Calf Pain
Calf pain is a very common symptom at any age, and may arise due to different factors. However, most of the time it is caused by intense physical activity, being very common during running, being the most used muscle in this exercise.
Calf pain tends to decrease after exertion and can be treated with physiotherapy, massage or rest in milder situations, or surgery in the most severe situations.
Main Causes of Calf Pain
Calf pain can have several causes, but the most common ones include:
Poor blood pressure in the legs;
Deep vein thrombosis ;
Varicose veins in the legs;
Muscle pain due to intense physical activities;
Lack of minerals in the body;
Direct trauma.
Calf pain usually goes away after exercise, but if it persists, the individual should see an orthopedic doctor to diagnose the cause and initiate appropriate treatment.
How To Manage Calf Pain
To relieve the pain in the calf, the individual can use several forms, such as:
Put ice pack on the calf;
Massage the muscle;
Perform stretching of the muscle;
Drink lots of water and eat foods rich in sodium and potassium;
Rest.
In the treatment of pain in the calf can also be used anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxants.
Calf pain in during pregnancy
Calf pain in pregnancy is a normal symptom that happens due to the accumulation of blood in the legs caused by hormonal changes. Calf pain in pregnancy arises mainly at night time, so the pregnant woman should wear elastic stockings during the day and raise her feet at night to improve blood circulation and reduce pain.
In addition, cramps may occur during the day that are related to lack of potassium. Thus, the pregnant woman should do stretching of the muscle affected by the cramp and eat banana or other foods rich in potassium.
