Chronic leg pain in children

It may need to be clarified that chronic leg pain does not necessarily mean, although it can, that this kind of pain is constant and never goes away. If the child experiences the same kind of pain in the same place from time to time, then that kind of pain is considered chronic as well. The pain can manifest itself for a number of different reasons, however, the likeliest way to sustain it would be through an injury. That’s why, the more mischievous and fidgety kids are more likely to experience it.

The doctor does not need to be contacted as soon as the pain arises, but if it should remain after a couple of days, that might be the best thing to do. However, should the pain be followed by fever and swelling, it’s extremely important to visit a physician straight away.

What can cause chronic leg pain in children?

The kind of chronic leg pain that every child experiences at some point is growing pain. It manifests itself in more than one particular place and it can only be described as the sensation which is more annoying than anything else, because when experiencing it, the child can find no comfortable position to ease the pain.

Another reason for chronic leg pain in children is injury. Children are always running around, playing sports and are just very active in general, therefore, they are bound to sustain an injury from time to time. When this injury results in chronic leg pain, it is usually because they have pulled a muscle or sprained something. If this is the case, there is no need to worry at all, as the pain will go away in a couple of days and all that’s required is some rest.

A bit more serious cause of chronic leg pain is a fracture. Fractures can happen to kids if they keep jumping on a hard surface for a period of time or if they fall in an inconvenient way. This is because their bones are much more fragile than the adults’ bones. It might take a while to discover a fracture as it has no additional visible symptoms, such as fever.

How to treat chronic leg pain?

Obviously, to determine how to treat chronic leg pain, one must first discover what exactly is causing it. The doctor will be able to find this out with a physical examination and with the help of an x-ray scan. The usual treatments consist of painkillers, physical therapy or putting a cast. In some extreme cases the child might require a surgical procedure.