Hello and Welcome to MedHelp! So, it sounds like this has been bothering you for a long time and you have been to a physician about this to have it evaluated? They do not feel it is a clot or DVT? Here are some basic symptoms of having a blood clot in legs or arms https://www.webmd.com/dvt/blood-clot-symptoms#1. Two things that you do not mention are swelling or discoloration. You've clearly already read about DVT since you mention these two symptoms being absent.
Has your doctor done a lower extremity ultrasound to detect if there is a clot? That would seem like a good step to take. https://www.webmd.com/dvt/deep-vein-thrombosis-dvt-symptoms-diagnosis#1
PAD as your doctor has suggested is also something realistic to look into as your symptoms fall into the range associated with this as well. The calf is the most common issue to have this limited blood flow to muscles. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/peripheral-artery-disease-of-the-legs
To answer your basic question, people do manage DVT through a variety of means (medication like blood thinners, compression stockings, surgery if needed) but you must have that diagnosis first so work with your doctor to find out if this is truly the case. Let us know how you are doing.
We hope you return to let us know how it is going!
If it's growing pain then you should go check it out, DVT can go unnoticed for a long time. It usually happens in older ages (60+) but DVT can happen in ANY age. Anyways, if it grows more painful, it could be a sign of DVT and you should get it checked out as soon as possible
