My Daughters Leg Pain

[David Allman]

Dear Dr.,

My daughter is 15 and has severe shooting pains in her legs that leaves her bed ridden. These pains do not appear to be related to activity or time of day.  They have struck her sitting at school, playing ball or woke her from sleeping.  They appear to shoot from her feet to her knees and on some occasions her hips.  They have even been felt in her arms on one occasion and no amount of pain medication has been able to subside the pain, not even morphine.  
    
She went undiagnosed with strep throat about 2 years ago and came down with severe joint pains a couple of weeks thereafter.  The pains at the time were primarily in her hips.  She did not meet all of the Jones Criteria for Rheumatic fever but did continue to have joint pains off and on.  She was diagnosed with post-strep arthiritis by a doctor at the University of Florida and has been treated ever since with anti-inflamitories and steroids on occasion. She's also been on penicillin since she came down with the joint pains for fear that she might of had rheumatic fever although she doesn't have heart valve damage.  

The shooting pains didn't start until last June and only lasted a couple of days.  After that, they were short and mild.  This past December they came with a vengeance.  She was hospitalized for a week and it was to the point where we almost had them give her an epidural.  That is, until someone suggested a TENS unit.  We tried that and it appeared to help.  Or we're not sure if they just went away.  She has been wearing the unit ever since
and we've tried it with or without it and the pains still apears to come back irregadless.  We think it might help to make them less severe.

She has had 2 MRI's, Bone Scan, countless bloodwork, Nerve conduction test and nothing appears to be causing the problem.  She doesn't show all the symptoms of RSD or Fibro-Myalgia.  Can you please help?  

Thank you,  Concerned Father

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Melinda:

I am not sure I can help you over the internet.  Usually nerve pain does not travel up a nerve.  However, if there is muscle pain, that can travel up the muscle.  I would doubt that you are having blood clotting problems as that is usually in the calf or thigh.  I would just see a neurologist and have your leg jerking and rising pain looked at.

CCF Neuro MD

[melinda]

i get a sharp pain from the front of my ankle to where my knee starts...only on my right foot.its really painfull after walking on it awhile and when the pain goes up my leg it makes it shake as well.it started after my miscarriage about 8 months ago.i was 3-4 months pregnant.could it be the blood cloting pills they gave me after i couldnt stop bleeding?or could it be old nerve damage or circulatory poblems stemming from angeoplasty open heart surgery  when i was 3 yrs old?I'm 28 yrs now and have no other health problems and no longer take birth control pills....for fear that may have made my leg pain.any ideas?

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

thanks for the comment.

CCF Neuro MD

[MONA L]

MY DTR ALSO HAD SIMILAR PAIN-ORTHODICS WORKED FOR HER -GUESS HER BALANCE WAS OFF -CK IT OUT GOOD LUCK! MONA

[debbie maynor]

DEAR MR, ALLMAN, I AM 39 YEARS OLD AND I KNOW THE PAIN YOUR  DAUGHTER IS EXPERIENCEING, I ALSO HAVE HAD THE PAIN IN BOTH LEGS WHICH AT TIMES HAS SENT ME TO NOT EVEN KNOWING WHERE I AM, I TO HAVE GONE THROUGH EVERY TEST JUST LIKE YOUR DAUGHTER, AND I TAKE SO MUCH PAIN MEDS THAT THEY NO LONGER HELP, I AM BEING SENT TO CHAPEL HILL NC FOR FURTHER TEST,AND I PRAY THEY HELP ME, PLEASE GIVE YOUR DAUGHTER MY LOVE AND TELL HER SHE IS NOT ALONE.                                                                                                   SINCERELY                                                         DEBBIE MAYNOR (SCREEN NAME ***@****)

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

thanks for the comment.

CCF Neuro MD

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

I am sorry that I wasn't a help.

CCF Neuro MD

[david]

All the doctors she seen thus far are at a loss as well.  That's why I'm posting on the internet.  The pain definitely starts in her foot and works its way up to the knees and hips.  The area in pain is not sensative to the touch nor movement.  It just happens.  Some doctors have suggested that maybe it's accociated with a tramatic experience in her life.  I can't buy that after seeing her in pain that it's in her head.  Thanks for you time.

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Mr. Allman:

RSD usually follows a trauma, such as a sprained ankle, broken bone.  It doesn't just show up.  Fibro-Myalgia is a syndrome of pain points (tender points or trigger points) that are associated with fatigue, muscle aches and joint pains.  Neither of these entities seem to fit the symptoms that you describe.  Usually nerve pain travels down the nerve and not up the nerve as you describe.  I am not sure what to tell you as the symptoms do not ring any bell as far as possible diagnosis.  I am assuming that she is a perfectly normal daughter, all the lab work is normal, etc.  Things that repeat that are associated with pain and limb movenent can be dystonia or dyskinesias, but you do not describe limb movement.  There is a disorder of pain when the body is touched, pressure palsies, but you do not describe this.  

I am really sorry that I am in a loss.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD