14YO DD and painful leg, when to see the GP?

[Beebz]

Full disclaimer, I have severe health anxiety that is currently being managed poorly due to other upsetting life events. So I feel like I need advice to stop myself overreacting.

14YO DD has leg pain in one thigh, it's been bothering her since Thursday but more yesterday and today. She can walk and weight bare but she says it hurts getting on to her bed and going up and down stairs. She's not limping, but it does seem to be causing her pain.

I spent a lot of time in hospital growing up, losing a good friend to bone cancer that started in her leg, so I'm spiralling a bit. When should I take her to the GP? She isn't particularly sporty or active so I'm not sure how she could have pulled a muscle, but she says it feels like her muscle and not her bone.

It hurts in the morning too, so don't think it's growing pains. How long should I leave it before getting her checked?

I would see how she goes over the next few days. A slow improvement would reassure me. If it gets worse I'd be a little more concerned she needed seeing.

By the end of the week I'd decide.

I completely understand OP. Try and remember the chances are extremely unlikely it'll be serious.

I think that's why I'm a little worried, as of right now it seems to be getting worse and not better.

COVID can cause pain in the leg muscles. I'm experiencing it right now! Feels like I've been doing weighted squats.

Don't think it's covid, zero other symptoms and no one else in the house is unwell either.

I was going to say she may be coming down with something especially if she's not limping and hasn't hurt herself. Dhs first sign of a virus is always that something like a leg or a shoulder hurts. So much horrid stuff going around atm and her school will be full of lurgy.

Agree is not getting better by end of week, take her to gp. Health anxiety sucks I know and it does get hard to judge but remember at her age the chances of it being serious are low.

Thanks all for being so understanding. I don't think she is coming down with anything as she's showing no other symptoms, just this pain in her leg in what she describes as a 'patch' on her thigh above her knee which she says feels muscular. However if it was a pulled muscle it should be getting better, she said its worse today than it was when she first noticed it on Thursday.

I just know from experience that one sided leg pain that doesn't go away can sometimes mean something worrying is going on and have been in bit of a spiral since she told me. DD never gets ill with anything.

I always give stuff like this two weeks. Two weeks is usually long enough to heal something mild but quick enough to pick up something if it was more sinister (which is very unlikely but since my dad died from cancer my brain goes there very quickly). Hope it’s all ok OP!

Did you see the other threads about all the various illnesses going around and people complaining about patches of soreness? Just saying we are in a maelstrom of viral illness it seems so don't be too quick to rule that out even if she feels ok right now.

I know it's hard - I have one who never gets I'll and one who does and I panic about non ill one more.

You are aware and have a plan. It will probably be fine and you know that but you know what you are going to do if you don't see it change soon. If it gets much worse accelerate the plan but if she's pulled something it will take a few days to clear.

You got this.

Treat it like a muscle injury for now and see if that brings about any improvement.

• ibuprofen either tablets or gel just on her thigh
• alternate ice and heat, max 20 mins of each
• thigh strengthening stretches (can find videos online)

Keep an eye out for other symptoms like those more typically associated with a virus or any swelling in her leg.

Give it to the end of this week and see if there is any improvement. If not see about a GP appt or if you can self refer to physio.

GP will probably put it down to growning pains at this point. Like a PP said give it 2 weeks, keep a log of symptoms and if the pain worsens or spreads etc., then book an appointment. She might have banged into the corner of a table or something and not realised until the bruising has started to come out.

I think if you see a GP at this early stage they will just prescribe rest, ice and neurofen. Best to do all that yourself and give it a week or two before making an appointment.

Would the GP think growing pains if it is only in one leg? Definitely don't think she banged it as she has no bruise and has had pain since Thursday.

Will definitely take your suggestions on board though and leave it until the end of the week/Monday to see where we are at.

Is your daughter sporty? My 10 year old was diagnosed with Osgood Shlatters disease last week but that's pain in her knees. I'm not sure if it can be on the thigh area. I'd have her checked x

Thigh pain can be referred from the hip.

Lots of hip issues are more common than bone cancer., especially in this age group.

I'd see the GP as soon as convenient so they have a reference point and a record. Liklihood is it'll get better, but if its not better in two weeks, or getting worse, insist on a pelvic xray and xray of the femur as per nice guidelines.

My daughter often has random pains and/or bruises that she gets anxious about and swears blind that there is nothing she's done to have caused it.

I try to keep calm and quiz her about what she's done over the past few days and almost every time there is an explanation that she's completely forgotten about. The best was when she woke up covered in bruises on her legs (and I mean covered) and it took us a while to realise that they were from rearranging her bedroom furniture the day before!

Has your daughter done PE recently? Circuits, hockey, football, netball? It's quite easy to pull or sprain a muscle and not realise until a day or so later.

p.s my daughter's pains are usually due to some kind of sport injury despite the fact that the only sport she does is in PE. It's actually easier to pull a muscle doing PE if that's the only activity you do.

Yes, you can get growing pains on one side and not the other. Legs don't always grow at the same time, they can take it in turns.

Speaking as the parent of a professionally trained dancer, GPs are not always the best bet when it comes to diagnosing random leg pains in young people, and it may be that a sports physio or an osteopath might be more useful.

I assume you would’ve mentioned it OP, but just checking no swelling or redness?
www.nhs.uk/conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis-dvt/