Lightning-like pain on my shin bone

[mseresa]

With increasing frequency I have been getting severe, sharp pain on my shin bone. I have had shin splints and this is not the same. This pain occurs if I am walking, sitting or driving. The episodes last about 20 or 30 seconds but there can be several episodes in a row with only a couple seconds of break in between. The pain is so bad I can barely keep a thought in my head.

I haven't been able to find anything on the internet with the same symptoms and my doctor doesn't have any idea what it is. Does anyone have an idea of what it may be?

[mseresa]

Thanks for the information. I will have insurance in 3 months so then I'll be able to have more tests. I printed your response to ask the doctor about the conditions you listed.

Again, thanks!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
What you feel is probably pain of intermittent claudication where muscles spasm and then relax and then go into spasm again. It is commonly seen in patients with diabetes and hypertension.
Another possibility is deep vein thrombosis. This can also cause pain due to poor blood supply to muscles. This can be known by dopplar studies.
Cancer that has spread to bones, osteoporosis of bones, infection like osteomyelitis, or disruption of blood supply to bone as in sickle cell anemia can also be the cause. An X-ray or CT scan of the shin bone should be done.
At times it can be due to a compressed spinal nerve in the lumbar area. This can be detected by nerve conduction studies and by MRI of the spine.
I think you should discuss these possibilities with your doctor. It is difficult to comment beyond this without examining. A comprehensive investigation is required keeping all the points in mind.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!