Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Leg pain - only at night

I've been having left leg pain - only at night.  The pain is dull, nagging pain throughout my entire leg that doesn't go away with a massage or moving around.  This pain has been bothering me after I had a baby.  However, before I was pregnant, my legs falls asleep while I'm asleep.  When I get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, I would fall flat on my face.  

I'm not sure if these two correlated, but thought I should mention it.

Any info would be appreciated!
29 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
351246 tn?1379682132
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi
Welcome to the forum!
The most likely cause can be a sleep disorder called restless leg syndrome. The pain is uncontrollable and nothing a patient does cures it. You would need to consult a sleep specialist regarding this. The other possibility is compression of a spinal nerve in the lumbo-sacral area. Deep vein thrombosis or low sodium/potassium/calcium/magnesium in blood can also be a possibility. It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Do discuss this with your doctor and get yourself examined. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I have experienced a similar thing, actually I'm experiencing it right now which is how I found this post. I am only 18 (never had a baby) but I used to get these a lot more when I was younger, I guess they were like growing pains but only on one leg which is unusual. In my right thigh, currently, it feels like its almost numb but I have feeling, I think close to a dull but annoying pain you described. The closest thing I can come with as to when or why I get it is when I'm sleeping in an uncomfortable place or position. The times I can clearly remember having it in the past are when I was sleeping over at friends houses in beds that are not comfortable and new to me, and just now I was sleeping on two pillows (I usually sleep on one) and when I took one away and laid down with only tons pillow it feels much better and like the pain is slowly but surely going away. I think the worst part is that it woke me up, the pain started to creep into my dream and in my dream world I started bending my leg to get rid of the pain (it didnt work)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had two angiograms in the past 6 months.  The last one was last week and the surgeon put a stent and an angioplasty in my right leg but nothing in my left leg.  My left leg is very sore at night in bed.  It's even more sore since the angiogram last week.  Suggestions?
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Dear Givemeanameplease,
I had been experiencing leg pain only when I was in bed at night. Then a few months ago I went on a whole foods plant based diet, went vegan, and largely cut out sugar and processed foods – and the night-time leg pains disappeared. I never asked my doctor about the leg pains, but I now realize they could have been a symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Here’s a video on the subject of plant based diets and artery function: http://nutritionfacts.org/video/plant-based-diets-and-artery-function/
Also, here is a quote from a recent letter from drveggie to the NY Times on this subject “You can reverse peripheral artery disease, and open up coronary arteries, with a whole-food, plant-based diet. This is the same diet that can prevent and reverse diabetes, and reduce the risk of cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer. Go to heartattackproof.com, forksoverknives.com (click on "Success Stories"), nutritionfacts.org, and pcrm.org. . . . . The blockage, and the pain, will diminish on a vegan diet to the point where one is symptom-free and no longer suffers from PAD. This can happen in a matter or days or weeks; has no negative side effects; and reduces the risk of other chronic diseases. ” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/millions-with-leg-pain-have-peripheral-artery-disease/?_r=0
Avatar universal
Three nights ago when I went to bed ,about fifteen minutes later my left thigh, left knee (front and back) left calf and shin felt like they were stuck in a car crusher. I tried to message them, didn't work, I tried elevating them, made it worse. Finally after frustration from the pain I got up and tried to walk it off. It worked, so I laid back down... then bang, about twenty minutes later it started again, I can't describe how bad and annoying this is. Every night for three nights now the same thing, lay down, pain, get up and walk it off, lay back down and the cycle starts over. I am lucky to get 3 hours of sleep a night...wtf is going on? I can walk around all day with no pain, sit with no pain, but as soon as I lay down, no matter what position the pain returns.  
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I have the identical issue.   Very severe, dull pain throughout one leg, only when resting or when driving.   X-rays seem to have ruled at Sciatica.  Ultrasound seems to have ruled out PAD.  Is it psoriatic arthritis?  Is it some typic of infection, perhaps from my psoriasis?   What di you end up learning about your condition?
Avatar universal
Hi madum ,

  After delivery Iam getting left leg pain when every time I took a rest and night times also .. It will go after few minutes of walk . Almost from 1 year am facing this problem . Please help me why it's happened .. Please suggests me on this madam .



  Thanks
Swathi
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi - Would you believe I am also having this problem. Yes, going to sleep on my left side and waking up with excrusiating pain in the whole of my right leg. It is so bad that I can not even move my leg except to straighten it out length ways. Little by little I inch my way onto my back and only then do I get relief, which is next to instant. I also have a severe case of RLS and have to take meds for that. I do wonder if this other might be related. Although RLS is not painful as such, it is a feeling that something is not circulating correctly inside my skin and is trying to  push its way out through my skin. It is horrible and even with meds I spend three hours most every night in agony because the ordeal will not let up even when moving. If it were not for the meds This would go on 24/7.
Helpful - 0
13658957 tn?1430926477
I have the exact same thing. Finally going to see a doctor next week. I can never get a good nights sleep because I'm not a back sleeper, so trying to sleep on my back is horribly uncomfortable. I end up going on my side all night long only to wake up with extreme pain until I end up sleeping on my back again. The pain is gone as soon as I get up and walk around. So weird.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I have the exact same problem. When side sleeping, I wake with a wicked hip-to-knee ache that disappears within minutes of standing or lying on my back with my knees bent and elevated. I cannot sleep well on my back, so I'm totally miserable. Is your problem better? If so, what did you do to get it to improve?
Avatar universal
I have had my right Calf aching for 15 years and have had Nerve Blocks and Cortisone Injections in my spine with no result and am at my wits end with this pain that is only when I am sitting or lying down I can't sleep of a night and have spent so much money on test and procedures. Please if anyone can help me I would be so thankful. Help needed !
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I take fish oil capsules, evening primrose oil capsule and vitamin e. The fish oil works better than a pain pill, if I remember to take it every day it will usually keep the pain at bay. It will take about 2 weeks to get it built up- and works so very well good luck to you!
Avatar universal
It's now August of 2014 and the same pain wakes me nightly. I have been going twice a month for thereputic massage and most of all that has helped me MANAGE the anxiety that comes with the pain. I would imagine what horrible things must be wrong with me and am so much better at at least now being able to somehow fall back into sleep, even if it is only for a short time. I am still committed to no medications but do fear this will be my life forever. The therapist feels there is good reason to believe it will stop at some point, but for now the calmer me still wishes it would just GO AWAY.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
've been having pains in my upper right leg for quite a while now. It's on the right side of my right leg close to my knee. It hurts only at night, and only when I lay down. Can anyone help?
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Thats exactly where my pain is! It's  dull and aches badly only at night.  I have no idea what it is. Only on the right leg behind the knee and slightly above it.
I have the same pain and gone through every test imaginable.  I've been taking gabapentin which has helped minimize the pain and acupuncture on my spleen channel also provides some relief.  Recommend both as temporary solutions.  
Avatar universal
I have been waking up from PAIN and numbness in my left thigh. I take Xanax to sleep and the pain is so had , that I am jolted out of a deep sleep bc of it. Both thighs down to above the knee are somewhat numb throughout the day, but only some tolerable shooting pains occur. But, at night is when I will wake up to pain (9-10) mainly in my left thigh. Feels like needles, burning, and numbness to a Max degree of severity. I was in car accidents and had recent MRI, they say I have 2 bulges, 2 tears, and a protrusion that's pushing on a nerve. That's what the Docs contribute this pain to. But, the accidents were 5+ years ago, and this new condition of awaking at night to this severe thigh pain  started about 3 months ago. It's more frequent now, and had now happened. 4 nights in a row this week :( please help me and offer some insight to this debilitating problem.

                                      Thank you very much,
                                           Matt S
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Every night when I lay in bed I have a deep cramping in the back of my calf. It is so uncomfortable that I can't ignore it and ask my husband to rub it. It does not provide lasting comfort and the pain persists until I finally doze off. Every morning I wake without it and have no pain all day until I lay in bed again and the cycle repeats.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow, this is the same pain that have been getting me. Does it get you suddenly. What happens during the day, does it go away? Have you found out what is the reason?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow, this is the same pain that have been getting me. Does it get you suddenly. What happens during the day, does it go away? Have you found out what is the reason?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My pain is actually inside thigh (where leg begins), to left hip then outside of left knee to outside of left calf. It wakes me up every night.  I have had PT, chiropractor, tons of blood work, vitamins, heat, cold, MRIs of spine and leg, CT scans X-rays, etc. sometimes my foot also aches and I feel like I have to twist it around. I am exhausted. I have been committed to not using meds but nothing seems to stop this pain at night.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
any updates for you?  I have the exact same issue.  I think it is some type of bacterial infection in my one leg
Avatar universal
Hi! I am 16 but I always having right leg pain during at night. It occurs once a month or even more. Why? Ps reply thank you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I know someone who is getting the exact same pain with the exact same symptoms...are you feeing fine now with your doctors medicine? Please let me know if you know the exact reason why it happened.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Woke up suddenly at 1 am with severe pain in both legs that felt mostly like joint pain but the whole leg hurt and both legs. Screaming in pain for over an hour and could not walk. No swelling, warmth or redness. Blood work done at ER revealed nothing remarkable. I have a history of weird unexplained symptoms...sudden respiratory issues (including an arrest), sudden onset of 2nd degree av block that led to pacemaker, etc. Last couple of weeks extreme, extreme fatigue and more than usual laryngospasms which I have had for about 4 yrs after my respiratory arrest.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello,

Sometimes when I go to sleep, I wake up with my whole right or left leg numb. (usually it's one or the other, but mostly the right) Soemtimes I wake up with a numb hand or arm and this doesnt worry me because I assume I was laying on it in my sleep and a few shakes wake it up. But when its my leg, the wake up of it is extremely painful. It doesnt last more than a minute, but it brings me to tears. I dont otherwise have pain, only when I am asleep does it go numb like this and have this pain. I try to lay flat on my back to sleep but I haven't found this to competely prevent these episodes. It happens a few times a month at most, but recently, I noticed that as it wakes up, the pain starts at my foot and radiates up, and is followed by a weird burning/cold pain.... what could all this be????
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MGY
Hi,

About four days ago, right before going to bed, a sudden, moderate pain started in my left thigh. It was like pulsating pain. There were no signs of swelling, redness, or tenderness. Three ays later, again, right before going to bed, I got this sudden pain, but this time right below my left knee. It was very uncomfortable and didn't go away with a massage or Bengay. What can that be? Why is it always at night?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
I have leg pain behind my knees, down into my shins and calves at night. I am busy and active during the day and have not noticed the pain being severe then. Teaching first grade leaves little time to think about pain, but  I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia  and so I live with a certain degree of pain all the time.  My main concern  is the pain in my legs during the night. It is relieved by "icy hot" or even "mentholatum"  I hate to appear like a hypochondriac. I have been told, my pain tolerance is high, but this pain wakes me up at night and goes away once I apply icy hot. I take a magnesium complex, along with a calcium complex chelate, and a slew of other trace minerals, enzymes and vitamins as I am trying to give my body what it needs to heal itself. If I put icy hot before bed, I can sleep without pain. Should I be concerned that this is more? I had a physical therapist tell me that if pain was eased by heat rubs, then it was probably "nerve related." Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi I am having really bad pains in both of my legs and I just had a baby in November and now on the depo shot is there anyone who can tell me what is happing to me scared and don't know what to do
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi there can you have progressive hardening of the atreries without ever having pain whislt walking exercising..ive been having all over leg pain for about 7 months now before it was random pain all over body now just seems to be in the legs they also tingle and have a buzzing feeling under the skin every time i google leg pain at night it tells me hardening of the arteries iam freakin out help...iam 35 female 5ft7 about 11 stones non smoker.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi my left leg pains while at sleep, not sure why no major health problems, not pregnant as well. The pain starts off from the upper part of my thigh (where the leg begins)  and it seems to be within and not outside. Massage or moving around does not help but it goes away in the morning, not sure why, could you please help.
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Rare Diseases Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
New study links cell phones to slightly increased cancer risk. Should you be concerned?
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.