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.

[diana_SD]

Just be careful with Essiac if you have cancer.  It has been demonstrated to increase tumor growth and kills lab animals in large doses.  (Check out the reference section of the Wikipedia article).  As with so many things, more is not necessarily better.

[silverfox67]

I am happy to report that I no longer have those pains.  I started taking Essiac (from Health Center for Better Living) about 10 years ago.  It relieved my pain almost completely.  I don't have any discs left in my back (have lost 3" of height) and walk fairly well.  The orthopedist couldn't believe it... said I should be in a wheelchair!  - anyway long story short - I have Fibromyalgia and was desperate to find something, anything that would help with the zaps, pains, ice pick headaches, cold sensations, burning sensations, etc.  I read about Essiac (an old Indian formula made of 4 herbs) and started taking it.  Within two weeks I could get up from bed without having to pull myself to the edge and get out on my knees.  I also put my cane away and walk without it. -  I still have IBS problems, but they are not related to the strange symptoms I had before.

[diana_SD]

You are absolutely correct, da_vinci.  Many things can cause the same symptoms.  That is one of the challenges of medicine: the body has only so many ways to demonstrate problems on a macroscopic level.  The biggest problem I have with this discussion thread is that so many doctors either treat the issue of random pains as a triviality or prescribe palliatives without concern for the cause.  As a veterinarian, I realize this is all you CAN do in many cases, because, let's face it, there are many conditions for which there is no definitive test.  Doctors of any type make their best educated guesses based on the information in front of them.  The best physicians try to look at as many test results as they can to try to make the most informed decision.  The worst tell you to literally "take a pill," or treat you like you are making it up.  Or they lump it all under a poorly understood syndrome such as fibromyalgia.  I love the forums here because they provide support and psychological validation.  However, it's no replacement for a thorough diagnostic work-up by a competent and sympathetic physician to discover whatever our current medical knowledge allows.

[LilLilyan]

Generally speaking most of you have excellent advice. No two people are alike and many of these symptoms are not caused by the same things.

If you are like me and get pains, not only all over the body in what seems to be the muscles radiating just under the skin, but almost blinding head pains in the temple, likely the cause is poor diet, lack of exercise, compounded by stress. It's my theory, for myself anyway, that I eat far too much fat and sugar, so as to alert my brain to deal with high cholesterol or thick blood my body causes pains to warn me of oncoming chronic health disorders that my bad habits are beginning develop.

I'm sure the root cause is a high-fat intake for myself, and if you are not only fit but eat well, then based on what I know about the body you may be doing the exact opposite and not eating enough fat or sugar. Over-exercising hurts the bones and deteriorates lean muscle tissue, which is a vital part to moving with comfort for the nervous system.

For everyone else who has the average body weight, eating habits, and routine of physical activity, it's most likely stress or many options such as an allergy or intolerance to food or something in the food. Watch for pains a few to several hours after eating non-local vegetation, or fast foods would be my advice.

As for dealing with stress, the best policy would be to use your own discretion unless it feels like an uphill climb, then get help.

If after all that you still feel pains, then it is definitely a lack of some or one important vitamin, eat more vegetables or take recommended supplements. But DO YOUR RESEARCH, the wrong balance of vitamins can affect your well-being more than is initially obvious, tread lightly in any case.

Hope that helps future readers, and thanks to past commentees for verifying what I had thought for myself in dealing with the pains.

[oonser]

Hi guys, I was surprised to find all these posts too.  I thought these pains were normal too, even though I have only had them for the last 12 years.  I am 35 years old and they started off just after the birth of my second child.  I also had a lot of back pain then and pubis syphosis whilst pregnant.  About 7 years ago I was diagnosed with IBS, have had some problems with my shoulder for about 4 years now.  My pains are very painful sharp stabbing pain, the only way I can describe it is like a car alarm, not constant, they are intermittent for about 30 seconds to a minute and can be all over the place but especially in by my right breast, near the armpit, in my back in my foot, in the groin area and can be almost anywhere.  They are very painful and come randomly and make me jump, they stop you in your tracks while happening.  I also get pain that can be like an icy pain rather than a quick fire burst of sharp shotting pains.  I spoke to my Dr about 7 years ago and he told me they sounded like nerve pain, that your brain was sending  a signal that you have pain when there is nothing there to cause pain.  My dad also gets this.  I have not had any tests concerning this.  Has anyone got any more suggestions?

[mygraine1]

Like many others, I couldn't believe I found this blog; one filled with so many people like myself with the same random, shooting/stabbing pains that come and go, seemingly as they please. I am  37   year old female. I am a mom, therefore I worry :) However, I agree with a previous poster that sharing of our lifestyles, health and habits openly would be even more useful. I used to smoke, but I quit almost four years ago. The best thing I've ever done for myself-ever! I've never felt better since. These pains have risen in the past 2 to 3 years, infrequently until miter recently. Some similarities: I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in 1999 but have never taken meds for it. Recent tests for any thyroidism have been negative, so maybe it was pregnancy induced (?) at the time. I am also a petite woman, and after waitressing myself through school, my wrists are shot. I have Carpel Tunnel in both of my slender wrists. My hands ache all the time and I sleep with special braces when it hurts worse than usual. I now get additional shooting pains in one finger or one toe. I either massage the area use movement until it subsides. They come no matter my mood or current activity. They happen whether I'm happy or sad, angry or depressed, whatever.
I, too, experience stress-induced and/or general anxiety. I want to say, "Who the heck doesn't?!" I mean, don't we all? I have also thought these pains were the death of me, that I was dying. I've seen all sorts of useless doctors who know less than I do; they only went to school longer and paid a ton to learn how to NOT listen to the patient! Really listen, I mean. That's so rare to find in a physician. It's sad.
I found it interesting that others have also had a deviated septum. Personally, I had surgery to (supposedly) correct my severely deviated septum. I haven't been able to breathe out of my left nostril at all ever since I was five when I tripped and fell over a rock in our backyard and broke my nose. My mother put a band-aid on it and never took me to the hospital. It had been noticeably crooked ever since. Thirty years later, I finally got the chance to have my long awaited surgery. The doctor refused to do septo+RHINOplasty and just re-break my nose while he was in there to fix the septum and cartilage. Nope. It's still crooked and still hurts. The bridge of my nose and my face hurts constantly. The only difference post-surgery is that I can move air through that left nostril about 30%. I'm getting a second opinion soon. I'll probably end up getting the septo-rhinoplasty done to alleviate the pain from stress and sinus headaches. Well, maybe I would have less stress if I could breathe right! The eye-graines are wretched though!
Anyway,  my mother suffered from a heart disease, Wolfe-White Parkinson Syndrome (no relation to Parkinson's Disease, I don't believe). I was afraid of the shooting pains I had in my chest and directly in my heart. I saw a heart doctor, whom I felt was fairly incompetent, and tests came out normal. After research I determined that they did not do the EKG properly to yield accurate results, such as conducting the test when the patient is laying down, not talking, etc. They failed to do these basic steps. They "sheeped" me on through and charged my insurance a bundle.
I do try the positive thinking and praying and exercising. I have to exercise and stretch every day to feel right. I know it's good for stimulating the happy, happy feel-good endorphins. I do a lot of yoga due to loving it and a hip injury from a car accident.
I don't drink enough water at all. In fact, I have to force myself to drink it as a substitution for my little Coca-cola addiction :( I wish I could kick it permanently, but alas, not yet. I think I get caffeine headaches when I haven't had a coke in anywhere from one to three days. But I digress.
Someone posted that they have had these stabbing, inconsistent pains as a passenger in a car and it is startling for the driver. Well, I had one of the worst episodes happen while I was driving back from the beach. No stress, no worries, everything was beautiful. Even traffic. Life was great! The trip was awesome! I love to drive so I was feeling no anxieties. Bam! Out of nowhere, I start getting pain in my left neck/ear/shoulder, radiating. I didn't say anything to my boyfriend, waiting for it to hurry up and pass. It got way worse. (I call them "eye-graines" but I read here they are possibly called ocular migraines.) That sharp, stabbing pain got right behind my left eye and stayed while I winced, trying to drive simultaneously. Finally I found a safe place to pull over, and I let my bf drive. I got home, got straight into bed at only 6pm and slept for about twelve hours. Wth?! I never do that! I could feel the exhaustion in my left side of my body the next day, like remnants of the episode-like a hangover of sorts. I experience inexplicable fatigue often, but I ignore it and "keep on truckin'." I know this is a lot. I never post or comment or respond to anything, but this intrigues me. I have noticed one thing: it seems we are a majority of women. What is one thing that we all have in common? Our cycles, perhaps? At minimum, it is possibly hormone related, no? It's a hard sell that it's all chalked up to anxiety. I'm going to start taking B-12. I'm a vitamin advocate so I'm willing to try it. Thanks for sharing so my life could be enriched. mygraine1@yahoo, if you like to vent too. :)