title: [Heavy and swollen legs].
abstract: Painful sensation of heavy or swollen legs are non-specific symptoms frequently associated with chronic venous insufficiency. Clinical evaluation is the first step in defining the cause of the complaint and offering adequate treatment. When a heavy or swollen leg is associated with oedema, venous insufficiency, lymphatic or systemic disease must be considered. If symptoms occur during walking a vascular or nervous disease must be suspected. Associated erythema suggests infection (erysipelas). If clinical data are the cornerstone of diagnosis, difficulty may arise from the high frequency of superficial venous insufficiency and the readiness of linking too quickly any non specific complaint to this particular venous disease.
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine interne CHU Rouen-Boisguillaume. herve.levesque@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lévesque
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cailleux
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004886:Erysipelas / Q000150:complications; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008060:Lipodystrophy / Q000150:complications; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy