alcohol induced pain

[rooster1969]

I am trying to figure out what the cause of severe pain in arm/shoulder after just one swallow of any type of alcoholic beverage.  This started a year ago, and has become more severe and lasts longer as more time goes by.  It happens within a minute of one swallow of alcohol.  The pain comes, peaks, and fades away.  It is a painful ache type pain that radiates down my arm sometimes to my wrist, and at first it was only my right arm, but in the past month has began to include my left arm.  It so painful and nasty, that I feel like I have severe body aches at the same time in my chest, shoulder and arm area.  I have had one pathologist tell me it is a sign of hodgkin's disease, and another doctor say it could be a sign of gerd.  I have asked my gastroenterologist if he has ever had a patient complain of this or if he has heard of this and he hasn't.  I don't have any palpable enlarged lymph nodes that I can feel, but when the pain subsides after about 5 to 10 min after it starts, I don't have any feelings of heartburn.  I have read about the connection to HD, and wonder why it happens, and if maybe this is what is going on.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance

[rooster1969]

Just wanted to give a quick (good) update.  The ct scan revealed nothing out of the norm aside from three very small liver cysts.  I appear to be in the clear from anything suggestive of Lymphoma.  It's still a mystery to me as to why after 20 years of enjoying the occasional cocktail or glass of wine I suddenly developed a nasty reaction to alcohol.  It's almost driven me nuts trying to find out why it happens, but I at least now I can assure myself that I'm not going to die from it.  A little dramatic... I know.  Thank you for the information you have given, I guess I am one of the "normal" persons who experience this.

[Dennis MD]

Hi.
Thanks for the update.  It’s good to know that the initial result of your CT scan is unremarkable.  Your oncologist will discuss to you in detail the official result of your CT scan.
As for your question on other disease conditions that may cause alcohol-induced pain, there are reports that link alcohol-induced pain and non-malignant conditions of the bone.  Normal persons may also experience this symptom according to some reports.  

[rooster1969]

Thank you for your reply.  The alcohol pain started in Feb or March of 2207.  In the middle of October of 2007 I started to get low grade fevers about every week, sometimes every two weeks.  I don't end up getting sick, I just run a fever for several hours, then it's gone.   Since I posted this question I have since met with an Oncologist.  Since I was running a fever while at my appointment, and with the alcohol pain, he scheduled a CT of my abdomen, pelvis, and chest.  He will go over the results with me in the morning, but while scheduling this appointment, said the results were quite good.  So I am assuming no tumors or enlarged nodes were found.  Is there anything else that could cause this pain?

[Dennis MD]

Hi.
I agree that alcohol intake can induce pain in patients with lymphoma.  The exact mechanism of which is unknown.
Aside from alcohol-induced pain, do you have other symptoms like weight loss, sweating, or unexplained fevers?  These are some of the constitutional signs and symptoms of patients with lymphoma.  Though there are patients diagnosed with lymphoma who are completely asymptomatic and would only notice enlargement of the lymph nodes.  
I suggest you have yourself examined by your doctor for further evaluation and management.  There is a need to elucidate the cause of that alcohol-induced pain.  You should also refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages so that you won’t experience that symptom.
Good luck.