Random sharp and concentrated pains throughout body

[vitenspe]

Since I was a teen, I have had these random sharp pains throughout various parts of my body that will occur in concentrated bursts of pain in a particular area for short periods of time. Sometimes pain will re-appear in the same area throughout the day and other times it will appear at seemingly unrelated part of my body. For example, it happened today and began with concentrated burst of pain half way up my inner left thigh. This pain would intensify which would cause me to wince in pain and then release and then repeat all over again every 5-10 seconds for about a minute. This pain did not radiate anywhere but only within a specific point. Then this same stabbing sensation occurred half way up to the first knuckle of my right middle finger about 30 minutes later. Then immediately following this finger pain I felt pain in my right foot at the joint of my middle toe. I have no idea what causes this and both of my siblings report similar type of pain issues. Friends think this is quite strange. As a teenager, everyone called these "growing pains" but I am 30 years old and don't believe this title still applies. Any ideas on possible causes? A friend of mine recommended acupuncture but of course I cringe at the thought of needles.

[Frankie1985]

Hi there

Some of you could possibly have neuralgia. This is caused by a knock to the head or nerve trauma. I get shooting pains in the back of my neck, down the left and right side of my body, pins and needles in my hands and numbness in my head. When it is really bad and I’m out and about ( in a shopping mall for example) I get very paranoid, dizzy, dry mouth and feel the need to be sick.

My doctor said that they can treat it with pills but it should hopefully disappear on its own. It’s been 4 years and I’m 30.

Below are a few tips that have helped me get through it. Hope this helps.

• Drink plenty of water
• Eat something sugary ( I find a biscuit helps)
• Get a hot water bottle and put it on the shooting pains ( really helps)
• Take paracetamol
• Run cold water on your wrists and keep the back of the neck cool

Unfortunately I find the big culprit for me is alcohol. I do find if I have a heavy session with my mates it triggers if off and its horrible. Any questions give me a shout 

letter is spiral out of control is a hangover. I’ve had to quit red wine as it seems to a trigger :0(

[MicheliaF]

I have been having the same pains the OP and elle27 been having. I think at this point I am not going to the doctor because it is not going yo do me any good. I have some back issues and perhaps it is related to this. I wil probably go and get my back re-checked since it has bern a long time. The problem started about 6 or 8 months ago. Before that I have been having some paresthesias in my legs as a result of a pinched nerve in my back for the last 20 years. But this is completely different. I might have pains occasionally in the tip of my finger. Another day, it is my arm, or my hip, or my shoulder. It is quite sharp and only lasts a few seconds. Sometimes it comes back a few times, sometimes it does not. I can say that for the e first time in my life I have been doing no exercise. I am going to really try to get off my bum. I always noticed that when I exercise, my back is better. I have noticed that very few people on this thread mentioned exercise. It would be good to know if most of us are leading sedentary ives.

[hhoneylope]

I have had these recurring stabbing pains since I was about 12 years old.  My grandmother said they were growing pains.  I am now 85  and have never found anything that really relieved them except Ibuprophen which I can no longer take because of other health problems.  They can go away for weeks at a time and suddenly pop up again and always when I have a fever.  My three sons have them too.  They are not anxiety or stress related, they just appear for apparently no reason.  Not that it helps very much, but it is good to know I am not the  only one.  I  recently had a severe cold with fever and I ended up in tears from the stabbing pains all over my body.

[Dinoleettelloc]

Tyvm I will try this! Dr.look at me like I'm nuts sometimes I can't even get out of bed,thanks again.

[elle27]

Yup! All of your comments are a mirror to my own. I'm 47 and had this for about 10 years. It's like there is a voodoo doll out there with my face on it. I'll get sudden, random, stabbing pains that will make me cry out. It will last maybe 5 seconds and usually repeat on and off in that same spot for a day. Then it will start up on a new spot. Sometimes I go weeks with nothing, sometimes its several spots at once. Middle of my thigh, back of my arm, my hip, ankle, toe, finger, wrist, middle of my hands and feet - which I call my Stigmata pains since it feels like nails being driven in. It feels like a nerve misfire - not joint pain at all, and stress is not an issue. They don't interfere with my life, but are quite annoying! I started keeping a journal of when and where and how long I get them. I looked this up just now too because my right wrist is "firing" like someone is stabbing an ice pick thru it. Oh... there goes my left thigh and right ankle too now. SO WIERD!

[ElinorH]

Amazing! My name is Elle too (well, Elinor actually) and my pains are very smilar to yours. I think all of us in this thread must be distantly related, as there definitely seems to be a hereditary component there. My late father used to get them too; he called them "scroinges", which I thought was a good word, as you sort of "scroinge" up in pain when you get them. They are short and very sharp, and I find myself crying out in pain, even in public, when they happen. Which can be embarrassing, as people look at you funnily.

It is like an electric shock, and the skin around the area seems to become sensitive and tender to the touch. A hot water bottle definitely helps, in fact I'm lying on one as I write. Aspirin works better than paracetamol for it. I get the pains in many different parts of my body, but often around the rib cage (back or front), back of my arms and my head. Sometimes in my inner thigh, and last night right at the back of my left armpit.

I first started getting them in my 20s when I got a virus, and assumed it was the virus getting into the nerves. But I developed CFS in my 30s, and have been getting the pains intermittently ever since (I'm now 62). I don't think diet affects it, but I do think alcohol does.  I seem to get the pains when I'm run down.

It shocks me (pardon pun haha) that the medical profession does not seem to be aware of this syndrome. When I've mentioned these symptoms to doctors, I too have been lumped under the fibromyalgia diagnosis, but I've read up on fibromyalgia and I just can't relate it to my symptoms. I don't have pain every day and in all the places they mention. It is intermittent and moves around my body.

I wish some medicos would read this thread and give us some support and advice. Or maybe be inspired to research this condition if they don't know what causes it.

[Vecino]

Hello
I 'seem, to be getting the same pains
They are wicked
Trouble getting wash & dressed etc
It is worse after I have sat down for say 30mins
I have pains all over just trying to turn over in bed
the doctor is given me a 2nd blood test
I will try and keep you informed