Home Bones, Joints and MusclesLeg injuries and diseases Feeling of heat in the legs: causes and treatment

Feeling of heat in the legs: causes and treatment

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

As you get older, some signs or symptoms may appear in the legs that indicate the presence of diseases and even alterations in the body. The sensation of heat in the legs can reveal the presence of a condition in the blood vessels that supply the legs and feet. This occurs for different causes, among which the narrowing of the arteries stands out, which decreases blood flow, causing injury to the other tissues that surround them.

FastlyHealin this article, you will learn more about the s ensación heat in the legs: Causes and Treatment.

I am feeling the heat in the legs: causes.

The sensation of heat in the legs is the beginning of peripheral arterial disease. This alteration is characterized by the fact that the legs do not receive a sufficient blood flow to meet their demands, which will cause the appearance of symptoms that will indicate the arrival of the disease and limit physical activity. This is due to the narrowing of the blood vessels.

This disease can generate, if not treated in time, an accumulation of fat in the arteries, which is known as arteriosclerosis, resulting in decreased blood flow to vital organs, such as the heart and brain, as well as to the limbs. Lower.

Among the causes that cause peripheral arterial disease are:

  • The most frequent cause is arteriosclerosis, which occurs due to an atheromatous plaque in the wall of the arteries, which contributes to the reduction of the lumen of the vessel, thus reducing blood flow. As a consequence, the blood supply to the lower limbs will decrease.
  • Deep vein thrombosis: is another alteration that can give rise to the appearance of a sensation of heat in the legs. It occurs due to forming a blood clot known as a thrombus. This can occur in one or more deep veins, tends to be evident, especially in the legs, and can appear after surgery due to prolonged immobility or after an accident, in cases where you stay in bed for a long time. In some cases, it can be severe, as there is a risk of a pulmonary embolism.
  • Restless legs syndrome: Also called Willis-Ekbom disease, it is a neurological disorder characterized by an urgent and uncontrollable need to move the legs when resting, as well as discomfort in the legs and a feeling of heaviness. This can occur when the patient is sitting or lying down for a long time.
  • Inflammation of the blood vessels: This is known as vasculitis, which can be caused by an infection, the ingestion of a medicine, or a disease. This inflammation can affect arteries, veins, and capillaries, giving rise to the narrowing of the vessel, which causes a decrease in blood flow throughout the body, especially in the lower limbs.
  • Injury to the extremities: caused by trauma, it can give rise to the damage of a vessel, in this case, arterial, which generates the alteration in the irrigation of the lower limbs.
  • Anatomical defects in ligaments or muscles: The presence of anatomical defects can cause deformation of the blood vessels. This reduces blood flow to the lower limbs and other parts of the body, causing the sensation of heat in the legs.

Risk factors for peripheral artery disease

Some factors increase the risk of suffering from a sensation of heat in the legs, in addition to other alterations resulting from a peripheral arterial disease, such as:

  • Diabetes.
  • High cholesterol.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Obesity.
  • People over 50 years old.
  • Smoking
  • Family history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or peripheral artery disease.
  • High homocysteine levels are a component of the protein that helps create and maintain tissue.

The Feeling of heat in the legs: associated symptoms

In most cases where this pathology occurs, symptoms are not evident or are mild. However, some of the following may appear:

  • Presence of heat in both lower limbs.
  • Painful cramps in the thighs or calves after walking and after doing any physical activity, especially at night.
  • Weakness or numbness in both lower limbs.
  • Color change in the legs.
  • Cold Feeling in the leg or foot.
  • Hair loss or slow growth on the legs.
  • Weak pulse or loss in the legs and feet.
  • You can see the shiny skin on both legs.
  • Presence of ulcers on the skin of the legs, which becomes difficult to heal.
  • Erectile dysfunction in men.

As this disease progresses, pain may occur in both legs at rest.

Treatment for the sensation of heat in the legs

To treat the peripheral arterial disease that gives rise to the sensation of heat in the legs, you should see a doctor, who will direct the treatment to:

  • Manage symptoms, such as pain and a feeling of warmth and tingling in the legs.
  • Reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke caused by arteriosclerosis.
  • The doctor will indicate treatment according to your present history or the disease you suffer from.
  • If you suffer from high cholesterol, statins will be indicated by your doctor as they help control cholesterol levels and prevent complications.
  • If you suffer from high blood pressure, he will prescribe antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure.
  • For patients who have diabetes, the specialist doctor will indicate medications to control blood sugar, in addition to recommending a low-carbohydrate diet.
  • This disease causes decreased blood flow, so your doctor will recommend remedies to prevent blood clots. It will thin out and go much more accessible through the arteries. Medications like Aspirin or Plavix are the first choice.

In much more severe patients, the doctor will recommend surgical resolution such as:

  • Angioplasty: This procedure consists of treating the affected vessel. The artery is reopened, allowing better blood flow. A mesh called a Stent can also be installed to keep it open.
  • Bypass: in this surgery, using a graft, a blood vessel is made of artificial tissue for the blood to flow better.
  • Thrombolytic therapy: when there is the presence of a clot that obstructs the artery, the specialist will be in charge of indicating the treatment with which the clump will dissolve, thus allowing blood flow to be restored.

If you want to improve this alteration, you should practice an exercise routine daily, stop smoking, or even go regularly to your doctor if the sensation of heat in the legs increases or any of the symptoms that accompany this disease.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Feeling of heat in the legs: causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our category of Bones, joints, and muscles.

You may also like

Leave a Comment