Swollen Lower Leg Symptoms, Causes & Common Questions
Understand swollen lower leg symptoms, including 10 causes & common questions.
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Contents
10 Possible Swollen Lower Leg Causes
The list below shows results from the use of our quiz by Buoy users who experienced swollen lower leg. This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the deep layers of the skin. It can appear anywhere on the body but is most common on the feet, lower legs, and face.
The condition can develop if Staphylococcus bacteria enter broken skin through a cut, scrape, or existing skin infection such as impetigo or eczema.
Most susceptible are those with a weakened immune system, as from corticosteroids or chemotherapy, or with impaired circulation from diabetes or any vascular disease.
Symptoms arise somewhat gradually and include sore, reddened skin.
If not treated, the infection can become severe, form pus, and destroy the tissue around it. In rare cases, the infection can cause blood poisoning or meningitis.
Symptom of severe pain, fever, cold sweats, and fast heartbeat should be seen immediately by a medical provider.
Diagnosis is made through physical examination.
Treatment consists of antibiotics, keeping the wound clean, and sometimes surgery to remove any dead tissue. Cellulitis often recurs, so it is important to treat any underlying conditions and improve the immune system with rest and good nutrition.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: fever, chills, facial redness, swollen face, face pain
Symptoms that always occur with cellulitis: facial redness, area of skin redness
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg or thigh.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: fever, thigh pain, upper leg swelling, calf pain, butt pain
Urgency: Hospital emergency room
Lymphangitis
Lymphangitis is a condition resulting in inflamed lymphatic vessels due to an infection. The lymphatic system runs throughout the body and consists of both nodes and these vessels. The nodes produce lymph — the clear fluid that bathes and nourishes the organs and other tissues — while the vessels cir...
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is no longer able to effectively pump blood to the rest of the body. Heart failure can affect the right side, left side, or both sides of the heart. It can be subcategorized as "heart failure with preserved ejection f...
Nephrotic syndrome
Nephrotic syndrome is a disorder of the kidneys that results in too much protein excreted into your urine. It is usually associated with damaged kidneys specifically damage to the kidneys' filters, called glomeruli.
Kidney damage and nephrotic syndrome primarily include albuminur...
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Ankle sprain
Ankle ligaments, which connect bones to one another, stabilize the ankle joint. A sprain is an injury to the ligaments caused by a twisting motion of the joint.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: pain in one ankle, ankle pain from an injury, swollen ankle, bruised ankle, ankle twisting
Symptoms that always occur with ankle sprain: pain in one ankle, ankle pain from an injury
Urgency: Phone call or in-person visit
Shin bruise
A bruise is the damage of the blood vessels that return blood to the heart (the capillaries and veins), which causes pooling of the blood. This explains the blue/purple color of most bruises. Bruises of the shin are common given the location of the shin.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: shin pain from an injury, shin injury, pain in one shin, shin swelling, shin bruise
Symptoms that always occur with shin bruise: shin injury, shin pain from an injury
Urgency: Self-treatment
Compartment syndrome
Acute compartment syndrome describes the damage done to certain muscle groups of the arms or legs after a traumatic injury.
All of the long muscles are bundled into sections – "compartments" – by the white sheets of strong, tough connective tissue called fascia. If something interferes with circulation so that blood flow is trapped within the compartment, pressure rises because the fascia cannot stretch. This causes serious damage to the muscles and other tissues within the compartment.
Acute compartment syndrome is caused by a broken bone; a crush injury; burns, due to scarred and tightened skin; and bandages or casts applied before an injury has stopped swelling.
Symptoms can rapidly intensify. They include severe pain and tightness in the muscle; tingling or burning sensation; and sometimes numbness and weakness.
Acute compartment syndrome is a medical emergency which can result in loss of the limb. Take the patient to the emergency room or call 9-1-1.
Diagnosis is made through patient history and physical examination.
Treatment involves hospitalization for emergency surgery and, in some cases, skin graft.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: arm numbness, hand numbness, foot numbness, pain in one leg, thigh numbness
Urgency: Hospital emergency room
Repetitive strain injury of the calf
Repetitive strain injury of the calf is caused by consistent repetitive use.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: lower leg numbness, calf pain from overuse
Symptoms that always occur with repetitive strain injury of the calf: calf pain from overuse
Symptoms that never occur with repetitive strain injury of the calf: recent calf injury, severe calf pain
Urgency: Self-treatment
Calf strain
A strain, commonly called a "pulled muscle," is when a muscle becomes overstretched, and microscopic tears occur. A calf strain happens when one of the muscles on the back of the lower leg is pulled.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: pain in one calf, moderate calf pain, calf pain, sports injury, soccer injury
Symptoms that always occur with calf strain: pain in one calf
Urgency: Self-treatment
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Questions Your Doctor May Ask About Swollen Lower Leg
To diagnose this condition, your doctor would likely ask the following questions:
- Have you ever been diagnosed with diabetes?
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- What is your body mass?
- Have you been feeling more tired than usual, lethargic or fatigued despite sleeping a normal amount?
If you've answered yes to one or more of these questions
Please take a quiz to find out what might be causing your swollen lower leg. These questions are also covered.
Take quizSwollen Lower Leg Symptom Checker Statistics
People who have experienced swollen lower leg have also experienced:
- 9% Lower Leg Pain
- 3% Lower Leg Redness
- 3% Fatigue
People who have experienced swollen lower leg were most often matched with:
- 40% Deep Vein Thrombosis
- 33% Lymphangitis
- 26% Cellulitis
People who have experienced swollen lower leg had symptoms persist for:
- 29% Over a month
- 28% Less than a week
- 22% Less than a day
Source: Aggregated and anonymized results from Buoy Assistant (a.k.a. the quiz).
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