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Severe pain and burning in feet and ankles

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Feb 9, 2009.

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  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    My wife has been suffering from a burning and servere pain in the top of her feet and ankles, sometimes going up her leg as far as the knee for about 8 months. Nothing proceeded the start of the symtoms. It started out as just a tingling running down her left leg. Than it progressed down to her left foot and became very painful. Says it feels like an electric shock sometimes. Then it started in her right foot. Now both feet and legs suffer from the same thing. Had MRI's done on her back, found "slight" tear in her lower disk, but has no back pain. X rays on feet negative. Went to pain mgt doctor, gave her 3 injections in her disk of anti inflam drug, no relief. Pain getting worse and worse. Sometimes she can't even walk. Went to another pain mgt doc, they did ultra sound on veins in her legs and found that the left leg vein had an incompetentcey.
    . They want to do surgey to colapse the vein to keep blood from pooling in her feet which is what they say is the cause of the pain and swelling. Doc says he's 90 % sure this is the cause of the problem in her left leg and foot. He has no answer for what is wrong with the right leg and foot. Ultra sound found no incompetentcey in the right leg or foot. It just seems weird that the right leg and foot started feeling the same as the left about 3 months after the left leg started up. We are not comfortable that this is the correct diagnois. Was wondering what you think of TARSAL TUNNEL SYNDROME. Unusual for both feet?? Thank you for any help or advice you can give. We are very desperate, for she has to miss a lot of work when she is in so much pain. Also taking Hydromorphone for pain. 2mg, 300 tablets a month. Doc suggested wearing support stockings. But they have made no difference in the pain or discomfort. Wife is 42 in good health. Does not do any running or jogging. Sits at a desk for work.
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
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    ***********************************************************
    Your only question which seems to be in the realm of podiatry is about burning and pain on the top (dorsum) of the feet and ankles, but dorsal pain would not be generally consistent with tarsal tunnel syndrome as you were wondering. Certainly, electric shock-like sensations would indicate the probability of pressure on or impingement of a nerve and a competent neurological examination should be able to narrow down its general location. With what you have offered, I would be skeptical that such symptoms would be associate with venous incompetence as you seem to indicate was told to you. But there is no reasonable way that anyone in a forum could provide you with answers which have not been forthcoming from multiple hands-on examinations.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Thank you for responding. I do appreciate your info. I was dubious about the venous incompetenence as well.
     
  4. angel04

    angel04 Guest

    I too have been having this issue. An abrupt onset of the veins on top of my feet started this summer. Out of nowhere, I am 43. Female.
    I have gone to the vascular surgeon and had a doppler test done on my legs, shows nothing, no clots. I do have some slight varicose veins. My dr told me to wear compression stockings also. I even went to a foot dr. He said the protruding veins on top of my feet were starnge and could not diagnose me. At times my ankles hurt and my feet sometimes burn also. I dont have swelling, just the protruding feet veins on top of my feet and ankles at times. I do have ankles pain. I do am mystified. Nobody can answer me as to whats wrong. I feel her pain =(
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    My problem seems similar to both those described above. Pain at the top of both feet and at the front of the ankles. The pain is often so bad when I stand up that I can't actually walk - worse in the morning. It only hurts when I put weight on it and there is no pain when I touch my foot or flex it. My doctor suggested it was down to lack of exercise so initially I started to walk more and, when that didn't help, I started to jog (1.5 miles every two days). I have no pain during exercise or immediately afterwards, but no improvement either. My brother has psoriatic arthritis but the doctor has said I do not have this (he gave me no test or physical exam). Any ideas?
     
  6. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    I would think it unwise to jog on a foot and ankle which is often so painful that you can't walk. What are you thinking??
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I too have ben going through this I am 42 and also over weight both my feet have been swelling and they have started having a burning senasation but more like a cold burning feeling, i know sounds strange, they can't find anything either...........
     
  8. sakorox

    sakorox Guest

    Wow...for 5+ years I've been suffering with these exact symptoms. Pain used to go in spurts, flare ups I called them, but in last year it's happening daily. I wake up in the morning with the most excruciating pain in the top of my left foot...it feels like it's locked in place. Flexing my foot down is nearly impossible. If I try to stand too quickly i topple over. In past 6 mo the pain is also notable in my ankle & up my leg to my knee. THEN over the summer it started in my right foot Also. Had injections and X-rays before...negative films. Injections calmed it for a bit. I finally went back to my dr and an MRI was done on left foot. It showed a cluster of ganglion cysts in my ankle. I'm assuming they're pushing on nerves....sometimes it feels Like sciatica. So now I'm just waiting to see an orthopedist to see how they can treat/remove them. I'm praying the cysts are the cause of this pain, because it sounds like they can be treated. My dr also said they may not have been able to see them in the x-rays years ago, only in this MRI. Who knows but I'm so sick of trying to sleep with a pillow under my calf! That'd the only way I can avoid the morning stiffness.... But if I move at all off that pillow in my sleep, I'm screwed!

    I feel all of your pain! Anyone else been diagnosed with cysts with this pain? Please excuse typos, I had to reply to this but am doing it via my phone!
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have also been experiencing severe pain and burning in my feet. I typically do not wear socks or shoes whenever possible and live in sandals. When I wear socks and shoes my feet swell and burn but even at night I wake up with pain. I am usually searching for a cold spot in the bed sheets to rub my ankles on to get a little relief, even while I sleep I do this. If I am folding laundry and something falls on top of my foot, even something as small as a sock.....I feel the pressure and get immediate relief when i take it off. I have not been to the dr. about this because it sounds so strange and it is so hard to explain. I recently had some blood work done and I was found positive for the rheumatoid arthritis factor and when the test was repeated it came back normal the second time ... if anyone knows what this could be please let me know. I am 36 and have two small children, if I can figure out what this is and do whatever is needed to fix it...I might actually be able to play with them the way I used to.
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have the same symptoms. I never thought much of the burning (as I have Lupus, so thought it was connected to that) however my routine blood test which I have for lupus shown that my Uric Acid levels were very high. This indicated that I have gout. Gout causes joints - anywhere in the body - but especially feet to feel like they are burning and the pain can be unbearable, especially on walking. It comes during the night/on waking and it is typical for a sufferer to have flare ups - ie to have it come and then disappear for a period of time. If your having no look getting a diagnosis research 'Gout' and then ask your doctor if its possible. In many cases a simple blood test will pick it up.

    Best Wishes, I know how it an be waiting to be diagnosed with something Ax
     
  11. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    uum... do you folks look into blood sugar issues (ie, diabetes)? often neurologic complications - neuropathies - start with burning, tingling through the feet and up, then the hands, usually symmetric. Go get an a1c test I would say.
     
  12. TOG Orthotics

    TOG Orthotics New Member

    I'd agree with this, localised problems can often be indicative of wider issues.
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Wow this is the first message I've seen with the sock problem. I've been going through this problem for about 7 years now. It doesn't matter what length sock I wear I swell starting at the top of the sock. I even tried diabetic socks whick stretch and doesn't have much pressure. I've been to every kind of doctor and had every test under the sun and everone says I don't know what it is but I'm sure it is painful. I can't stand for anyone to touch me from my knees to my toes. It is getting to the point I can't walk. There has to be an answer besides eating pain pills.
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Wow! I've been searching for someone who understands, and most of you describe the exact symptoms I'm experiencing! It started around my 36 week of pregnancy, so I thought it was related to that and would go away. It started as severe pain in my left Achilles tendon when I dorsiflexed my left foot. Over weeks, it progressed to shooting electric shock like sizzling pain down the lateral part of my foot, and the back of my heel at the Achilles tendon went numb! The numbness has progressed superficially along the outside of my foot. The shooting pains are only when I move, turn, twist or stretch my legs, but are getting worse. It started affecting my right foot too around the time the baby was born. It is scary and I'm so afraid it will continue to progress to a debilitating state. I went to my dr and he said to give it a month, since I did just have a baby, that it could be due to swelling at the spine. I also tried high dosage of anti-inflammatory. It's only getting worse now. HELP! Sudden, progressive onset... I have too many years ahead to be an active mommy! This has been going on since April 2011 (10 weeks or so?). Im otherwise a healthy, active 32 yr old.
     
  15. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I just came across this blog by chance while searching for possible causes of a pain very similar to many of you. Over the last 36 months I randomly started to get a prickly pain on the top of my left foot, which leads to an unbearable pain. The veins swell so much that they look like they are ready to explode. In addition, my Exterensor Digitorum Brevis swells and pulsates. The pain used to last about 5 minutes or so but now I can get up to 3 occurences in one night lasting up to 25 minutes each. Nothing seems to help. I have tried stretching my foot out, submerging it in ice-cold water, tried walking on it, massaging it and having my husband massage my calf, lifted my legs abouve my head, tried taking aspirin and NOTHING helps. I get the odd occurence on my right foot as well but this is seldom.

    I saw my GP back when it started and she said she had no idea what it could be and left it at that - no investigation. I mentioned it several times over teh next year and still nothing or any suggestions. I changed doctors about 2 years ago and I visited him to report it again. He sent me for X-rays on my spine as he figured it was something wrong in there for sure but everything came back normal. No tests have been done since. I have not been back to report it since but my husband is getting very worried as the incidents are coming more frequently and lasting longer. In addition, when it gets so bad I also start getting severe pain in my head - frontal lobe, central region? Anybody get this when it is bad?

    I have the habit of wearing flip flops about 9 months of the year and wonder if it could be poor foot wear causing this pain. Any ideas or suggestions besides the obvious of try wearing better soled shoes?

    HELP!
     
  16. Just Sayin

    Just Sayin Guest

    Possibly a Tick Born Infection..

    ie:

    Lyme, Bartonella,

    more than 60% of those infected DO NOT recall having been bitten.

    Just Sayin
     
  17. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have the same problem and I wanted to see if you all wear flip flops for many months? I do and thought maybe that could be the problem. I also swell with socks and shoes!
     
  18. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I am a 56 year old woman with the same burning, pain, swellness in ankles and especially upper part of my feet. It all started when I was 38 years old and pain has been progressively getting worse and spreading up into my calves. The only explanations I have been able to get: I have been diagnosed with FIBROMYALGIA AND FIBRE NERVE DAMAGE. No treatment offered other than, "take pain medication." The pain medication by now needs to be increased or changed. The doctors won't advise what to do - only seem to be unable to help further. I have been suffering for 18 years now. I've had 2 broken toes without knowing it because that's how bad the regular pain is. It's like a forever-tendon-muscle-tear kind of pain. I'm on Lyrica and Tramacet. The lyrica has side effect of mental focus cloudiness and swelling. Just great. My neurologist said there is nothing I can do about it. I exercise - walk, swim - and that helps to strengthen the muscles that are not getting the proper nerve help, but the pain is ALWAYS there. Between the chronic pain and drugs, I am a neurotic mess.
     
  19. I have the problem with socks as well and the front of my ankles burn badly at times. Just wanted to mention that my daughter has RSD (Reflex Sympathic Dystrophy). It is very painful and can't stand to touch it. At this point there is no cure but she has found that nerve blocks do help. She is only 30 years old and was diagnosed at 28 after an accident where she broke her ankle. It's very sad to see her suffer so.
     
  20. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Thankyou for providing this puzzling condition that I've had for 3 weeks. I appear to be the one of the few males that report this.I suffer chronic pain in rt.leg, lower back.I wanted to sympathize with unregistered 27Sept.11' 03:37pm.,about frontal lobe and center head achea around the same time.I am non-insuline diabetic for about7yrs.I'm thinking this could be something new in the environment? I'm 54yrs.old.I stretch and do qi-gong regularly. Thanks.
     
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