Suggest Treatment For Burning Pain In The Lower Legs, Back And Chest

Posted on Sat, 17 Dec 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 17 Dec 2016 Answered on

Wed, 4 Jan 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : So out of nowhere I am having a pins/needles/burning pain in mutliple places in my body. Areas include lower legs, groin, thighs, back, arms, chest ect. Fingers and toes OK. Its intermintent on/off. Bi- lateral. I had this happen a couple months ago and it lasted a few days and then went away. I remember when i was younger i would get short attacks like this in the winter going from cold to hot areas, but these current attacks are allot worse.

Any ideas? 32/m.

Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

Generally abnormal sensations such as the ones you describe are in the setting of peripheral neuropathy, damage to peripheral nerves. However in these cases there is a certain distribution of the symptoms corresponding to certain nerves and nerve endings. In your case meanwhile that distribution doesn't seem to correspond to any particular nerve/s or any brain/spinal cord area. For that reason I wouldn't think there is any peripheral or nervous system lesion.

At times metabolic or hormonal issues may be a cause which would make some routine tests advised such as glucose, liver and kidney function, electrolyte panel, thyroid function, vitamin B12 levels. Perhaps they've already been done since I see from your past questions you've had several tests in the past.

If such tests have revealed no abnormality then I would say that the most probable cause is anxiety. It can commonly manifest with such abnormal sensations and if distribution and tests do not indicate any lesion or blood alteration then anxiety should be considered.

I remain at your disposal for other questions.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (3 hours later)

Hi. my glucose, thyroid, and all the things you have listed are normal.

I do have a history of headaches, facial numbess and dizziness. This entire body pins and needles sensation only happens every once in awhile.

Before the age of 25 i had no XXXXXXX issues. One day i got a fever and now its been all of this numbess and head symptoms. before that i never had a headache in my life.

i was concerned about the whole body tingling from a cause of lyme, ms, scarodis, vasculiotis, or something like that.

Are there any diseases or issues that could really cause the pins and needles to happen throughout the body, espically arms, legs, back, groin, ect?

thanks

Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
Conditions like Lyme, sarcoidosis, vasculitis can all damage peripheral nerves and cause widespread tingling. There are many other infections, metabolic abnormalities, autoimmune conditions which can damage peripheral nerves, the list is really long.
However as I said before it occurs in a certain distribution. The way you describe it, it doesn't fit with such nerve damage. Usually it affects the limbs and symptoms start distally in the feet and hands, unlike your case where trunk is involved and fingers are spared. Also symptoms aren't intermittent like you describe them to be.
That is why I mentioned anxiety which can just as well manifest with pins and needles. It is one of the main factors in causing tension type headache as well.

Let me know if I can further assist you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (20 hours later)

Im current diagnosed with vestibular migraines. I had all the ear tests, ect. My rotary chair test was severely abnormal, and the neurologist said it was a central cause, my ears were fine. He said migraine is a diagnosis of exclusion.

However my dimellia is i am positive for lyme using igenx tests. The doctor who specialty is lyme says i was def exposed to it.

My regular doctors dont beleive in ignex testing since its not cdc approved.

So i dont know what to do. Lyme doc wants me to try a month of either high dose amoxocyllin or doxycycline.

Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
As a professional I have to go with tests which validity has been approved so I can 't recommend a therapy based on an unapproved test. Perhaps the future may show that test to be valid and recognized, but until then to prescribe therapy based on it would be simply speculation on my part.
If I were to judge from your history I would say that there is not much of any indication of Lyme there, at least not of neurological Lyme given that neurology is my specialty. The symptoms don't suggest it and the fact you've had normal MRIs goes against it as well. So not much to support that test result, I wouldn't support that course of therapy.
I guess one might think of having a go, after all you're young and healthy, probably won't suffer any antibiotic side effects, but I wonder if it's worth it since the antibiotic trial is not that definitive either, Lyme is not always treated definitively by a course of antibiotics and if it fails one would be in front of a dilemma on whether to try antibiotics for longer. Even if you improve would wonder if there was some placebo effect involved, also since your symptoms are intermittent wouldn't know if you would have improved anyway. So wouldn't really solve the dilemma.

I hope to have been of help.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar