Pain can be one of the most debilitating symptoms of multiple myeloma. Leg pain in particular can limit mobility and make the simplest tasks difficult. One MyMyelomaTeam member wrote, “I just wanted to know if anyone has so much pain in their legs that it hurts to stand — to do everyday things like cooking or cleaning, even getting dressed?”

Another member said, “My legs and body hurt all the time, and when I lie down, my legs hurt more for some reason. And I now have to walk with a cane or a walker because of the pain in my back and legs. Does anyone have any idea what can help with the pain in my legs?”

If you have leg pain with multiple myeloma, be sure to talk to your doctor about how to manage this uncomfortable symptom. Fortunately, there are ways to help relieve leg pain so that you can manage daily activities more easily and improve your quality of life.

Why Leg Pain Occurs With Multiple Myeloma

Leg pain is a common symptom in people when they’re first diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that causes tumors in the bone marrow, which often lead to painful bone damage or bone lesions that can weaken bones and increase the risk of bone disease such as osteoporosis.

Myeloma cells can also damage nerves and lead to nerve pain known as peripheral neuropathy — numbness or a tingling sensation in the feet, legs, or other parts of the body. Leg cramps can also be a side effect of myeloma treatments, causing muscles in the foot, ankle, or leg to painfully tighten.

In addition, leg pain can result from spinal cord compression due to vertebrae bone fractures from multiple myeloma. Spinal nerve pain from compression fractures can cause numbness or muscle weakness in the legs. More serious cases of spinal compression are medical emergencies that require immediate care because there’s a risk of permanent paralysis. If you experience sudden, severe back pain with multiple myeloma, see a health care provider or go to the emergency room right away.

Leg pain can have numerous causes that aren’t directly due to multiple myeloma. Your doctor may want to run blood tests to pinpoint the cause of your leg pain and determine the best course for pain relief. For instance, multiple myeloma can cause hypercalcemia (a buildup of calcium) and M protein in the blood. This buildup may lead to kidney damage or kidney failure, which can cause muscle and bone pain in the legs.

How Multiple Myeloma Leg Pain Feels

Leg pain with multiple myeloma can be experienced in many ways. Sometimes it comes and goes. If you have leg pain, it’s important to tell your doctor in detail how it feels and how often it occurs.

MyMyelomaTeam members have shared a wide variety of experiences with leg pain. Here’s what some members had to say:

• “Today has been extremely hard for me. My balance is really off, and pain is shooting down my left leg.”
• “Tired and fatigued. Pain in my legs.”
• “My pain levels vary on a daily basis.”
• “The most pain is neuropathy in hands (oh my!!!!) and feet. Swelling in legs and feet is off the charts! Muscle pain and cramps creep in often.”
• “I’m having pain in my right leg. Hurts like crazy. Feels like sciatica running down to my knee. Even hard to sit.”
• “I seem to be having more joint pain recently in my hands and legs.”
• “Has anyone experienced major deep leg pain? It hurts when I walk. If I sit or lie down it’s fine.”
• “My father is diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He is particularly having pain in his calf muscle.”

Tips for Managing Leg Pain With Multiple Myeloma

You can try several approaches to help relieve leg pain with multiple myeloma. Here are some tips that you can discuss with your oncology health care team.

1. Get Regular Exercise and Good Nutrition

Physical activity and regular exercise can increase blood circulation, which can help relieve leg pain caused by neuropathy. Ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist, who can develop an appropriate exercise routine for you based on your particular condition.

Gentle activities, such as swimming, walking, tai chi, or chair exercises, can provide numerous health benefits.

A healthy diet can also help you get vital nutrients that are important for nerves and other tissues in the body. Dehydration can also cause painful muscle cramps. It’s important to drink plenty of water, but multiple myeloma affects kidney function, so talk to your doctor about how much water intake is safe for you.

Taking vitamin D supplements can also reduce the risk of fractures — and the associated pain — in multiple myeloma. Ask your doctor if any dietary supplements may be right for you. Be sure to get medical advice before taking supplements because some may interact with your medications or have unpleasant side effects.

2. Try a Warm or Cold Compress

Depending on your particular type of leg pain, it may help to either warm or cool your legs. Heat applied with a warm towel, heating pad, or heating blanket can help circulate blood and reduce pain from muscle or joint stiffness. Cold compresses, such as ice packs, can help numb pain and reduce swelling.

“Saturday I had so much pain, my whole body hurt so badly. I have a heating blanket. It helps when I use it on my legs,” a MyMyelomaTeam member said.

Another member shared, “I found a heated mattress pad on low heat helps me to sleep when I am having back pain and leg/hip pain.”

Heating pads should be used carefully because they can cause serious burns if not used properly.

3. Use Topical Creams and Ointments

Prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) topical (applied to the skin) treatments can sometimes help with leg pain. Topical creams with capsaicin, a compound found in hot peppers, and patches with lidocaine, a type of anesthetic, are sometimes recommended. Other creams and ointments may also help reduce leg pain.

“Vicks VapoRub helps if you rub it into the sore spots. It also really helps with your feet if you have sore feet when walking,” a MyMyelomaTeam member said.

4. Avoid Alcohol and Cigarettes

Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol in excess can worsen pain from neuropathy and should be avoided. Alcohol may also interfere with some cancer treatments. If you need help to quit smoking or control your alcohol consumption, talk with your doctor.

5. Ask a Health Care Provider About Pain Medication

Some types of pain medication may be appropriate for your leg pain. However, if you’re undergoing multiple myeloma treatment, you shouldn’t take OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen without clear medical advice. These medications can interact poorly with some cancer treatments and further damage your kidneys if not used appropriately.

For severe bone pain, your doctor may recommend an analgesic drug such as codeine or morphine, which are opioids. If your pain is due to nerve damage, your doctor may prescribe an anticonvulsant such as gabapentin (Neurontin) or an antidepressant, which are used to treat neuropathy.

Always discuss potential side effects with a health care provider before trying a new medication.

6. Seek Palliative Care

At any stage of multiple myeloma, palliative care can help with pain management. Along with your cancer treatment, palliative care is supportive care to help you feel as comfortable as possible. With palliative care, a team of medical professionals can help evaluate treatments that are appropriate for your pain management, which may include lifestyle changes, medication, or other treatment options.

Radiation therapy is sometimes used to shrink tumors and relieve pain. In some cases, surgery can help relieve pressure on nerves that cause pain. If your leg pain is caused by spine compression, certain treatment options, including vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty (procedures to inject a special bone cement), can help stabilize the spine.

Pain management with palliative care includes a range of treatment options such as acupuncture, gentle massage, and other complementary therapies. One MyMyelomaTeam member wrote, “I started seeing new doctors with palliative care. They suggested medical marijuana — life-changing other than the expense. I could not be happier. I was able to walk a little more. My leg pain went from 10-plus to six — and so many positive outcomes.”

You and your doctor can weigh the pros and cons of your various treatment options to help you manage leg pain with multiple myeloma.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyMyelomaTeam is the social network for people with myeloma. On MyMyelomaTeam, more than 25,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with myeloma.

Do you have leg pain with multiple myeloma? What have you done to manage your leg pain? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.