The symptoms and the treatment of the pain of Growth
Growing pains
Description
The growing pains are often described as an ache or throb in the legs — often in the front of the thighs, the calves or behind the knees. Growing pains tend to affect both legs and occur at night, and wake a child from sleep.
Although these pains are called growing pains, there is no evidence that growth hurts. Growing pains may be linked with a lower pain threshold or, in some cases, to psychological issues.
There is no specific treatment for growing pains. You can make your child feel more comfortable to put a warm compress on the sore muscles and massage.
Symptoms
Growing pains usually cause a sore or throbbing sensation in the legs. This pain often occurs in the front part of the thighs, the calves or behind the knees. Generally, both legs hurt. Some children may also experience abdominal pain or headache during episodes of growing pains. The pain does not occur every day. It comes and goes.
Growing pains often strike in late afternoon or early in the night and disappear in the morning. Sometimes the pain wake up a child in the middle of the night.
When to see a health care provider
Ask your child care provider if you are concerned about your child's leg pain or the pain is:
- Persistent
- Still present in the morning
- Severe enough to interfere with usual activities of the child
- Located in the joints
- Associated with an injury
- Accompanied by other signs or symptoms, such as swelling, redness, tenderness, fever, lameness, skin rash, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue
Causes
The cause of growing pains is unknown. But there is no evidence that the growth of a child is painful.
Growing pains usually does not occur in which the growth is occurring or during periods of rapid growth. It has been suggested that the growing pains may be linked to restless legs syndrome. But the muscle pain in the night by the excessive use during the day it is thought that the most likely cause of growing pains. The excessive use of activities such as running, climbing and jumping can be difficult for a child of the musculo-skeletal system.
Risk factors
The growing pains are common in children of preschool and school-age children. They are slightly more common in girls than in boys. Running, climbing or jumping during the day can increase the risk of pain in the legs at night.
Growing pains
Diagnosis
Your child does not need any proof for the diagnosis of growing pains. In some cases, the doctor may recommend tests such as blood tests or x-rays. This helps to exclude other possible causes for the child's signs and symptoms.
Not all types of leg pain in children are growing pains. Sometimes the pain in the leg can be caused by an underlying condition that can be treated.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for growing pains. Growing pains do not cause other problems, and that did not affect the growth. Growing pains often get better on their own within a year or two. If you are not completely disappear in a year or so, they often become less painful. In the meantime, you can help ease your child's discomfort with self-care measures, such as massage of the legs of his child.
Self-care
Some home remedies can relieve the discomfort:
- Rub your child's legs. Children often respond to a gentle massage. Other feel better when they are held or hugged.
- Use a heating pad. The heat can help relieve sore muscles. Use a heating pad on a low level before bedtime or when your child complains of pain in the leg. Remove the heating pad once your child falls asleep. A warm bath before bedtime can help, too.
- Try a pain reliever. Give your child ibuprofen (Advil, Children's Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Avoid aspirin because of the risk of Reye's syndrome — a rare but serious disease linked to give aspirin to children.
- Stretching exercises. The stretching of the muscles of the legs during the day can help prevent pain in the night. Ask your doctor what type of stretching can help.
Preparing for your appointment
The majority of children who have growth problems do not need to see a health care provider. If your child has pain that is persistent or unusual, ask your child's provider if an evaluation is needed.
What you can do
Before the appointment, you can write a list that answers the following questions:
- Where does the pain occur?
- There is a certain time of day, when the pain usually occurs?
- How long does the pain last?
- What, if anything, it relieves the pain?
- The pain will wake your child up at night or make it difficult to sleep?
- Has your child experienced any other signs or symptoms such as swelling, redness, abdominal pain or headache?
- Has your child recently started a new physical activity?
What to expect from your doctor
During the exam, your child's provider may ask you questions about your child's symptoms and activities. The doctor may also check your child's bones and muscles for signs of tenderness.
