Burning skin sensation...

[SherryDenice]

Since March 2002, I have been experiecing this God awful sunburned sensation on my skin in different areas.  It started with a slight pain on my arms in 2002, went away, then came back in May of 2003 after a stressful period and attacked my face and arms.  Long story short.... I started Zolft in Septenber 2003 for depression that the burning caused and it took the burning away until December of 2003.  It came back but was not quite as intense and it had been.  It went away again and I noticed it occasionally on my face.  Just last week (July 21st to be exact) I started aching all over and the burning started back a couple of days after that.  My calves feel like they are burned, my arms have spots that feel burned, my knees have spots that feel burned.......

I have had an MRI of my brain in Aug 2003, a neck and c-spine MRI of June 2002 - both were clear.  I did stop the Zoloft back in May of this year and did fine up until now.  

I have been told it can be Fibromyalgia.  What in the world can cause a person's skin to hurt this way?????

Please, if you have any answers or suggestions, I'd love to hear them.  I'm 32 years old, have a 6 yr old son and a husband.  I'd like to believe that it's nothing serious.

Thanks!

Sherry

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

Without examining you and taking your history I cannot provide an accurrate clinical diagnosis. I assume your neurologic examination is normal. The symptoms you have described involve various regions of your body at various times. I agree with having the MRI of the brain and crvical spine to exclude structural problems, and inflammatory disorders. B12 deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and rheumatologic conditions (such as connective tissue disorders and fibromyalgia) can give diffuse symptoms. These disorders can be evaluated with blood work, and a consultation with a rheumatologist. Also, if other causes have been excluded psychological stressors can also cause similar symptoms. I hope this helps. Good luck.

[maddog1]

I too have burning sensation for past 2 years with all tests normal. My burning sensation has a few unique qualities - curious if anyone has any thoughts.
1. Feel perfect in mornings. The burning sensation becomes noticeable later in am's and is worse as the day goes on.
2. I have a horrible burning tongue that really drives me crazy.
3. The burning feeling is an all-over my body feeling.
4. I get chills and turn to ice feeling a few times a day.

Any thoughts? The dr's seem stumped. I'm a 45 year old male and otherwise healthy.

[White Warlock]

I've experienced burning and needle-type skin sensations on various occasions over the years.  Sometimes they were very painful, sometimes there were visible effects.  With a little research, and a few tests on myself, I was able to pinpoint what was going on with me and it is especially noticeable if i have already a little bit of reddened skin due to sun exposure, and/or on an empty stomach.

My vitamin supplements.  Check it out, you'll find that symptoms of overdose and toxidity of many vitamins include skin reactions similar to the ones you're experiencing.  If you're taking vitamin supplements, this may be the culprit and you should reexamine just how much are in those little over-the-counter multi-vitamin packets, and whether it's too much for you.  Check the RDI/RDA of vitamins, don't trust the DVs (percentage ranks) that are usually found on those friggin' containers.  Some of those companies are just nuts with the quantity they put into a single tablet, and this is only compounded if you are taking a mix of vitamin supplements in addition to a multi-vitamin.

If you are not taking supplements, vitamin deficiency, oddly enough, can also result in skin reactions.  Too much, too little, a problem.

[Carrie67]

I have been having a burning sensation for the last year also. It started in September of 2003 Labor Day weekend where my face when numb and then this burning like sensation would come over me. I had a EEG done last November came out negative,had a MRI done on my head in February of this year and have had a MRI of the sinus done in October all came out normal. Now the burning sensation has done down to my legs and feet. Right now as I type this my feet are burning and so are the calfs. The back of my head and ears are burning also. The doctor has put me on Neurontin 600mg two to three times a day and if worked for about a month but now the burning is getting worse. I have had blood test also and everything came out normal. I feel fine except for this. I am also on previcid for acid reflex. I hope that someone can give me an answer of what this is and if this is treatable or curable.I would just like a diagnosis and to know that this is not life threating. I have an 8 year old girl and a 3 year old boy and want to see them grow up and have children of there own. I lost both my parents very young my dad age 51 to cancer and my mom age 57 to a blood clot in the lung. Can anyone just tell me if this is deadly. PLEASE.
Thank you for listening and I hope we all get better soon.
Carrie67

[akiraah]

I am a 52 yr old female. I have had back injuries, knee and hand (wrist) injuries as well. I noticed after my first back injury I had a strange feeling on my left outer and part of the upper slight top thigh. That also included a tender and burning sensation on the outer skin. The internal feeling was such a strange and funny feeling hard to describe other than to allow someone to hold a small container of a hair product I had that when you tapped it the feeling that was felt in the hand could be associated with how the inside of my thigh felt. That side of my thigh was so sensitive it was painful if anyone tried to touch it slightly. I was never able to get it addressed properly because doctors did not know or was sure. So I had to deal with that for years and with some physical therapy. I still have the same problem however it is nothing like what it was for years. I stated all that because that was the first situation where I experienced the burning on one part of my body. I had a hysterectomy in 1999 after having that I noticed my body would stay internally hot continuously. I could not tell when it was cold outside by feeling. I have not worn a coat since that surgery. I rarely heat my home because when my   internal heat and the outer heat came together it was just too much to bear. I spoke to my doctor but no one has been able to address that concern. Most people thought it was menopause. However I have been tested and as of yet have not been told that was the case and neither after testing was I put on any hormones. Aside from the fact still to this day I do not sweat or anything like that as far as hot flashes are concern. As time went on the internal heat still exist but not as bad but still bad enough that I do not want too much heat because it just caused my skin to feel as if it were burning. I felt as though I was burning from the inside to the outer surface that started about in the spring of 2003, which was not strongly notice then, but it was there. However I noticed last December I had a red spot on my right lower side of my leg. It was not painful but it was then I notice this burning sensation more. You could touch that red spot with no problem but by the next day the red spot had blistered as if I had been burned with something. Outwardly it still was not painful but you could feel the burning from the inside out. I had not realized until later I had another blister like this but I must have busted it under my clothing and did not realize it. That was the first one. I showed my MD the second blister and he thought that was very unusual and sent me to a dermatologist.  I cannot remember the term he used after a biopsy but whatever the case he must of thought it was some type of virus because he started me on an antibiotic for some kind of herpes. He said it would stop the burning but it did not.  I than went to another doctor who had an MRI done and found I had three herniated disc among other things wrong in my spine and neck and stated I had neuropathy. She said that I had nerve damage that was causing this burning. I told her it gets so bad that it feels as though my blood is boiling but she said that is my nerves. In the mean while this burning has started to intensify.  It got to the point I can feel this burning and this feeling of my blood boiling while I sleep and heavily sedated.  I am tried of being looked at and dealt with like I am crazy. I have been having a hard time having someone to address my concerns. My job has had me to go to their doctors and they continue to say nothing is wrong and they do not take test. Neither do they accept test results because for years they have constantly fought me each time I try to address my medical conditions so I can function as a whole person. Their goal is to make sure you are at work. These doctors are thinking I am making things up and I have been treated for anxiety and stress and depression. As soon as another doctor reads that they impatiently deal with you and put you on more antidepressants. None of these medications have worked if it was psychological. One doctor gave me medicine and said it was for the burning and he told me to take one pill a day and because I asked and what if it doesn't work, with just reasons because I have taken most of those medicines, he thought I was being negative and than he decided I should take one pills twice a day. I ask the pharmacist what was this medicine prescribed for and he stated it was mainly for schizophrenia. The doctor said my burning was due to formication, which was associated with heroine and cocaine that neither of those drugs I take. In looking up that term it associated those drugs and breaking it down more it was saying I wanted to be relieved of responsibilities. In other words I wanted to get out of work. This made sense when the doctors said he could not keep me out of work forever. I found that statement to be strange because I never asked him to keep me out of work. I just wanted to know why I was burning. I was so upset because these doctors think I am crazy. In the meanwhile this burning is getting worse. I am also getting sharp needling pain in my inner thigh stretching across my private area from time to time and even down my legs. My whole body burns including my face neck, back and arms, the areas that have been injured. I need air to blow on me most of the time. Now if I were to get chilled the goose bumps you get when you are cold becomes painful with the burning. I seem to need the motion and a little cool to be able to endure. It seems my problem is graduating from one level of severity to another. I do not know how serious this is and my doctors have to be writing something negative about me in my files because when I allow access to my records to travel with me from one doctor to another and my job they already have me prejudged and I do not get the proper care. I do not know where to turn and because I basically look healthy no one believes me. My weight is out of control and it is not due to being an over eater. I can't seem to lose the weight. I'm fatigue and weak all the time. I have now developed dark circles around my eyes and as long as my test results come back normal these doctors will only see you as crazy and try to put you on medicine for a mental state of being. And that is not it. I live a lone and I must provide for myself and I seem to be getting sicker and sicker by the minute because I can no longer address my concerns in the way I need because I think my medical record are tainted and why because if doctors don't know and don't want to admit they don't know they will say it's in our minds and try to put you on all sorts of drugs you may not need. At least I know that for myself. I have been given some of the strongest narcotics and THEY DON'T WORK! After a while you can't help from feeling discourage among other things. My life seems to be wasting with these issues and sleep aptima. I am tired and rest is a true issue. I can't get it because this burning keeps me up and the sleep aptima keeps me to active when I sleep. I'm a mess. Also there are not many you can talk to without people not understanding you are not a chronic complainer, you're just seeking and hoping to find the solution. So please if someone know what this could be or can direct me to the kind of doctor who takes their practices serious enough than there might be hope for all of us. But how do you find that doctor who will help. Thank you so much for reading this and what ever help.

[Dave2004]

I am a 36 year old male and have had similar symptoms for the past 3 months on and off which all started after a stressful period. I started to get tingling sensations in my right foot which then moved to my left foot, then spread to hands, arms, body, and face. Then the burning to skin started. I can not go in the sun as my skin is so sensitive. I can actually feel dust particles on any surface which is a horrible feeling.  I am also getting spontanious prickling all over my body.
I went to a neurologist and had an array of blood tests with all normal results.  Had an MRI of brain and cervical also negative.  Finally he found Bilateral Ulnar neuropathy in my elbows with an EMG which is nerve damage in elbows.  I am now wearing elbow pads which are supposed to be worn for 3 months. If this does not work he said surgery to move the nerves may be necessary if arm and hand weakness develop.  I am very frustrated as he cannot zoom in on anything yet.
I am not sure if it can be psychologically related.  The prior physicians comments are encouraging if that is a possibility. I  have a history of panic attacks and anxiety whereby I take .5 mg of Xanax nightly before bed. However, I have never experienced the burning or tingling ever with my panic condition.
Right there with you.....  

[Mermie]

I have the same thing and they are calling it myofascial pain due to my back condition and.or secondary fibromyalgia! I have severe stenosis of the lumbar spine, degenerative disk disease and large ostephites in my neck - wide spread aggressive arthritis,
and other things
I have yet to find a doctor who knows anythingabout this although my neurologist did prescribe NEURONTIN aka Gabapentin which is the generic name. It did NOT help!  I use Pennsaid anti-inflammatory topical (prescription in Canada) lotion with duclofenec (anti-inflammatory) and it helps a lot. I went through a series of myofascial release treatments to no avail.
I have found that taking supplements, particularly the B's, amino (liquid gel caps) acids, and a broad spectrum vitamin complex helps a bit. My burning is further aggravated by weather - low and high pressure. Ibuprofen if you can take it, or Motrin on the shelf might help you. I cannot tolerate it.  I think you should probably see a neurologist for a consultation and please consult your primary physician regarding any of my suggestions. I am not a doctor, I have a large support group for people in chronic pain but you must always consult your physician before trying anything.  I am sorry about your skin pain, I agree that its painful and miserable. I have it all over as well with patches in places. I am not sure if it is a component of Fibromyalgia but it is usually called myofascial pain. Hope this helps, Good luck, Mermie

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