Random sharp and concentrated pains throughout body

[vitenspe]

Since I was a teen, I have had these random sharp pains throughout various parts of my body that will occur in concentrated bursts of pain in a particular area for short periods of time. Sometimes pain will re-appear in the same area throughout the day and other times it will appear at seemingly unrelated part of my body. For example, it happened today and began with concentrated burst of pain half way up my inner left thigh. This pain would intensify which would cause me to wince in pain and then release and then repeat all over again every 5-10 seconds for about a minute. This pain did not radiate anywhere but only within a specific point. Then this same stabbing sensation occurred half way up to the first knuckle of my right middle finger about 30 minutes later. Then immediately following this finger pain I felt pain in my right foot at the joint of my middle toe. I have no idea what causes this and both of my siblings report similar type of pain issues. Friends think this is quite strange. As a teenager, everyone called these "growing pains" but I am 30 years old and don't believe this title still applies. Any ideas on possible causes? A friend of mine recommended acupuncture but of course I cringe at the thought of needles.

[wakeybob]

Hi I have been suffering and I mean suffering from this for about 2 years. I am 37 and have very similar symptoms to your own. I may get a burst of sharp pains in my temples usually one side, it can happen for a few seconds and repeat for a minute or so. I may get a pain in my knee and then minutes later in my finger, or shoulder or wherever it wants to be. The thing is I am a mental health nurse and keep thinking am I going mad. My partner is sympathetic but gets a bit tired of me mentioning pains 5 or 6 times a night. I'm tired all the time and don't know where to turn.I also keep thinking I'm going to die in my sleep which is making life very miserable. Has anyone any suggestions

[kmh3780]

what have people told you about your stabbing pain issue - I am wondering myself - please let me know

[omapooh]

I also have had these symptoms for years - random sharp shooting pains anywhere in the body.  I have an autoimmune disease called Primary Billiary Cirrosis (PBC} and wondered if these pains were due to an overlap autoimune disease.

PBC symtoms include chronic fatigue and itchiness. And although it does affect the bones and joints I dont think it is with these random attacks of pain

[Pum]

I thought everyone got this. I certainly do and have done since my teens. I think it is a nerve thing or muscular as it sometimes (but not always) is related to some odd exertion I've done, like lifting something heavy. Stress sometimes makes it worse due to tense muscles "complaining" more when they are used. If it continues for any time or keeps coming back try a warm bath or spa. Wonderful for aches and pains.

Good luck

[Cyndi0808]

I, too, have had these symptoms of random sharp pains in various parts of my body for several years. The frequency and intensity was increasing up until a year ago.  Suprisingly, since I started using a pharmeceutical grade, high potency, superior quality supplement regimen (not all vitamins are created equal I've found out), my symptoms have just about disappeared!!  Could it have just been a coincidence?  Maybe, but I am not going to EVER stop taking them!  If anyone wants more information on what I've been doing, just post a request and I'll give you my contact information.

[Stephanee]

I have had these sharp pains too! I am 22 years old and just now started to get them. So thats why I looked it up on the internet. Is it normal? I don't have health insurance so I cant really get checked out. It happens at random times too. I usually pop some tylenol and it goes away. I always figure if over the counter medicine does the trick then it can't be that serious right? Am I having growing pains? Even at the age of 22???

[Laurent825]

Hi cyndi

I am a 21 year old female and recently just started feeling like this for about 3 weeks now, It makes me nervous that something is going to happen to me or that it is a serious health issue. i have been to 2 Doctors whom where not very helpful, I was curious to know which supplements you started taking. I have been reccomended B12 and wanted to know if that was what you were taking also?
Thank you for all of your help

[Ashbash787]

Hello,

I am supirsed to have found a very recent message board about this problem. I have been having these same pains for about 6 months to a year. I just went to the doctor about a week ago and they are running some blood tests on me to see what it could be. I'm still waiting for results. But I understand how horrible and annoying these pains can be. One day i had them all over my body that i did no want to move at all. I will post my results as soon as i get them to further help anyone who is looking for answers.

[bshores]

Hello, Much in the same here, I have had these pains for about 2 months now. It started off with walking pnumonia and then went to a serious sinus infection and now I have the sinus infection along with an ear infection that was and still is unnoticeable. I have had bad anxiety for the past 3 months that started with my job and has moved to my health as every little thing seems to make me think I am dying. I do ask that you all try this as I noticed it a week ago and have been keeping a close eye on it ever since. Pay close attention when you are doing something you love, such as eat ice cream, play video games, read etc... do you notice that it goes away until you start thinking about it more? If so your mind is just working overtime like mine and creating this illusion. Also, I have quit smoking for 1 full month now and I noticed that the pains increased big time when I did this, my bodies little way of saying add nicotine now!!! I still have the pains but they are less and less and seem to come on more when I think about them. If I come up with any other explination I will let you all know. I did hear that B12 does work. I had my blood work done complete and all came back normal as well. I will post with any other findings that I have and I encourage the rest of you to do the same so we all give each other hope and some assurance that we don't have some crazy bad disease. BTW I am 27.... if that matters.

[bshores]

Ok as promised I am reposting my findings from over the weekend. On Saturday I had a bit of a melt down emotionally, both from feeling like this all the time and like I said in the previous post - I have a lot of anxiety. After the total melt down I really felt a lot better. However, I also started taking a multi vitamin on friday so that possibly could have started its effects as well. So to my best estimate I either have a vitamin defficiency or it is all anxiety and I am causing these pains on myself. My ear infection is still there as I could not make it to the docs over the weekend and am hoping to get in today somewhere to have that problem alleviated. The wierd part about this ear infection is that I have probably had it for 4-5 months and never knew it, I had no symptoms with it untill recently when I started getting dizzy. I don't know if that has any affect on it as well. I will post again once I get done with the docs and start to recover from the ear stuff.

[amandac12]

This is really weird because I thought I was the only one with this. I've been to a bunch of different doctors and they either don't find anything or they tell me I'm making it up. The only thing they have all said is that they recommended I see a therapist because it could just be stress and anxiety. I am a very anxious person. I'm 17 years old and I've been having these sharp pains for about 5 years now. It's really annoying because no one seems to know what's wrong. The one thing I did notice is that they started after I had an accident that caused a small hairline fracture in my lower back. Did anything similar happen to anyone else? Do we all have stress/anxiety issues? If we all have something in common that could be the answer.

[Cyndi0808]

Dear Lauren,

I know what you mean about the doctors not being very helpful.  I have been to quite a few over the years and have had several tests, including MRI for suspected spinal stenosis and had some neurological tests in the past.  All came out fine.  The doctors admit to not knowing the cause of the pain.

"What I take has a good amount of B-12, but also MANY other vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids, and other nutrients that all work synergistically and nutrient the cells at an optimal level.  It's been life changing for me.  If you want more info, you can go to this website: www.enrichyourworld.usana.com.  Please feel free to ask me any additional questions you may have.

[Cali1]

This is all so interesting because I started having severe joint pain all over my body a month after getting tendonitis in an elbow (very painful).  It was the most bizarre thing because the pain would constantly move around to different parts of my body.  My knee would be so painful I could hardly walk and then anywhere from a few minutes to several hours later, the pain would move to a different part or parts of my body.  This started 2 1/2 years ago and is not as severe as in the beginning, but it has never gone away.  It gradually got a better over a period of 7 months from the time it started, but it remains at that level where it stopped improving.  Now there will be periods of a few days to a week or two where it is very painful (like in the beginning), but most of the time it's bearable except for little episodes of very painful joints, especially in my elbows, knees, toes or hands/fingers.  In the beginning I also had a great deal of pain in my wrists and ankles.  What was really crazy and confusing was that this would also send my treated underactive thyroid out of control and my usual symptoms of my thyroid medication needing to be adjusted were really intensified (dizziness, "hypoglycemia").  I went to no less than eight doctors (multiple GP's, Ears/Nose/Throat + an ear specialist, Endocrinologist, multiple Rheumatologists - some are not nice at all, Neurologist, etc.)  who all promised to help me, but didn't diagnose anything, didn't help me in the least, and worst, my regular GP who I thought was great previous to this, thought I was dredging up old issues, would go off on tangents that I knew full well were not what the problem was, never "got" what I was telling her, and basically told me I'd just have to live with it without even trying to figure out what the problem was.  She flat out refused to acknowledge that my thyroid had anything to do with it.  I have since found a doctor who has helped me with the thryoid symptoms, so that is no longer a problem for me.  I started going to an allergist because I've always had environmental allergies.  He believed that my pain was caused by allergies and that in turn was throwing my thyroid off.  Great, I finally had answers!  I was so hoping that would be my miracle cure, but after 2 years on sublingual (under the tongue) drops to acclimate my body to my allergies, I have not been helped at all with my joint pains, nor my other allergy symptoms actually.  I've taken a multi-vitamin for many years, so I should be getting the proper amount of B12 (as suggested by earlier posters' comments).  It just sucks not having any answers!

[bshores]

Ok again as promised I am posting up some new results from my latest bout with the docs. It comes to find out that I didn't have a inner ear infection at all. In fact after visiting a ear, nose, and throat specialist (who was a total quack) didn't find anything at all and tried to tell me that I had vertigo - lol, whatever. Anyway, I change regular MD's back to my previous doc who I had had my whole life but had to change becuase his cronies stopped accepting my insurance. I went back to him and he said that my nose was extremly swolen on the inside and that was the cause of a lot of my symptoms (ear ache, stuffy feeling, chest....) I still didn't tell him about the pain all around my body becuase I wanted to see what else he had to say. This all came as a shock to me about my nose bieng swolen on the inside becuase I could breath just fine (or so I thought) and didn't really have any symptoms coming from that area. He put my on a steriod and a saline solution for my nose to get better. In the mean time since i had this diagnosis my pains have became less and less and are almost completly non existent anymore. I do notice them more when I am really stressed but I am working on that............. Ok, next bit of information. Because I am a research nerd I did a ton of research on this topic and made a lot of phone calls and did a lot of computer searching and found something that blew me away when I read it, not all the symptoms I had but most were covered by this. Please note that I have not tried this yet however it is herbal homeopathic remedy that covers what a lot of you are talking about in these posts, it is called Ammonium Muriaticum - do a Google search on this and take a look for yourself. I went down to my local health and wellness store and they had to special order it but it was only 7 dollars. I haven't got mine yet, but please read on this as I have and if any of you try it post up here if it helped. I will do the same..... However, I really feel as if most of you are just experiencing anxiety just like I am, hang in there and if you want to try this homeopathic stuff out with me than we can all check back in here and see if it works. I have bookmarked this page.... Good luck

[bshores]

Ok again as promised I am posting up some new results from my latest bout with the docs. It comes to find out that I didn't have a inner ear infection at all. In fact after visiting a ear, nose, and throat specialist (who was a total quack) didn't find anything at all and tried to tell me that I had vertigo - lol, whatever. Anyway, I change regular MD's back to my previous doc who I had had my whole life but had to change becuase his cronies stopped accepting my insurance. I went back to him and he said that my nose was extremly swolen on the inside and that was the cause of a lot of my symptoms (ear ache, stuffy feeling, chest....) I still didn't tell him about the pain all around my body becuase I wanted to see what else he had to say. This all came as a shock to me about my nose bieng swolen on the inside becuase I could breath just fine (or so I thought) and didn't really have any symptoms coming from that area. He put my on a steriod and a saline solution for my nose to get better. In the mean time since i had this diagnosis my pains have became less and less and are almost completly non existent anymore. I do notice them more when I am really stressed but I am working on that............. Ok, next bit of information. Because I am a research nerd I did a ton of research on this topic and made a lot of phone calls and did a lot of computer searching and found something that blew me away when I read it, not all the symptoms I had but most were covered by this. Please note that I have not tried this yet however it is herbal homeopathic remedy that covers what a lot of you are talking about in these posts, it is called Ammonium Muriaticum - do a Google search on this and take a look for yourself. I went down to my local health and wellness store and they had to special order it but it was only 7 dollars. I haven't got mine yet, but please read on this as I have and if any of you try it post up here if it helped. I will do the same..... However, I really feel as if most of you are just experiencing anxiety just like I am, hang in there and if you want to try this homeopathic stuff out with me than we can all check back in here and see if it works. I have bookmarked this page.... Good luck

[bshores]

Well it has been a while since i have posted. I never did try that Ammonium becuase my pains have all but gone away. I am left with some twitchy muscles but thats also starting to dissapate. My doc thinks that I was in a depression possibly caused by winter but who knows, the jurry is still out. I started getting ocular migranes about 2 weeks ago but I know that doesn't or shouldn't have any correspondance to whats going on here. I wish everyone the best of luck and continue to pray, thats what I did. I also read a great book called "The Secret" which has really helped me a lot with everything. I have a follow up today with my doc so barring some unforeseen problem I think i am on the road back to recovery. I will post back here if anything changes. I hope you all are doing ok.

[russraka2]

     The most likely reason for the symptoms fading is the steroids that you were on for a short time due to the swelling in your nasal passages.  Most neurological or inflamitory conditions are helped by use of steroid treatments.  If these pains come back, you may want to look into a repeat.  Especially if it shows to be effective a second time.  You did say that the symptoms started to fade when you were put on the treatment for your swollen sinuses.

[bshores]

good call!! I think you are correct. they did almost completly go away. I am now off of the antibiotics and just on the steriod spray. Turns out I have a severe deviated septum that needs surgury. So hopefully once this all is done I will be good to go.

[WJRT]

I reckon it is stress/anxiety related.


When I was 13 I remember having these body pains, they might have been around before then too. I recall having what I thought was a heart attack when I was 13, pain in my heart area, it got worse when I inhaled too, I was scared but it passed and then the pain would go from place to place . . . arm, leg, abdomin . . . This seems to correlate with some muscle twitching I get.

Recently I've been getting this around my neck and temples too which is probably due to anxiety and panic which I have been in a constant state of recently regarding a head injury . . . which was minor, hit head on door while drunk, later started to feel really out of it, feeling of liquid in ears, dizzy, disorientated, stiff neck, fatigued . . .  I got a CT scan done at the hospital (after much insistence), I prayed for good news and that's what I got, a CT scan which depicted a normal and healthy brain.

So I reckon depression/anxiety/stress all contribute to this condition. Until all my symptoms are resolved I'll probably be a wee bit anxious but the key is to stay positive and optimistic . . . don't do anything you don't think you can pull off but make sure you take it easy . . . and maybe lay off the booze.


Stay good, people. God bless.

[Chelsie540]

i am now 15 and for as long as i have known i get these random  chest pains following up to these "pulses" of electricity throughout my body causing sharp pains in my body and breathing. i NEED to know what it is. I get them and I think I am seriously dying but no one will take me seriously.

[nuffim]

i am a 55 year old woman who has extreme anxiety and depression and worry constantly about everything, my children who are all having big big issues in life and my husband who has all sorts of problems can't even go into them all and i just have so many health problems i feel like a complete nuerotic basket case. i have severe back pains, and hernia pains, joint and knee and swolen finger joints, the list just goes on and on and now in the past few months have started getting sharp shooting itching pains everywhere! In the tips of my fingers in my cheeks in my calves thighs, arms forehead, hands it is just driving me nuts, but Doctors just keep telling me "i'm fine" well i'm not fine, whatever the heck this is is not fine. I have stenosis of the spine and the c's and l's are not what they should be, i guess what i am doing is venting and perhaps other people can recognize some of these symtoms, mother died of brain tumors at 43 father alive but has congestive heart failure, dementia, diabetes, colon cancer, was a nurse aide for 7 years and ruined my back and get so tired, forgetful, weak and frightened and take a variety of medications for high blood pressure and high colestrol and anxiety, nothing for pain, as Doctors all want to only prescribe ibupofen and after 6 hernia surgeries i cannot get relief from ibuprofen, somehow, i am just trying to say keep looking for answers maybe someone can help eventually, i try to not give up as the numbness tingling ringing in my ears chest pain doesn't go away so i've got to keep looking for answers.

[jillio]

I also indure the same pains everyone else.... Im thinking its stress related. I am constantly stressing about something... so that could be the cause, but then again ive had thse for quite a bit. I almost think theres something wrong with my blood! lol Its all over my body at different times. Ive had non stop headaches since and seems as though asprin and IB profen jsut dont work. grr

[Hezett]

Hey guys.....
I was shocked when i came upon this page.... only about 2 years ago you wouldnt find ANYTHING like this about Random Stabbing Pains on the interenet. How the heck else can you describe them????
I got ignored by MY doctor for 3 years. she tried telling me it was in my head, she tried to give me anti depressants which i refused, and she tried to give me a psychologist, as she assumed perhaps i was in pain (Let's check out her mental state, but not her claims or pain or  pain level)....
Stress made it much worse (I'd guess having your doctor ignoring your pleas for help when they're the only one who CAN help you can make you stressed out and guess what, lead to more pains)

FINALLY i demanded a neurologist.. and i got diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth disease. I NEVER would have linked my funny looking feet to my pain.....
but apparently that is why i get these pains.
Many people with CMT do NOT have these pains, however, which is why i'm still searching stuff on this.
I take Lyrica and sometimes Neurontin for the stabs... it does cut down on them by quite a bit but the Lyrica is about 60 dollars a month (I have no health plan).

Anyway I hope that helps somebody, feel free to add me to your msn if you'd like to vent. :) I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!!!!!!!!! ***@****

[Hezett]

I am hezett

on msn :)