IhavePLS
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2011
- Messages
- 279
- Reason
- DX UMND/PLS
- Diagnosis
- 12/2010
- Country
- US
- State
- Pennsylvania
- City
- SW
Hi all,
Recently developed a new symptom -- one that is very painful. Whether it's related to PLS (not everything is!), I don't know.
I've begun to experience severe pain in my hands and feet. It's not widespread pain, but highly localized, as if someone just stuck an icepick through some part of my hand or foot. The pain is incredible, it is not pain that someone could tolerate for more than several seconds at most (yes, THAT kind of pain). And again, it is highly localized -- the area is usually no larger than the size of a dime or a quarter. And the location on the hand or foot is seemingly random -- not usually in the same place.
My neuro asked me to see a rheumatologist, which I did (parenthetically, just how would medicine survive without its heralded and multifaceted specialist referrals?). I have polyarthralgia (osteo, not rheumatoid), but don't know if osteoarthritis "acts out" in this way. Maybe this is some form of cramping (a sensation that is very different - and even more painful - than spasms), I don't know. Can happen in any part of the feet or hand.
I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't some form of neuropathy (which I really don't need now). My hands do burn and feel tingly at times. But the pain described above is different than this -- it is stabbing. And always with sudden onset.
Any thoughts (sorry for rambling)?
P.S. I'm so sick of seeing specialists -- medicine-at-large is so compartmentalized that one specialist sees one thing, but altogether misses (or fails to address) another. So many docs don't really hear.
Recently developed a new symptom -- one that is very painful. Whether it's related to PLS (not everything is!), I don't know.
I've begun to experience severe pain in my hands and feet. It's not widespread pain, but highly localized, as if someone just stuck an icepick through some part of my hand or foot. The pain is incredible, it is not pain that someone could tolerate for more than several seconds at most (yes, THAT kind of pain). And again, it is highly localized -- the area is usually no larger than the size of a dime or a quarter. And the location on the hand or foot is seemingly random -- not usually in the same place.
My neuro asked me to see a rheumatologist, which I did (parenthetically, just how would medicine survive without its heralded and multifaceted specialist referrals?). I have polyarthralgia (osteo, not rheumatoid), but don't know if osteoarthritis "acts out" in this way. Maybe this is some form of cramping (a sensation that is very different - and even more painful - than spasms), I don't know. Can happen in any part of the feet or hand.
I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't some form of neuropathy (which I really don't need now). My hands do burn and feel tingly at times. But the pain described above is different than this -- it is stabbing. And always with sudden onset.
Any thoughts (sorry for rambling)?
P.S. I'm so sick of seeing specialists -- medicine-at-large is so compartmentalized that one specialist sees one thing, but altogether misses (or fails to address) another. So many docs don't really hear.