burning skin

I have had burning sensations on my skin for 8 years now.  I am not diagnosed with anything yet, my neuro feels that its postviral or small fiber neuropathy.  I have had 3 brain MRIs in the last 8 years, a c-spine, and also a lumbar.  Tons of bloodwork.  I don't know where to turn to next.  Neuro says no MS.  I have no numbness, no weakness, bowel/bladder is fine, vision alright except before a migraine,.  I am not affected by heat, in fact it makes me feel better.  What could this be?  It feels like razor or brush burn, it only lasts for a few seconds, and then it comes back a little later.

[karzme]

This sure is a puzzle. You don't have symptoms of MS. Have you tried seing a regular dr or a dr that deals with the skin, for some answers?  Sorry I can't help. Sure it is a big pain for you. Hang in there.  Karina

[Quixotic1]

It sounds like this is really enough to drive you nuts.  I wonder if you should seek out a neuro specialist at an academic center who specializeds in neuropathy.  I do know that small fiber neuropathy is notoriously difficult to diagnose, but there are methods to do it.  Do you have any color or temperature changes in the areas which burn?

Quix

[Jenny Wren]

Thanks for the response.  No, no color or temperature change.  I just get this razor burn feelings that last for about 5 seconds and then goes away.  Its only an area about the size of a nickle, and not always in the same place.  Weird.  My PCP keeps telling me its anxiety.  Clothing doesn't hurt to wear, its just that if my shirt or pants are to tight, it feels like little ants crawling on my skin, its very annoying.  The neurologist here told me that he thinks its something called "central sensitization" from migraines.  My neuro gave me a script for Vistaril, but it makes me feel so weird and out of it.  Can anxiety cause this type of sensation for real?
Jen

[grannyhotwheels]

I'm very sorry for what your going through.  It sounds like it would drive a person nuts.

I'll be praying,
Carol

[Jenny Wren]

Thank you all for your thoughts.  Today is really bad for me.  Its driving me crazy.  I took off my pair of jeans and put on my flannel pjs.  It is just weird.  Does this sound like MS to any of you?  

[moeck]

I don't think anxiety could cause such a reation if it is always in the same place, small size and lasts only a few seconds.  It does sound like the nerves in one area are being affected by something.  The side of my neck where they made the incision for my surgery has remained numb since then, Doc's say it is due to nerve damage in the skin from the surgery.  I woke up last night with it on fire.  A friend who has had lung surgery also gets burning sensations near the incision area from nerve damage.  Ask if you can try a lidocaine patch on the area.  It sometimes helps to calm the nreves down.
Moeck

[metabolicwreck]

Is the pain in the same region all the time?  My thought is that you might have shingles.  That would cause your nerves in a particular area to hurt, and it could be intermittent pain.  Shingles is caused by a virus; I'm not sure what the treatment is these days, when I had it I was given hydrocortisone cream to put on it.  

The Wreck

[moeck]

All of the patients I saw with shingles had constant pain from them, and unless it was in the eye (like mine was) you could actually see them in a row along the skin above the nerve path.  Jenny's pain sounds much more intemittent and in a very small area for shingles.
Moeck

[Jenny Wren]

They are not in the same place, when this first started a few months ago it was under where my bra goes across the front, I thought then shingles, but then it started all different places.  Its never in one spot, it can happen on my ankle, then my back, arms, where ever.  I read that some women get this during perimenopause, could that be the situation, I had my FSH level checked and it was normal.  My maternal gram went through meno at 39.  My Mom at 50.  I can remember my Mother when I was about 12 or 13 going to all kinds of doctors, and I remember going to a nearby hospital and her having an EMG and EEG done.  This was about the time she would have been in perimenopause.  All I know is that it is annoying.  My neuro says No to a EMG, says that I don't have no weakness or numbness and that it probably won't show anything.  But then said something about a nerve/muscle biopsy, OUCH.  She said that I don't have Lupus, RA, Multiple Myeloma, Lyme or MS.  I may have small fiber neuropathy and never know the cause, GREAT!!!  Thanks all for your kind thoughts.

If it was in one area it may be easier to find out the problem, but its not.

Take care, Jen