Compartment syndrome
Overview
Compartment syndrome is an increase in pressure inside a muscle, which restricts blood flow and causes pain. If it happens suddenly, it can be serious and need treatment as soon as possible.
Symptoms
You can get compartment syndrome in any muscle, but it most often affects the muscles in the lower legs and forearms. Symptoms include: pain in a muscle – this may feel like a burning pain or a deep ache (moving the body part can make the pain even worse)swelling or bulging of the musclenumbness, weakness or pins and needlestightness or difficulty moving the affected body part The symptoms can start suddenly, such as after an injury or if a bandage or plaster cast is too tight. This is called acute compartment syndrome. Symptoms can also come on gradually after exercising and go away when you rest. This is called chronic compartment syndrome.
Treatment
Treatment for compartment syndrome depends on whether it happens suddenly or comes on gradually.