Skin Pain

[melo1224]

Does anyone here with MS experience skin pain for no apparent reason? I was diag with Fibromyalgia about 12 years ago, and since I've also been diag with IC, IBS, Endometriosis. I recently devleoped a new symptom and when I posted on the Fibro board I didn't get a lot of response so I'm thinking it's not something my fellow Fibro friends have experienced.

It's happened several times now. I will have a patch of skin become very sensitive but the skin looks perfectly normal. The best I can explain is it's feels like I've been burned and it hurts for anything to touch the area. It's happened in my foot and through out the day it moved up the whole back of my calf muscle on that leg. I've had it one my sides. Today it's happening on my right shoulder blade and the pains has moved down the back of that arm and around the front of my chest. Throughout the day I've had a similar sensation move around my body but it's not staying in one place like the shoulder pain. This other pain feels like fire shots through my fingers, my foot, my underarms. I've started waking up at night and my feet and toes feel really strange. Almost like something heavy has been sitting on them all night.

Can anyone relate to this? I'm going to see my doctor in 2 weeks and I want to know what to all to ask about. Thanks!

[Ashash111]

I have had similar symptoms. I'm 34, No history of illness. One day I had very bad migraine headaches and sensitive skin as you described. After two weeks migraine went to opposite side of head, and after another week this sensitive skin went from the  right temple to the left, went over my entire scalp and then slowly moved to the back of my head, shoulders, and occasionally to my tailbone. Doctor doesn't know what it is.  

[essdipity]

I don't know whether or not you have MS, but it sounds as if your doctor doesn't know either. I strongly suggest you see an MS specialist, who will be able to evaluate your condition and treat it accordingly.

However, please understand that MS does NOT involve sclerotic veins. MS is a disease of the nerves of the central nervous system, and has nothing to do with blood vessels. Perhaps you've gotten the wording wrong? Sclerosis and the adjective sclerotic both refer to scars, but in MS the scars are on nerve fibers and not on veins. Different disease entirely.

Good luck,
ess

[Bethieboo67]

I posted a few weeks ago I guess about my foot getting cold at night. I never mentioned my skin pain because I am also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Usually I get an area on my face and head associated with a headache which lasts a few days during and after the headache. In the last few years I have started getting the skin pain (like a serious sunburn) on my body. I've had several MRI's that show multiple sclerosis but my neurologist doesn't treat me for that. Just a week or so ago the skin pain started on my left side covering part of my thigh, my left side of my buttocks, and around to the front. I'm really beginning to think between my foot that gets so cold at night and this skin pain that it's not just my Fibromyalgia. I scheduled with my Neuro but really don't know if anything needs to be done. He does run the MRI every 2-3 years and I had only 3 sclerotic veins initially then a few years later it said several new in the frontal lobe. Thanks Beth

[Kramer24]

Hi Quix,

I have had what you described as "Melo" one time after a particularly emotional (albiet – overcome with relief) event. It lasted about 4 days, and was a pain that was constantly moving around throughout that time. In any given day, it could move from a foot all the way up to my shoulder, and was very sensitive to even my clothing.

Could you shed any light on what this could be? I have never experienced anything like that before, or since (this was about 2.5 years ago), and I am young (25) and otherwise completely healthy. Lately, I just thought about it and wanted to look into it.

Thanks so much!

[melo1224]

Bev,
I haven't been on this site in ages and I just decided to read some new posts and I saw your recent comment.
I'm still on a journey for an answer. I have some new symptoms which I'm going to post about in a min.
My Neuro said he thought I was having mixed up nerve signals with no known cause, i really think he thinks I'm just crazy. My email is ***@**** if you ever want to touch base with me later.

[Beverly1955]

I pray every day to know what in the world is causing this unbearable burning pain that covers most of my body.Sometimes I feel I am going to go mad.I have been to so many Doctors.They have no idea what is causing this.If anyone finds out what causes this please please let everyone know

[dewbeesmom]

Hi, I too have experience this strange sun burn sensation.  I'm 54, and was dx with RR MS in 06. The first time I had this was several years ago. It was on my inner left thigh. It still happens every once in a while. I  blew it off as just another weird ms nerve thing. However, looking back, I felt this same burning sensation when I had a very light case of shingles. I didn't know  it was shingles  at the time. But it was extremly painful. I am for the first time feeling it just under my left breast and rib cage.After reading  most of these post's, I'm not as afraid of this condition. I am certinly not alone. I think checking into Allodynia may hold some answers. I'm hoping to find something that relieves the pain, as this has now lasted over a week. Advil is a temporary fix. But only for a few hours. Thanks to everyone who took the time to talk about their experience .  I now know that I am not crazy or alone .God Bless, Denise

[nessy0608]

I loved reading all the posts on this site. I came her because my skin was so sensitive around my ribs it actually felt like they were broken although I hadn't had a fall the pain has now moved under my breasts which worried me, however after reading this is normal for MS I feel better. Thanks to all of you for your posts. xxx

[lilred903]

hi my name is charley im 16 i was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis {repeating remitting ms} jan 2010 i have 20 lesions on the brain and about 7 on the spinal cord im taking the new drug {tysabri} and i was having 3-4 relapses a month now im getting burning sensations aswell and i feel like im wearing steal toe cap boots i was wondering if any1 out there could give me any info on what to expect in the future

thank u x

[zeldazonk]

Hi Quix,

Just curious about your comment "The kind of transient, rapidly moving around pain that you are describing is not at all characteristic of MS." What do you think it could be indicative of?

I just found this thread and it's exactly what I'm experiencing - skin pain in one spot for a couple of days, then in a different spot for a couple days etc...

I'll do some reading - I'm just so surprised to find someone posting about this exact symptom!

Thanks, Zel.

[emmafredericks125]

did you ever find out what was going on with you, I have the exact sympton

[meg321]

Thats interesting, just recently I felt that on my face at night, it was strange and I think it has happened before.  Oh, well....I just figured it was the MS and felt nervey.

meg

[Guitar_grrrl]

This allodynia was one of the first symptoms of MS I had some 15 - 20 years ago.  Anytime I recovered from a virus (mostly flu), i would have a burning patch on a thigh or arm.  I occasionally get TN, and as I recover, a whole side of my face is exquisitely sensitive to everything, even my hair blowing past it in a breeze.

[essdipity]

Hi, Saskia. Welcome to the forum. We invite you to make a new post on the main page and tell us a bit more about yourself.

I am very familiar with the sunburned feeling, in patches. This is one of the many paresthesias MS can cause. If you haven't yet, take a look at our Health Pages, where this kind of strangeness is explained.

Good wishes,
ess

[saskia582]

I have ms and have recently started to experience a sunburn feeling on my right side in a patch under my breast also on my back but only a patch.

[Quixotic1]

The "pain without a cause" is called nerve pain or a "paresthesia."  A nerve that brings snesation information (like pain) from the body to the skin becomes damaged and begins signaling that a spot is painful, even though there is nothing there causing harm or pain.

In MS this is incredibly common.  There is a type of skin pain referred to as "allodynia."  This is when the skin is sooo hypersensitive that the slightest touch can be excrutiating.  Even the touch of soft clothing.  It is just a variation of a painful paresthesia.

Melo - The kind of transient, rapidly moving around pain that you are describing is not at all characteristic of MS.  In MS there is actual damage to individual nerves and the pain or discomfort from those nerves is fixed.

We recently had a pain management doc write us a description of nerve and regular pain.  I am waiting for it to be posted on the Health Pages.  It should be there soon.  For now I bumped the thread up that has the information.  It's called "Pain - A Primer."  It's up on the first page.

An elevated Sed Rate has nothing to do with MS and should prompt the doc to look elsewhere for the cause of problems.  If the Sed Rate is very elevated (>40) then one should consider an autoimmune, inflammatory disease.  I would also advise that you be thoroughly tested for Lyme Disease (with a Western Blot test) from a good lab.

I hope this helps.

Quix

[Terrie2008]

Hi
I forgot to say I have also been diagnosed with polymalga and fibro, even though the blood test come back clear.

Funny really Doctors can diagnose this on the symptoms I gave him but are unable to diagnose other things (or it takes years) .

[melo1224]

never mind, I refreshed my screen and I see the post you're referring to, Thanks

[melo1224]

Thanks everyone for the responses. How do I find the new Health page?
I hate to think I have a worse condition than Fibro, but I may have to ask my doctor about some further testing. In addition to the feelings I've always had blood test with a high sedmentation rate is that common with MS?

[essdipity]

Quix just posted on the beginnings of a new Health page that covers this exactly. Please read.

ess

[Terrie2008]

I understand fully about the burning when I on my computer my forarm burns I have tried leaning on something soft putting the whole arm on the table (instead of letting my elbows hang of the table),

nothing seems to work its so sore.

regards Terrie  

[essdipity]

Hi. I can sure relate to this. During several exacerbations I've had this kind of skin pain. Mine hasn't moved all over the place, however. This was really the first MS symptom I had. Mostly on the insides of my knees, the skin felt sort of sunburned or chafed, as if it had been gone over with sandpaper. The way it felt, it should have been inflamed looking, but it looked perfectly normal and was not hot.

To the best of my knowledge this is one variation on the parasthesia theme. As Quix explains it, there are so many nerves that are sensitive to different stimulation---cold, burning, itching, etc.---so we can get lots of types of 'wrong feelings' depending on what's gone wrong in the central nervous system.

I have to say that neuros I've described this to have seemed to think it was evidence I belonged at the funny farm. However, it's important to be honest regardless. They should certainly know that a whacked out CNS can produce a huge variety of sensations.

ess