Leg Pain When Lying Down But Not Standing
4. Neural Conditions – Neural conditions can affect the nerves in the legs, causing aching legs when lying down. These conditions include some vitamin deficiencies, physical injuries or infections that directly infect the nerves. The leg pain can also be due to referred pain, like in the case of sciatica. This condition is due to an inflamed sciatic nerve. What to Do
Do exercise to improve circulation. Improve posture by a chiropractor.
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Why does my leg ache only when I lay down?
Is leg pain at night often interrupting your sleep? It could more than a normal sign of getting older. Pain in your legs and feet at night, or when trying to sleep, is often a symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Peripheral artery disease leg pain can occur anywhere in your leg, but the most common places to feel pain are in the muscles of your calf, thigh or buttocks.
Why do my legs ache and hurt when I lay down?
Causes of Leg Pain and Cramps at Night – It can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of our leg pain 3, Some leg cramps are ‘idiopathic’, which means they have no known cause 2, But there are several popular theories around the causes of calf cramps and thigh pain at night,including:
Muscle fatigue – too much high-intensity exercise is one of the most common links to leg pain, as overworking your muscles can cause them to cramp during the night 1 Nerve issues – a pinched nerve or spinal cord injury can put pressure on your nerves, causing muscle cramps in your legs 4 Sitting or standing for long periods – this can restrict blood supply, which can increase the chances of leg pain or cramps 2 Pregnancy – pregnant women often experience leg cramps at night, usually in the second or third trimester 5 Medications – leg cramps can be a side effect of certain medications, such as blood pressure drugs, diuretics and statins 3
Age can also be a factor, as the risk of leg pain and other pains at night increases as you get older 3,
Why do my legs ache at night when I lay down?
Common causes of lower leg ache at night may include muscle cramps, muscle or tendon inflammation, bone fracture, blood clots (such as deep vein thrombosis ), varicose veins, peripheral artery disease (PAD), peripheral neuropathy, pregnancy, gout, and inflammatory arthritis.
Muscle cramps
May be caused by dehydration and low levels of electrolytes such as salt
Muscle or tendon inflammation
May be caused by an injury or overuse
Bone fracture
Caused by injury to the bone
Blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis ( DVT )
Caused by blood flow in the veins becoming slowed or blocked, which may be due to:
Injury to the leg veins Illness that affects the veins Immobility Obesity Recent surgery Pregnancy or childbirth in the past six months Broken bone in the hips, pelvis, or legs Certain medications
Varicose veins
Caused by weak or damaged vein walls and valves, which may be due to:
Being overweight or obese Sedentary lifestyle Pregnancy A tumor Genetics
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
The main cause of PAD is buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries ( atherosclerosis ), which is often associated with:
Smoking Diabetes Cardiovascular disease High cholesterol and high blood pressure Obesity Old age
Peripheral neuropathy
Caused by damage to or compression of a nerve
Pregnancy
Leg ache at night during pregnancy is common and may be due to:
Increased blood volume during pregnancy Extra strain on the body from carrying more weight than it is used to The uterus putting extra pressure on veins that carry blood back from the lower body, partially blocking blood flow and keeping fluids in the legs
Gout A form of inflammatory arthritis that can be painful, due to excess uric acid in the body
Often caused by eating foods with high levels of compounds called purines, such as alcoholic beverages, some seafood and shellfish, some meats, organ meats, high-fat foods, sodas with high-fructose corn syrup, and yeast
What is vascular leg pain like?
What does vascular pain feel like? – Vascular pain often feels like an uncomfortable heaviness or throbbing sensation. It can also feel like an aching sensation. It usually affects your legs and can be worse with walking or exerting yourself.
Why is muscle pain worse at night?
Why might chronic pain increase at night? – There are several reasons why pain might worsen at night. Hormones could be a major factor, says Slawsby. “Nighttime is when the production of the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol is at its lowest.” New research also has suggested that pain may follow a circadian rhythm like the body’s internal 24-clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle.
- This helps explain why some people regularly have higher pain levels at certain times, such as during the night,” says Slawsby.
- While there is no good time for chronic pain, nighttime is especially problematic, as it disrupts sleep.
- Insufficient sleep affects our ability to manage pain,
- And sleep problems are common among people with chronic pain.
At least 50% of people with insomnia (the most commonly diagnosed sleep disorder) suffer from chronic pain. “Insomnia can lead to sleep deprivation, which increases the release of proteins called cytokines that are involved in the body’s inflammatory response and makes people even more sensitive to pain,” says Slawsby.
What causes leg pain from knee down to ankle?
Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) can be another cause of leg pain. Pain in the knee and ankle joints of the leg is common with the arthritis conditions. The pain of sciatica (from disc disease of the spine) may radiate down the leg and is another common cause of leg pain.
How do I know if my leg pain is poor circulation?
Symptoms of Poor Circulation – Symptoms of poor circulation are often easy to spot. They include muscle cramping, constant foot pain, and pain and throbbing in the arms and legs. As well as fatigue, varicose veins, and digestive issues. Leg cramps while walking and wounds that don’t seem to heal in your legs, feet, and toes are also symptoms.
Cognitive dysfunction such as confusion or memory loss can happen because of a lack of blood and oxygen to the brain. Your fingers, hands, arms, legs, feet, and toes are considered your extremities. Your extremities can display tingling or numbness, swelling, and heaviness. Poor circulation can even lead to gangrene of the extremities, which is the death of body tissue, which can potentially lead to amputation in severe cases.
When blood isn’t flowing properly, your extremities will fluctuate in temperature. The restricted blood flow is what causes the numbness, and the blood not being able to return to the heart properly can cause swelling. Your skin might also appear pale or blue because of a lack of blood flow.
How do you test for poor circulation in the legs?
Arterial Doppler Ultrasound – A Doppler ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images that highlight blood flow in the leg arteries. This test detects and evaluates any blockages caused by plaque buildup. During the ultrasound, the doctor places a handheld instrument called a transducer on your skin, transmitting sound waves that produce images of the leg’s blood vessels on a monitor.
What are the signs of heart failure in legs?
Heart disease often develops over time. You may have early signs or symptoms long before you have serious heart problems. Or, you may not realize you are developing heart disease. The warning signs of heart disease may not be obvious. Also, not every person has the same symptoms.
Certain symptoms, such as chest pain, ankle swelling, and shortness of breath may be signals that something is wrong. Learning the warning signs can help you get treatment and help prevent a heart attack or stroke, Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel along the front of your body, between (and including) your neck and upper abdomen.
There are many causes of chest pain that have nothing to do with your heart. But chest pain is still the most common symptom of poor blood flow to the heart or a heart attack. This type of chest pain is called angina, Chest pain can occur when the heart is not getting enough blood or oxygen.
Some people may feel a crushing pain, while others feel only mild discomfort.Your chest may feel heavy or like someone is squeezing your chest or heart. You may also feel a sharp, burning pain in your chest.You may feel the pain under your breastbone (sternum, so the pain is called substernal) or in your neck, arms, stomach, jaw, or upper back.Chest pain from angina often occurs with activity or emotion, and goes away with rest or a medicine called nitroglycerin.Bad indigestion can also cause chest pain.
Women, older adults, and people with diabetes may have little or no chest pain. Some people have symptoms other than chest pain, such as:
FatigueShortness of breathGeneral weaknessChange in skin color or greyish pallor (episodes of change in skin color associated with weakness)
Other symptoms of a heart attack can include:
Extreme anxietyFainting or loss of consciousnessLightheadedness or dizzinessNausea or vomitingPalpitations (feeling like your heart is beating too fast, too strongly, or irregularly)Shortness of breathSweating, which may be very heavy
When the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should, blood backs up in the veins that go from the lungs to the heart. Fluid leaks into the lungs and causes shortness of breath. This is a symptom of heart failure, You may notice shortness of breath:
During activityWhile you’re restingWhen you’re lying flat on your back – it may even wake you from sleep
Coughing or wheezing that doesn’t go away can be another sign that fluid is building up in your lungs. You may also cough up mucus that is pink or bloody. Swelling (edema) in your lower legs is another sign of a heart problem. When your heart doesn’t work as well, blood flow slows and backs up in the veins in your legs.
This causes fluid to build up in your tissues. You may also have swelling in your stomach or notice some weight gain. Narrowing of the blood vessels that bring blood to other parts of the body is not the same as heart disease but it may mean you have a much higher risk for heart attack than you otherwise would.
It can occur when cholesterol and other fatty material (plaque) build up on the walls of your arteries. Poor blood supply to the legs may lead to:
Pain, achiness, fatigue, burning, or discomfort in the muscles of your feet, calves, or thighs.Symptoms that often appear during walking or exercise, and go away after several minutes of rest.Numbness in your legs or feet when you are at rest. Your legs may also feel cool to the touch, and the skin may look pale.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack.” Symptoms of stroke can include difficulty moving the limbs on one side of your body, one side of the face drooping, loss of sensation on one side of your body, difficulty with speaking or understanding language.
You feel much more tired than normal. It’s common for women to feel severely tired before or during a heart attack.You feel so tired that you can’t do your normal daily activities.You have sudden, severe weakness.
If your heart can’t pump blood as well, it may beat faster to try to keep up. You may feel your heart racing or throbbing. A fast or uneven heartbeat can also be the sign of an arrhythmia, This is a problem with your heart rate or rhythm. If you have any signs of heart disease, call your health care provider right away.
You have chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attackYou know you have angina and have chest pain that doesn’t go away after 5 minutes of rest or after taking nitroglycerinYou think you may be having a heart attackYou become extremely short of breathYou think you may have lost consciousness
Angina – heart disease warning signs; Chest pain – heart disease warning signs; Dyspnea – heart disease warning signs; Edema – heart disease warning signs; Palpitations – heart disease warning signs Goff DC Jr, Lloyd-Jones DM, Bennett G, et al.2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the assessment of cardiovascular risk: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines.
Circulation,2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S49-S73. PMID: 24222018 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24222018/, Gulati M, Bairey Merz CN. Cardiovascular disease in women. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald’s Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine,12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 91.
Morrow DA, de Lemos J. Stable ischemic heart disease. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald’s Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine.12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 40. Writing Committee Members; Lawton JS, Tamis-Holland JE, Bangalore S, et al.2021 ACC/AHA/SCAI Guideline for Coronary Artery Revascularization.
- J Am Coll Cardiol,2022,79 (2):e21–e129.
- PMID: 34895950 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34895950/,
- Updated by: Michael A.
- Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA.
- Also reviewed by David C.
- Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M.
Editorial team.
What vitamin is good for achy legs?
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process, Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm? Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence? Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. A potential cause of leg cramps is a vitamin deficiency, though research into this is ongoing. Vitamins B1, B12, and D may help relieve them, along with potassium and magnesium.
- This article discusses whether vitamin deficiencies can cause leg cramps, home and medical treatment, and when a person should see a doctor.
- According to BMJ Clinical Evidence, researchers do not know why people have leg cramps.
- The article indicates that common causes of leg cramps include exercise, pregnancy, and electrolyte and salt imbalances.
However, there is evidence that certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause leg cramps. Some of these vitamins and minerals, alongside their recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults, include: Please note that potassium has an adequate intake (AI) rather than an RDA.
- This is because there is not yet enough evidence to establish an RDA.
- A person’s RDA or AI can change according to a range of factors, such as their age and sex and whether they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- The above amounts are suitable for most adults.
- There is a variety of vitamin supplements on the market.
However, some of these products contain doses higher than the RDA. Always check with a doctor or healthcare professional before taking supplements to establish the correct dosage. Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products.
What is it called when your legs hurt at night?
Overview. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, usually because of an uncomfortable sensation. It typically happens in the evening or nighttime hours when you’re sitting or lying down.
Why do my legs and hips hurt when I sleep on my side?
Hip pain at night (sleeping): causes and symptoms 07 April 2022 Written by Chronic (long-term) at night affects around one in five people aged over 65 and is more common in women, particularly those aged 40–60 years. It can disturb your sleep and/or make it difficult to fall asleep.
When hip pain affects the outer side of your hip, it is called lateral hip pain. There are many different causes of hip pain, including overuse during the day when exercising, the position that you sleep in, moving in bed and your joints swelling at night. A variety of conditions can cause hip pain when sleeping.
The most common causes are,, sciatic-piriformis syndrome and, Other causes include injury to your muscles or soft tissues, pregnancy, the position you sleep in and your bed or pillows. Sometimes hip pain is caused by pain from elsewhere, such as your lower back, radiating down to your hips — this is called referred pain.
- Hip pain can feel different depending on the underlying cause.
- If hip pain is caused by an injury that is largely healed, you may have lingering pain that feels like,
- Severe arthritis can cause hip pain that feels as if someone is grabbing your hips.
- Hip pain can also feel achy or like burning.
- If you often wake up with hip pain, the cause may be the position you sleep in or a mattress that is too soft or too hard.
If you sleep on your back, try sleeping on your side. If you sleep on one side, try sleeping on the other side and place a pillow between your legs to keep your hips aligned. A mattress that isn’t the correct firmness for your body can cause pressure points that make your hips sore.
- Try out a softer or firmer mattress.
- Your hip joints contain small fluid-filled sacs called bursae that act as cushions to help your joints move smoothly.
- Overuse of your hip joint, such as through playing certain sports, running or often lifting heavy items, can cause your bursae to become inflamed — this is called bursitis.
Bursitis symptoms include:
- Pain after sitting for long periods of time
- Pain along the outer side of your hip and upper thigh
- Pain or stiffness on movement
- Pain that worsens when walking long distances, squatting or climbing up and down the stairs
- Pain that worsens at night when you lie down on the affected hip
- Sharp pain and tenderness that develops into an ache
Hip bursitis doesn’t cause pain when standing. With rest and treatment, bursitis usually gets better after a few days or weeks. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of affecting the hip. However, psoriatic arthritis, and septic arthritis can also cause hip pain.
Hip osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in your hip joint to wear out over time, causing the bones in your hip joint to rub together, which leads to inflammation, pain and stiffness. It is a chronic, degenerative condition. However, treatment can reduce or prevent further joint damage. Hip rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition ie your immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues in your hip joint.
It is also a chronic condition. As with osteoarthritis, treatment can reduce or prevent further damage. Symptoms of hip arthritis, include:
- A clicking, grinding or popping sound when you move your hip ( )
- Pain in your buttocks, groin, knee or thigh
- Pain that disturbs your sleep
- Pain that worsens with rainy weather and is worse in the morning or after sitting or resting
- Pain when bending, getting up from a chair or walking
- Your hip locking or sticking
Tendons attach your muscles to your bones and help hold your joints together. Hip tendonitis occurs when the tendons become swollen and damaged. This may occur due to overuse injuries, often sitting with your legs crossed or often standing with your weight on one hip. Hip tendonitis symptoms include:
- A dull, deep ache in your groin that worsens when climbing stairs
- Hip pain at night
- Pain in your buttocks if your hamstring tendon is also swollen and damaged
Sciatic-piriformis syndrome occurs when your sciatic nerve is compressed, causing numbness, pain and tingling from your lower back to your buttocks and sometimes down to your leg and foot. At night, you may feel a burning sensation in your calf or a throbbing pain in your foot, which wakes you up.
Pregnancy applies extra pressure on your hips and spine, which increases the further along your pregnancy you progress. This can cause lower back and hip pain. Hip pain can also be caused by your ligaments and muscles loosening up in preparation for childbirth. To help prevent hip pain and, wear supportive shoes during the day and if you’ve been sitting or lying down for long periods, get up to stretch your muscles.
At night, sleep on your side instead of your back — you can place a rolled-up blanket behind your back to lean on or use a pregnancy pillow. You can also place a pillow in between your legs to help keep your hips aligned. A less common cause of hip pain during pregnancy is a,
- This occurs when the ring of cartilage that lines the rim of your hip joint socket (the labrum) and holds the head of your thigh bone in place, tears.
- Some labral tears will get better on their own with rest, however, more severe tears may need,
- Another less common cause of hip pain during pregnancy is a hernia, where part of one of your organs or internal tissue pushes through a weakness in the surrounding tissue.
In pregnancy, this is usually caused by the increasing pressure in your abdomen as your baby grows. Weak muscles in your buttocks (gluteal muscles) can strain the front of your hip as it tries to compensate for this weakness. This squeezes the tendons that attach your gluteal muscles to your hip bones and pelvis, and irritates your greater trochanteric bursa that sits between the bony lump on your thigh bone (greater trochanter) and the muscles and tendons that cover it.
The resulting hip pain and tenderness, which is often worse at night, is called greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS). Strenuous exercise (eg dancing, football, running) can cause overuse injuries that result in hip pain. Damage to any of the tissues in your hip joint can occur, causing bursitis, tendinopathy, iliotibial band syndrome or other injuries.
A sudden change in the duration, frequency or intensity of your exercise can also cause a hip injury and consequently hip pain.