Differential diagnosis of leg pain in phlebology

Abstract

It is very common that patients with acute leg pain suspect a thrombosis as a cause. In fact, after experiencing pain the patient has a look at his leg discovering a varicose vein which he perhaps hadn’t paid attention to earlier. This, also, leads to the association, that the varicose vein is the origin of the pain. As a rule, it is very seldom to find veins as a cause of leg pain. They simply happen to be there, as varicose veins have a high prevalence. Typical clinical signs of varicose veins are itching, swelling, feelings of heaviness, skin changes. Leg pain is mostly provoked by neurologic, orthopedic or muscular disorders. The article describes venous reasons for leg pain and offers information to help with the differential diagnosis.

Key words

Veins - thrombosis - leg pain - differential diagnosis

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