience. It may come on suddenly or gradually, and it can cause you to have difficulty with normal functional mobility like walking, running, or climbing stairs. Sometimes thigh pain can occur after trauma or an injury, and other times it may come on for no apparent reason.


Anatomically speaking, your thigh is the area of your upper leg between your hip joint and your knee. Your quadriceps muscles reside in the front of your thigh and serve to bend your hip up and straighten your knee. Your hamstrings are in the back; these muscles help to bend your knee. Groin muscles on the inner aspect of your thigh pull your leg in, while your hip muscles, like the gluteus medius, pull your thigh out to the side. Several nerves travel down your thighs.

Causes
There are many different causes of thigh pain, some obvious and others not so much. Understanding your thigh pain and what may be causing it is the first step to properly treating your condition. Common causes of thigh pain may include:

Pinched Spinal Nerve

Thigh pain may be caused by a pinched spinal nerve. Herniated lumbar discs or low back arthritis may pinch on the nerves that exit your spinal column and travel down your thigh. Symptoms of a pinched nerve may include:

Pain in the front or back of your thigh
Numbness or tingling in your thigh
Weakness in your thigh muscles
Difficulty sitting or rising from sitting
Pinched nerves typically cause thigh pain that changes depending on your spine's position, so this can be a clue to your doctor that your low back is actually causing your thigh pain.


Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a condition where your spinal nerves are compressed by the bony anatomy of your spine. Symptoms of stenosis include:

Pain in both thighs and legs
Numb and heavy feelings in your thighs
The pain from spinal stenosis is typically felt in both legs at the same time. Symptoms are made worse with standing walking and almost immediately relieved with sitting.


Trauma
If you have any sort of traumatic event occur where your thigh is struck, this may cause pain. Usually, the cause of your thigh pain is obvious after trauma; your thigh was injured, and now it hurts. Symptoms from a blow to the thigh may include pain in the front or back of your thigh that is worse with activity. Bruising may be present. The pain is usually intermittent; it comes and goes depending on your activity level.


Quadriceps or Hamstring Tendonitis
Overuse and repetitive stress to your thigh muscles may cause inflammation in your tendons, a condition that is known as tendonitis. Symptoms of quad or hamstring tendonitis include:

Pain in the front or back of your thigh, usually near your knee or hip
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs due to pain
Weak feeling in your muscles in the front or back of your thigh
Symptoms usually last for four to six weeks and slowly get better with gentle exercise.

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome
Your iliotibial band is a thick piece of fascia and tissue that courses down the outer side of your thigh. Sometimes it can become irritated with overuse or repeated stress. This is a common running injury known as iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBS). Symptoms of ITBS include:

Pain on the outside part of your thigh near your hip or knee
Tight feelings near your hip or knee
Difficulty walking or running
The pain from ITBS usually gets worse with increased activity and better with rest. Many people benefit from physical therapy to learn stretches and strengthening exercises for ITBS.

Stroke
Sometimes, a cerebral vascular accident (CVA), also known as a stroke, can cause pain in your thigh. This is usually accompanied by numbness and tingling and a sudden onset of muscle weakness. This is a medical emergency, so if you suspect you have had a stroke, go to your local emergency department right away.

Blood Clot
A blood clot in your lower leg or thigh may cause thigh pain. This is usually accompanied by warmth, swelling, and redness in your thigh. A blood clot needs to be diagnosed and managed immediately; if the clot dislodges from your vein, it can travel to your lungs and become an often fatal pulmonary embolism.

When to See a Doctor
Many people with thigh pain are able to treat it with no medical intervention. Sometimes, you need to see a doctor or medical professional for thigh pain. So how do you know when a doctor is necessary for your thigh pain?

In general, it is better to err on the side of caution. If you have thigh pain that you are unsure about or that does not subside with time and/or medication, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Signs and symptoms that warrant a visit to a medical professional include:

Severe pain that limits your ability to function normally. If you are having difficulty walking normally due to your pain, visit your doctor.
Pain that is accompanied by fever or malaise. This could be a sign of infection, and your family doctor should check things out.
Thigh pain with redness, swelling, and warmth of your skin. This may be a sign of a blood clot and requires immediate medical attention.
Thigh pain that is accompanied by deformity. A muscle strain or tear may cause your thigh to look deformed, and a visit to an orthopedic surgeon may be needed to accurately diagnose and treat your condition.
Thigh pain that comes on suddenly and limits your ability to walk. A pinched nerve in your back may be the culprit here, and checking in with an orthopedist is recommended.
Most cases of thigh pain can be diagnosed accurately by your family physician or orthopedist. Some thigh pain that is caused by nerve compression or neurological conditions may require a neurologist to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

A Word From Hellopdox

Most cases of thigh pain are easily diagnosed and treated, and most thigh pain causes only minor and temporary functional limitations. Sometimes, thigh pain can be serious, and getting to a doctor for accurate diagnosis and treatment is essential. Understanding your thigh pain and what to do when you feel it can help you get the right care so you can quickly return to your normal lifestyle and everyday activities.

The lower parts of your legs take the brunt of your day-to-day life. You shouldn’t have to be in pain, though.

Medical treatments can help if your doctor says you have a condition like leg cramps, blood clots, or issues with the nerves. But you can do things at home that help, too.

Bones, Joints, and Muscles
Muscle cramp. It can strike in your sleep or in the middle of the day. This sudden, tight, intense lower leg pain is sometimes called a "charley horse." When it takes a grip, it can get worse quickly. It happens when your muscles are tired or dehydrated. Drink more water if you're prone to leg cramps.

It might help to gently stretch or massage the area where your muscle has tensed up. Stretch your legs properly before you exercise, too.

Shin splints. You can feel this pain right up the front of your calf. The muscles and flesh along the edge of the shin bone become inflamed, so it hurts to walk, run, or jump. Doing activity over and over on hard surfaces can bring this on. You may also be more likely to get shin splints if you have flat feet or your feet turn outward.

Rest your legs to feel better. Ice helps. So can anti-inflammatory meds such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, if your doctor says these are safe for you. You can buy them over the counter.

You might want to see your doctor if the pain stays. Try not to do anything that makes your leg hurt more. Once it feels a little better, do some stretches. The next time out, wear comfortable, supportive shoes. And don't run on hard surfaces if possible.

Tendinitis. One of the first warning signs you have an inflamed Achilles tendon is pain in your lower calf, near the back of your heel. It’s a common injury that makes the tendon swell, stretch, or tear. You can get it from overworking the calf muscle or climbing the stairs. It might stick around for a long time, too.

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.

If your pain feels severe, your Achilles tendon may be torn. Another possible sign of a tear is having trouble pointing your toe downward. Your doctor may inject medicine into the inflamed area. You might need surgery to repair the damage.

Broken bones or sprains. Say you twist your ankle and get a mild sprain. Try the RICE treatment: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

For a more severe sprain or a broken bone (fracture), apply ice and see your doctor right away. You may need a cast or brace. You may also need physical therapy.

It will take time, but gradually you'll be able to walk comfortably, again. Go slow as you gradually increase your strength and put weight on the injured leg.

X-rays usually can pinpoint the location of the break and determine the extent of injury to any adjacent joints. Occasionally, your doctor may also recommend more-detailed images using computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment of a broken leg will vary, depending on the type and location of the break. Stress fractures may require only rest and immobilization. Fractures are classified into one or more of the following categories:
• Open (compound) fracture.In this type of fracture, the skin is pierced by the broken bone. This is a serious condition that requires immediate, aggressive treatment to decrease your chance of an infection.
• Closed fracture.In closed fractures, the surrounding skin remains intact.
• Incomplete fracture.This term means that the bone is cracked, but it isn't separated into two parts.
• Complete fracture.In complete fractures, the bone has snapped into two or more parts.
• Displaced fracture.In this type of fracture, the bone fragments on each side of the break are not aligned. A displaced fracture may require surgery to realign the bones properly.
• Greenstick fracture. In this type of fracture, the bone cracks but doesn't break all the way through — like when you try to break a green stick of wood. Most broken bones in children are greenstick fractures, because a child's bones are softer and more flexible than those of an adult.

Setting the leg
Initial treatment for a broken leg usually begins in an emergency room or urgent care clinic. Here, doctors typically evaluate your injury and immobilize your leg with a splint. If you have a displaced fracture, your doctor may need to manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions before applying a splint — a process called reduction. Some fractures are splinted for a day to allow swelling to subside before they are casted.
Immobilization
Restricting the movement of a broken bone in your leg is critical to proper healing. To do this, you may need a splint or a cast. And you may need to use crutches or a cane to keep weight off the affected leg for six to eight weeks or longer.

Medications
To reduce pain and inflammation, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or a combination of the two. If you're experiencing severe pain, your doctor might prescribe stronger pain medications.

Therapy
After your cast or splint is removed, you'll likely need rehabilitation exercises or physical therapy to reduce stiffness and restore movement in the injured leg. Because you haven't moved your leg for a while, you may even have stiffness and weakened muscles in uninjured areas. Rehabilitation can help, but it may take up to several months — or even longer — for complete healing of severe injuries.

Surgical and other procedures
Immobilization heals most broken bones. However, you may need surgery to implant internal fixation devices, such as plates, rods or screws, to maintain proper position of your bones during healing

Leg cramps is a very common condition which is characterized by tight and painful leg muscles. The calf muscles are the most commonly affected; it can spread further down to your thighs and feet. Once the cramping gets better, you might experience a tender leg coupled with a numbing feeling for a few minutes.

The causes of leg cramps are varied. If it is caused due to an underlying condition, it is known as secondary leg cramps. The causes of secondary leg cramps include vigorous exercises, pregnancy and usage of certain medications. The cramps cause the muscles of the leg to shorten and contract, thus making you lose control of the affected muscle.

How can homeopathy help?

Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is very holistic in nature. The goal of homeopathy is to focus on the causes of a disorder rather than just curing the symptoms. Homeopathic remedies do not yield any side effect unlike the conventional treatments. Apart from treating the symptoms, homeopathic remedies also help improve your overall wellbeing.

There are many homeopathic remedies that can be used to treat leg cramps. The remedies are focused on treating any underlying condition that may be causing these leg cramps, apart from relieving the symptoms. The first step of the treatment is to diagnose the condition, which is done by a trained practitioner. You will be asked questions pertaining to the cramps and your diet. Once the diagnosis is complete, the medications are prescribed based on the diagnosis.

There may be certain dietary restrictions that you may have to follow for the medicines to work at their optimum best. This system of medicine might also require you to not carry out any form of heavy work that involves the legs as rest is required to boost the process of recovery.

The various Homeopathic offerings are:

Causticum

Calcarea carbonica

Arsenicum album

Colocynthis

Pulsatilla Nigricans

Arnica montana

वेगवेगळ्या कारणांमुळे पायदुखी होते. शरिरातील पाण्याचे प्रमाण कमी झाले, की पाय दुखू लागतो. तर कधी पायाला सूज आल्याने वेदना निर्माण होते, हालचाल करणे कठीण होते. पायदुखी नेमकी कोणत्या कारणांनी होते, हे समजून घेणे गरजेचे आहे.

कारणे
पायातील वेदना अचानक सुरू होऊ शकतात किंवा हे दुखणे हळुहळू सुरू होते. कधी ते दुखणे पायाच्या विशिष्ट भागातच जाणवते, तर इतर वेळा संपूर्ण पायात वेदना होते.
>पायातील वेदना सतत सुरू राहतात. तसेच त्या अधूनमधून कळा आल्याप्रमाणे जाणवू शकतात.
>काही आजारात ही वेदना पायापासून सुरू होते आणि पुढे सतत संथ प्रमाणात होत असते. यात पायांना आग होते. कधी तीव्र वेदना पायाच्या एका टोकापासून दुसरीकडे जाताना जाणवते.
>पायात मुंग्या येणे, बधिरपणा जाणवणे अशाप्रकारे देखील त्रास होतो. या वेदनेमुळे व्यक्तीच्या हालचालीत अडचण निर्माण होते. बऱ्याच वेळा शरीराचे वजन पायांना पेलवत नाही. पाठ आणि पाय दोन्ही दुखत असतील तर पेशंटच्या पायाच्या रक्तपुरवठ्यात दोष असतो.
>पायात जीवाणूंमुळे दाह होतो, तेव्हा तो भाग सुजतो, तेथे वेदना होतात. अंगात ताप चढतो, पाय सुजतो किंवा पायाचा ठराविक भाग लालसर होतो. हातापायाच्या रक्तवाहिन्यांतून स्नायूंना रक्ताचा पुरवठा कमी पडला, तर ते दुखणे चालण्याने वाढते.
>घोटा मुरगळणे म्हणजे घोट्याभोवती असलेल्या स्नायूंना इजा पोहोचणे. धावताना उंचसखल रस्त्यावर घोटा मुरगळू शकतो. या दुखापतीकडे दुर्लक्ष करणे धोकादायक आहे. थोडा आराम केल्यावर हा त्रास कमी होऊ शकतो.
>चुकीच्या पद्धतीने धावल्यास पायाच्या दुखण्यांचा त्रास वाढू शकतो.
>शरिरावर अधिक ताण आल्यास पाठीवर विपरीत परिणाम होतो. पायात दुखतो.
>मासिक पाळीच्या दिवसांत पाय दुखतात.

प्राथमिक उपचार
>पायामध्ये बंद मोजे घालावेत.
>पाय घासू नयेत. कोणत्याही केमिकल तसेच वैद्यकीय सल्लाशिवाय क्रिम्सचा वापर करू नये.
>पाय कोमट पाण्यात बुडवून ठेवावेत.
>स्वच्छ पुसून पायाला कोमट तेल लावावे.

सध्या पाय दुखण्याची तक्रार सर्व वयोगटांमध्ये सर्रास होताना दिसते. काहीवेळा खूप धावपळ झाली म्हणून तर काहीवेळा बराच काळ उभे राहील्याने, चालल्याने पाय दुखतात. अनेकांचे काम दिवसभर खुर्चीत बसून असते. यामध्ये पाय लटकत राहील्यानेही पायात वेदना होऊ शकतात. तर काही जणांचे वजन जास्त असल्याने गुडघे आणि टाचा दुखतात. अशा या पायदुखीवर घरच्या घरी काही सोपे उपाय केल्यास या समस्येपासून सुटका होऊ शकते. पाहूयात काय आहेत हे उपाय…

१. कामावरुन घरी आल्यावर खुर्चीवर एक पाय ठेवावा. दुसरा पाय जमिनीवर सरळ ठेवावा. यानंतर कमरेतून खाली वाकत पायाच्या अंगठ्याला हात टेकवण्याचा प्रयत्न करावा. साधारण ५ ते १० सेकंदांपर्यंत हे करत राहावे.
२. काही वेळ काम केल्यानंतर आपण बसलेल्या जागीच पाय सरळ करुन स्ट्रेच करावेत यामुळे थकवा दूर होतो आणि काही वेळाकरता आराम मिळतो.
३. पायांना नियमित मालीश केल्यानेही पायांचा थकवा कमी होतो. मालिश करताना तीळाच्या किंवा खोबरेल तेलाचा वापर केल्यास जास्त उपयुक्त ठरते. मालिश केल्याने रक्ताभिसरण चांगले होते आणि स्नायूंना आराम मिळतो.
४. पायांना सूज आली असल्यास कोमट पाण्यात मीठ टाकून त्यात दहा मिनिटांसाठी पाय बुडवून ठेवावेत. यामुळे पायांची सूज आणि थकवा दोन्ही कमी होते.
५. पाय दुखू नयेत यासाठी चांगल्या चपला किंवा बूट वापरावेत. हलक्या क्वालिटीचे बूट वापरल्यास पाय दुखतात. चप्पल कडक तसेच उंच असणार नाही याची काळजी घ्यावी.
६. लठ्ठपणा हेही पाय दुखण्याचे आणखी एक कारण असते. त्यामुळे ज्यांचे पाय दिर्घकाळ दुखतात त्यांनी वजन कमी करण्यावर भर द्यावा. लठ्ठ व्यक्तींचे वजन त्यांच्या गुडघ्यांवर येते, त्यामुळे त्यांचे गुडघेही दुखतात. अशांनी वजन नियंत्रणात राहील याची काळजी घ्यावी.