Why Am I Having Loss Of Sleep With Sharp Pain Above My Ankle?

Posted on Fri, 10 Jan 2014

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

Fri, 10 Jan 2014 Answered on

Fri, 31 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : i am 54 years old and have very sharp pains just above the ankle on my shin which are much worse when laying in bed at night. it seems as though when i rub my knee i can make the pain go away as if im rubbing the affected nerve or artery. this pain has grown progressively worse over the last year and is now causing loss of sleep. thank you for your time...

Answered by Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini Greca (3 hours later)

Brief Answer: Causes to sharp pain above the ankle on shin... Detailed Answer: Hi, If the pain you feel above the ankle on your shin goes away after rubbing your knee, it indicates that could be related to local knee problems: - tiredness after having a physical activity - sludged blood when staying for too long sit or in standing position - osteoarthritis of the knee joint If the pain gets relief, I'd suggest to follow some simple relief-steps first including: - massaging the area with olive oil - apply warm compresses - apply otc pain-relief rubbing creams - keep your legs elevated at night to improve blood circulation - take otc oral pain killers such as ibuprofen/ketoprofen/naproxen If no improvement in a couple of weeks, should contact a rheumatologist and to do X-ray of the affected area for further evaluation. Hope it helped! Feel free to ask me other questions you might have! I'd be happy to assist you further! Dr.Alba

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T