Unilateral leg pain after sitting - 36 yr. old female

[martha925]

For the past couple months I have experienced a deep, slightly burning pain in my right leg after sitting or driving for longer than 15 minutes. This pain is growing more frequent as I have started a job last month that requires I sit (at a desk) for longer periods of time. This pain starts in the back of my upper thigh/ buttocks area and continues down to the back of my knee. Sometimes the slight burning sensation continues down the front of my calf. The severity of the feeling seems to coincide with how long I have been sitting. Once I walk around or rest as I sleep, the feeling goes away almost entirely. Just this past week I have experienced an additional tingling in my right foot, and some muscle twitches in the leg that seems to last after the burning sensation has gone away. I do not have any stabbing pains, skin color changes, or swollen areas in my leg. The knee of this leg suffered two severe traumas many years ago. Both times the leg drew up and the knee became inflamed for many weeks. It basically healed on it's own both times.

I am active, although I do not exercise. I've been a smoker since my youth, and have been working hard the past year of cutting back in effort to quit entirely. My family history includes a mother that had congestive heart failure with mitral valve prolapse, and a father that was just recently diagnosed with two large blockages in both legs (femoral arteries) that require bypass. Both have very high cholesterol.

Thank you for reading my post and I look forward to hearing back from a professional.

[martha925]

Thank you so much for your reply. Based on the information you provided, is this something that needs immediate medical attention? I have researched sciatica and it seems that, other than surgery, there is no "cure". Is this true? Also I would like to know more from you about Deep Vein Thrombosis and deep vein valvular dysfunction. How serious are these conditions, can they worsen, etc? And are there any signs I should be mindful of that would warrant a visit to the ER? Any additional info you can provide me would be a great help.
I am currently covered by Hospitalization Only health insurance, and now very worried about how I'm going to pay for extensive exams and tests.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
A presentation of this type can be due to deep vein thrombosis or due to deep vein valvular dysfunction. With a strong family history of clots in femorals this should definitely be ruled out, even though your presentation looks typically neurological. Neurological problem like the spinal nerves getting compressed in the lumbo-sacral region should be looked at. A scaitica pain typically presents like this. Basically you need a combined approach of a neurologist and a vascular specialist. Also please get a lipid profile done at six monthly interval since you have a strong family history of high cholesterol.
Hope this helps. It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!