Leg Pain That Isn’t Getting Better? When to See a Leg Doctor

Are you dealing with leg pain that hasn’t improved despite rest, stretching, or over-the-counter medication? Leg pain can be tricky because the source isn’t always in the leg itself. Sometimes the discomfort you feel in your leg is actually coming from the spine, nerves, or joints, and that’s where a pain management physician can help. At Visco Spine & Joint Center, we specialize in diagnosing and treating the underlying causes of pain, helping you achieve lasting relief.

Root Cause of Leg Pain

Leg pain isn’t always caused by a muscle strain or simple overuse. For many people, the pain actually originates higher up in the body, such as the spine or hip, and travels down the leg. This can happen when nerves that run from your lower back into your hip and leg become irritated or compressed.

Common causes of leg pain include:

• Sciatica: sharp, radiating pain caused when the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back to the legs, becomes compressed or inflamed.
• Lumbar spinal stenosis: narrowing in the spine that pinches nerve roots, causing numbness, weakness, or tingling in the legs.
• Sacroiliitis: inflammation in the joints connecting the spine to the pelvis that can lead to pain in the low back, buttocks, and legs

In these cases, an interventional pain specialist can pinpoint the source of irritation and recommend targeted, minimally invasive treatments that can relieve pressure on the affected nerves.

Common Treatments for Lasting Pain Relief

Interventional pain management may include:

• Nerve blocks, which involve injecting medication near a nerve to block pain signals and reduce inflammation.
• Epidural steroid injection, which is a strong anti-inflammatory steroid delivered into the epidural space around the spinal nerves.
• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses heat to disrupt nerves causing pain.

These treatments can help reduce irritation, improve mobility, and make daily activities more comfortable.

How to Recognize Musculoskeletal Leg Pain vs. Vascular Leg Pain

Leg pain can be confusing because different conditions can feel surprisingly similar. A nerve problem, a joint issue, or a circulation concern may all show up as pain in the same area, but the underlying causes are very different. Here are a few clues that can help you understand what you’re dealing with.

Musculoskeletal pain, coming from the spine, nerves, or joints, often feels like:

• Sharp, shooting pain down the leg
• Pain that worsens with inactivity
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness
• Pain that begins in the back, buttocks, or hip

Meanwhile, vascular pain is characterized by:

• Cramping or aching during walking that improves with rest
• Cold, pale feet
• Swelling, tingling, and/or numbness
• Redness or discoloration of the skin
• Feeling of tired or heavy legs

Understanding these patterns can help you narrow down what might be causing your symptoms, but leg pain can still be tricky to interpret on your own. If your discomfort doesn’t fit neatly into one category, a medical evaluation can help clarify what’s going on and guide you toward the right type of care.

Find Lasting Pain Relief with Visco Spine & Joint Center

Persistent leg pain can be frustrating, but the right diagnosis and treatment plan can make all the difference. If your pain hasn’t improved or is getting worse, consider scheduling a consultation with our interventional pain management specialists. With locations in Hoboken, Jersey City, Bayonne, and Wyckoff, NJ, access to lasting relief is closer than you may think.