Extreme Hip and Leg Pain: It’s All About Your Blood Pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects millions of people worldwide. Experts associate it with several serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. They even associate it with extreme hip and leg pain. And even though high blood pressure doesn’t directly cause extreme hip pain, experts can’t overlook it. It contributes in subtle ways.

Consider the medical discoveries of Atherosclerosis and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) over the decades. While they do not develop in everyone with high blood pressure, nonetheless, it’s still important to control your blood pressure.

Atherosclerosis is the constant pressure of blood (hypertension) against the artery walls, and it can damage their inner lining, making them more prone to plaque buildup. PAD is when some outside factor has somehow damaged or weakened the femoral artery and its branches. The femoral artery carries oxygenated blood to your lower extremities. Often, high blood pressure is the primary culprit. As a result, PAD can reduce blood flow to your legs and hips.

You can reduce the chances of developing these conditions and other serious health issues through healthier lifestyle choices, a proper diet, and other tools. However, the first step is to see a pain management specialist before embarking on some of these major behavior modifications.

Extreme Hip and Leg Pain Connected to High Blood Pressure

Experts refer to the actual pressure inside your arteries as “blood pressure.” And they consider approximately 120/80 (“120 over 80”) as medically “normal.” This measurement presents itself as possibly the healthiest measurement for combating extreme hip and leg pain. In this example, your systolic pressure is 120 and your diastolic pressure is 80.

Systolic is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats, and diastolic is the pressure in your arteries “in between” heart beats. Put another way: Systolic blood pressure is the pumping and expanding of arteries for peak pressure, whereas diastolic blood pressure drops when the heart relaxes.

While blood pressure should not exceed 120/80, medical experts give ample leeway to many individuals. This is especially true considering everyone’s body is different (height, weight, metabolism). Many people need treatment if their blood pressure exceeds 130/80, yet many do not seek it.

If you have other medical conditions hampering your health, such as extreme hip pain, high blood pressure treatment might be good to consider. Through healthy lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure. Consider exercising at least 150 minutes each week. If you smoke, get on a scheduled proactive plan to stop. Eat a balanced diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables, and minimize sodium and alcohol intake. Try maintaining a healthy weight and work-life stress.

You can also talk to your doctor about special blood pressure medication if needed.

What is Atherosclerosis, and How is it Related?

Atherosclerosis from high blood pressure means cholesterol, fat, and other substances can accumulate in your arteries, causing damage to the inner lining, plaque buildup, and eventually lower-extremity extreme hip and leg pain for many patients. Plaque is made up of fatty deposits and cellular waste.

Despite the fact high blood pressure is common in many individuals across the United States, do not be fooled — it’s not harmless. Besides adding pressure to the artery walls, high blood pressure can lead to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), which is another risk, since blood cannot flow freely through your heart’s arteries. Blood vessels struggle to send enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your heart muscle, with outward symptoms including chest pain and shortness of breath. As a result, these blood vessels may become even more damaged, with plaque continuing to build up and causing arteries to narrow even more over the long term.

At a basic circulatory level, blood is pushed through your arteries into the entire body when your heart beats. Under high blood pressure, arteries throughout your body swell and stretch more than they would normally. In the long run, this stretching can damage the endothelium — the delicate lining of all arteries.

By keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range and protecting your endothelium from Atherosclerosis, you can actively prevent PAD and CAD, as well as extreme hip pain. An injured endothelium can lead to other concerns. It causes more low-density lipoprotein (or what circulatory specialists call “bad” cholesterol) and white blood cells to enter the arteries. Nobody should wish for a buildup of this cholesterol or fatty cells in their arterial walls.

Atherosclerosis Symptoms, Extreme Hip and Leg Pain, and Clots

There are typically no symptoms in the early stages of Atherosclerosis, which can be a tricky scenario to analyze for those suffering from extreme hip and leg pain. Whenever coronary arteries seriously restrict blood flow to the heart, you may feel chest pain, especially when exerting yourself or feeling angry or stressed.

To understand the symptoms of Atherosclerosis, it’s important to know which arteries are affected and how much blood flow is blocked. Symptoms other than chest pain include cold sweats, extreme tiredness, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, memory problems, weakness or numbness, and severe pain after eating.

Atherosclerosis can also cause extreme hip pain. When plaque hardens in and narrows the arteries, it reduces blood flow to your hips and legs. This lack of oxygen in your lower-side extremities can inflict pain, cramping, and fatigue. What’s really happening is blood clotting, also known as claudication.

With blood clots, the clot itself can completely block blood supply to an area. This blockage can eventually lead to multiple issues like tissue damage and gangrene if not addressed in due time. In conjunction with blood claudication, arthritis can also occur in your hips and legs as a result of Atherosclerosis. Cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones can be damaged due to reduced blood flow to your joints.

PAD Symptoms, Statistics, and Other Red Flags

When walking or exercising, Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) — the buildup of fatty deposits — can cause extreme hip and leg pain, cramping, and fatigue in your calves and buttocks. Depending on the severity of the disease, PAD may even result in gangrene or tissue damage (similar to bad cases of Atherosclerosis).

Up to six out of ten people with PAD in the United States experience leg pain each year. The physical signs of PAD are usually muscle atrophy (weakness); hair loss; smooth and shiny skin or “cool skin”; a decline in vein pulse in your feet; ulcers or sores in your legs and feet that won’t heal; and cold or numb toes.

Injuries or infections in conjunction with PAD can cause serious complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, or Critical Limb Ischemia (severe blockage of arteries in the lower extremities). This can occur in patients with severe Occlusive Arterial Disease, where resting blood-flow cannot meet the tissue’s basic nutritional requirements. In some cases, patients experience numbness or cold sensations in the toes and feet, with symptoms usually occurring when the legs are horizontal at night, yet improving when they are in a dependent position during the day.

Overall, PAD patients are rarely symptomatic, but many can have a slow or impaired gait — an unusual manner of walking. Intermittent blood clotting, which occurs during exercise and is relieved by rest, is the most common symptom. Across the nation, more than 6.5 million people aged 40 and older have PAD — a concerning statistic in today’s health-conscience world.

Treatment for Extreme Hip and Leg Pain Starts with an Ultrasound

Seeing a pain management specialist, getting a proper diagnosis, and discussing treatment are important options to consider if you’re experiencing extreme hip and leg pain. A pain management specialist can help you get the most out of your treatment — in the right timing, in the right environment, and with the right tools.

Hip pain specialists diagnose and treat hip discomfort, achiness, and the irritation you are experiencing. Specialists and orthopedic surgeons can also treat patients with debilitating musculoskeletal conditions.

It all starts with a ten-minute ultrasound, which uses sound waves to scan the inside of your body’s pain points and other areas. The good news is, your hip is diagnosed using non-invasive tools, without any discomfort or pain. After applying gel to select areas, a sonographer will move a small device over those markers. Sound waves are emitted, bouncing off tissues and organs in your body.

By the end, specialists can see displayed images of your problem areas for a proper diagnosis and recommendation of the best course of treatment in your situation. Don’t let extreme hip pain impact your life any longer.

Wellness and Pain Can Help

A range of options for treating extreme hip and leg pain are available at Wellness and Pain. We offer conservative treatments, routine visits, and minimally invasive quick-recovery procedures. We can keep you free of problems by providing lifestyle education and home care advice to help you avoid and manage issues, quickly relieving the inhibiting lifestyle conditions when complications arise.

At Wellness and Pain, we personalize patient care plans based on each patient’s condition and unique circumstances to relieve pain, improve mobility and mental space, and improve your overall health.

Hip and Leg Pain: Causes, Diagnoses, & Treatment

There are many factors that can cause hip and leg pain, from muscle and tendon problems to nerve damage. You need to get treatment as soon as possible for any pain so you know what’s causing it.

Despite repeated motion and wear and tear, the hip joint can hold up. It’s the biggest ball-and-socket joint in the body, so it has fluid movement. The hip bone moves in its socket with the help of a cushion of cartilage whenever you use it. Running is a good example.

Though it seems indestructible, it’s not. Age easily wears down and damages cartilage. Overusing hip muscles and tendons can hurt them. When you fall or get injured, hip bones can break. There are lots of things that can cause hip pain. Find out what’s making your hips hurt and how you can relieve it.

On The Other Hand

When it comes to leg pain, there’s a common misconception that it’s just muscle aches or arthritis. Pain and cramps in the legs may be an indication of a more serious underlying disease. Consult a vascular specialist about your leg challenges. The calves and thighs are common places for leg pain while exercising or relaxing.

Is there a reason for this discomfort? You might have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which affects blood flow in the lower body, causing pain in your legs. Hair loss, discoloration, fatigue, skin temperature changes, and ulcers are just a few of the symptoms of circulatory problems. Venous insufficiency disease can cause many of these symptoms, along with leg discomfort.

But we need to go deeper to explore the variety of causes contributing to hip and leg pain. Hip pain is common in adults and often causes functional disability — and can sometimes be chronic. Leg pain associated with hip pain is routinely found in patients, as there is oftentimes a connection between both problems.

Discover the Direct Cause of Hip and Leg Pain

An injury to a joint can cause dislocation when the ends of the bones move out of place, fueling hip and leg pain. In a car accident, the knee may strike the dashboard in front and cause the hip ball to shift. Intense pain and swelling can occur if the dislocation happens to the knees, fingers, shoulders, or hip.

Pain caused by an injury to the sciatic nerve is sciatica. The pain is caused by herniated disks or bone spurs. Legs and hips can hurt because of the pain.

A degenerating tendon and tearing of the tendon cause tendinitis. An irritated or inflamed thigh tendon that is attached to the thigh bone can cause pain and aches. People who play sports or do jobs that require repetitive movements are more likely to get tendonitis. Also, people who are older are more likely to get it.

Still, other issues cause hip pain or leg pain. Bursitis is inflammation or swelling of bursae, the little sacs between tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments. This happens when there’s long-term pressure on a bursa. The repetitive movement of joints also causes it.

What’s more: joint inflammation is a potential cause of arthritis. When shock-absorbing tissues start deteriorating, it happens. The disease is most common in adults older than 65, but anyone can get it. Most common is osteoarthritis, but there are other types as well. To accurately diagnose hip and leg pain, all potential causes should be looked at.

How is Hip and Leg Pain Diagnosed?

For serious hip and leg pain that interferes with your daily life, see a doctor. During a physical exam, your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms. Other tests your doctor might order include:

X-Rays. This test sees dense structures, like bones.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasounds, Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan, Venography, Electromyography (EMG), or blood tests.

An X-ray view of a hip joint causing hip and leg pain.

What causes your hip pain or leg pain and how long it lasts depends on the cause. You may not need to see a doctor if your leg hurts because of a muscle strain or another less serious injury. If you suffer from a more serious injury or damage to your nerves or tissues, you might need ongoing treatments or surgery.

Symptoms of hip and leg pain may be ongoing or sporadic, coming and going with activity or at random intervals. Since pain can be caused by a variety of illnesses, there’s no rule for how long it lasts. Get medical help if you can’t even take a few steps without hurting and needing to sit down.

It might be time for a doctor’s visit if your hip pain or leg pain won’t go away after a few days of home remedies and self-care.

Treatment, Medication, & Prevention

The best thing to do if you have hip and leg pain stemming from a minor injury is to treat it at home. Immediately after an injury, try these routines to help reduce pain and swelling:

Get as much rest as you can.
Ice-pack it three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes.
Keep your leg up when you’re sitting or lying down.
Get an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Not all hip and leg pain can

be prevented, but some issues will respond to preventative measures such as these:

Add support to your feet with supportive shoes. Don’t forget to get exercise shoes with enough heel cushioning and arch support.
Start slowly and build up your activity. Make sure you don’t go straight into a high-intensity exercise routine. Make sure you work up to a higher intensity level instead.
Keep your muscles flexible. In particular, stretching your calf muscles helps prevent Achilles tendinitis.
Make your bones stronger. It’s possible to prevent fractures by exercising hard and by eating calcium-rich food and food containing vitamin D.
Get your exercise in a variety of ways. Make sure you don’t just do the same exercises every day. Varying your exercise routine helps prevent injury.
Don’t smoke, and keep a healthy weight. Cardiovascular problems in your legs can be prevented by these lifestyle factors.
Spend as little time as possible sitting still. Blood clots in your legs can happen if you sit a lot.
Eat a lot of nutrient-rich foods and protein. Keeping your heart and nerves healthy can be easy with a healthy diet.
Don’t forget to drink water. Taking in enough fluids helps prevent leg cramps.

In short, you should act as preventatively as possible with your hip pain or leg pain.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you have hip and leg pain that gets worse when you walk, is swollen, or will not go away with home treatments. Check with your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms:

If you have symptoms of infection (like redness, warmth, or a fever), that’s a sign.
You have a swollen, pale, or unusually cold leg.
Your calf hurts after sitting for too long.
Both of your legs swell and you’re breathing hard.
Pain that comes out of nowhere.

In general, hip pain or leg pain doesn’t mean you have an emergency on your hands. But if you’ve got any of these symptoms, you should get treated right away:

You can’t stand or walk.
The calf gets hot, red, swollen, or tender.
There’s a deep cut or exposed tissue from a sudden injury.
The leg injury made a popping or grinding sound.

There are lots of options, from medication to physical therapy to surgery.

Over time, hip and leg pain is often caused by injuries, overuse, or wear and tear. Some treatments can help you rest the affected area and manage your pain, but others may require more medical care. You should get medical attention right away if your hip or leg pain persists or worsens over time — or if you notice immobility or infection symptoms.

Wellness and Pain

At Wellness and Pain, the best doctor for hip and leg pain can perform a quick 10-minute ultrasound to diagnose and treat you so you can live a healthier, more active life free of pain. We also offer other diagnostic tests, such as nerve and muscle testing, for a deeper assessment of what’s actually going on with your hip and legs.

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Category Archives: Hip Pain