Patients who have diabetes may often experience different types of leg pain. Some may be mild causes of musculoskeletal pain or even be a mild type of neuropathy. Other types of leg pain can be quite serious and may indicate cardiovascular disease or even blood clots in the legs.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Patients who have diabetes can develop problems with their nerves called neuropathy. As a result, they may get the sensation of pins and needles in their legs and feet. In some cases, the neuropathy also numbs certain sections like the feet so that you may not even notice if you have a cut on your foot. As neuropathy worsens, it can cause aches and other uncomfortable feelings in the legs.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common condition that occurs in patients who have diabetes. PAD occurs as the insides of blood vessels (specifically arteries) in the legs become narrow. This reduces blood flow to areas such as the feet. Having narrow arteries can cause pain when you walk, and this is called intermittent claudication. This type of pain often goes away when you sit to rest after you've been walking for a while. However, in very serious cases, PAD can cause tremendous pain in the legs and feet. If you have diabetes, PAD can become much worse if you're a smoker.
PAD and Heart Disease
Keep in mind that the presence of PAD may indicate that you're at a very high risk for a heart attack or a stroke. Make sure to discuss your leg pain with your health care provider so that you can receive the proper care.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the presence of a blood clot in a deep vein somewhere in your body. The most common location for a DVT is in your legs. These can be life-threatening because a clot in the leg could travel to the lung and cause a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. People often think about blood clots and blood vessels, and they frequently think arteries and veins are the same thing. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to different parts of the body using arteries. Veins are the vessels that return blood back to the heart. Having diabetes increases your risk for having a DVT, so the presence of leg pain could mean that you might have a blood clot in your leg. Many factors may increase your risk for a DVT. Common risk factors include: immobility, cancer, pregnancy, a family history of blood clots, surgery and kidney disease. If you're having leg pain, make sure to ask about the possibility of a DVT with your doctor.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Do your legs ache or cramp at night? It could be Restless Legs Syndrome, or RLS, which can occur in patients who have diabetes, so if you experience strange sensations in your legs that seem to get better if you move your legs, then you may have RLS.
