Burning sensations, acid-like pinpoint pains, all over

Posted by adriggs @adriggs, Nov 29, 2020

I experience flashing pains all over my body--scalp, back, arms, legs. The pains feel like acid-burns manifesting in flashes at very pinpointed areas for just brief moments at a time. They can feel wet. Additionally, I had for several months chest pains that began similar to heart attack symptoms but were diagnoses as costochondritis due to tenderness to the touch at the appropriate location on chest. Subsequently, the tenderness to the touch aspect was no longer there but the burning and warmth and sensation of wetness would come and go. This has never been diagnosed. Chest x-rays and CT scan normal.

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@julbpat

My advice is to get a referral to a pain doctor. I don’t like the large pain clinic here, but at least they can give you some stronger medications to dull the burning. Opioids have a purpose, and this is one of them. As you experience pain relief, you will be able to read and learn more about your condition (which I also have) and start trying some physical therapies, etc to decide what work for you. There are helpful things you can use at home - lidocaine patches, CBD oil and lotion, etc..Get some pain relief - help is available.

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Thank you for reaching out and for your reply...bless you all who suffer with this affiction.

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@oatmeal

Does anyone experience burning pain all over? I have had burning feet since 5 year but after hospitalization and a heart Cath. performed this past February 2022 I now have burning all over my body. Small fiber neuropathy diagnosed with skin biopsy. I am not diabetic or drink alcohol or have any other precipitating factors. This is a horrible burning pain to have to try and live with. I have been tested for every cause but have no answers as of yet. I feel like I am on fire and often have to get in a bathtub with ice water before bed to get rest. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but the pain is brutal.

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Hello @oatmeal. This has to be all-consuming. I am sorry to hear you haven't yet received a diagnosis.

I found an existing discussion from @adriggs that was very similar to yours, so you will notice that I have moved your post here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/burning-sensations-acid-like-pinpoint-pains-all-over/

I am hoping you and @adriggs can connect to compare notes on your respective experiences.

While we wait, can you share what you have told your doctor post-procedure when this started occurring throughout your body and what he/she said in response?

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Does anyone have total body burning pain?. I have had painful burning feet for about 5 years now but things got worse starting in February after a hospitization for cardiac Cath. I now have burning pain all over. Been diagnosed with small fiber fiber neuropathy thru punch biopsy. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but still suffering. Each day and night is a battle against the affiction.

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@oatmeal

Does anyone experience burning pain all over? I have had burning feet since 5 year but after hospitalization and a heart Cath. performed this past February 2022 I now have burning all over my body. Small fiber neuropathy diagnosed with skin biopsy. I am not diabetic or drink alcohol or have any other precipitating factors. This is a horrible burning pain to have to try and live with. I have been tested for every cause but have no answers as of yet. I feel like I am on fire and often have to get in a bathtub with ice water before bed to get rest. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but the pain is brutal.

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I don’t know if what I’m about to tell you what’s wrong with me will help. It started about 5 years ago when I was walking to my daughter’s house. Everything seemed to be okay until suddenly I stopped completely and couldn’t walk, even tho I’m saying to myself, move,move. The first thing my neurologist asked me was what did the bottom of my feet feel like. I said that at first it felt like walking on wet squishy sand but then changed to the feeling your skin gets when you have a very bad sunburn and still does. To keep this post short, my Oncologist discovered I have a blood condition call MGUS, which is a precancerous cell issue in which these cells are trying to progress directly into cancer. Now here’s where the two problems, neuropathy and MGUS caused my bad guys to eat the myelin coating off the pain nerves in both legs and starting in both arms and hands. Because the myelin coating is gone, the nerves are dead, so I cannot tell if I cut myself and bleed. Strangely, I still have that sunburn feeling on the bottom of both feet because the skin has other sensors like hot, cold, pressure etc. My one neurologist did a special test to tell if the nerves are working, allowing a signal from the brain to the arms and legs are working properly. I flunked that test and he didn’t know what was causing it. We know know its the missing myelin that my precancerous cells used for food, killing the nerves involved. I don’t know if this will help you but keep looking. My guess would be something is causing your skin sensors to overreacting to some stimulant. Because my pain nerves are dead in both legs, I still get that sunburn feeling on the bottom of each foot but it doesn’t hurt at all. Good luck.

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@oatmeal

Does anyone have total body burning pain?. I have had painful burning feet for about 5 years now but things got worse starting in February after a hospitization for cardiac Cath. I now have burning pain all over. Been diagnosed with small fiber fiber neuropathy thru punch biopsy. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but still suffering. Each day and night is a battle against the affiction.

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Hello,
I am on connect for breast cancer, but I saw your post.
I had this burning body sensation 5 years ago. Mostly my torso, I was tested for lymes disease and it came back positive.
I went on doxycycline prescribed for lymes and never had the issue again.
Lymes is a simple test.
Hope you are well.
Patti

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@oatmeal

Does anyone have total body burning pain?. I have had painful burning feet for about 5 years now but things got worse starting in February after a hospitization for cardiac Cath. I now have burning pain all over. Been diagnosed with small fiber fiber neuropathy thru punch biopsy. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but still suffering. Each day and night is a battle against the affiction.

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Not much longer after receiving the covid vaccine, I developed SFN; all of my skin burned. I took pregabalin, which helped with the pain, but gave me drowsiness and fatigue issues. A few weeks ago I contracted covid (not fun), which cured my SFN. Not completely, but enough that I no longer need meds.
SFN was difficult to deal with. I have a demanding career so not being able to sleep was a problem. The cumulative pain was starting to weigh me down. I had SFN for 8 months.

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@oatmeal

Does anyone have total body burning pain?. I have had painful burning feet for about 5 years now but things got worse starting in February after a hospitization for cardiac Cath. I now have burning pain all over. Been diagnosed with small fiber fiber neuropathy thru punch biopsy. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but still suffering. Each day and night is a battle against the affiction.

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Hello @oatmeal. I found another discussion where members have shared about their all-over body pain like you have described here and other posts. Because of that, you will notice I have moved your post here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/burning-sensations-acid-like-pinpoint-pains-all-over/

@adriggs is the member who started the discussion and may be able to come in and share some updates with you on their progress.

Are you looking to learn pain management options from other members?

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@adriggs

Thank you Colleen. At some point, it was pretty much agreed that the chest symptoms I was having (and still intermittently have) were no longer tracking with a costo diagnosis. MS was originally looked into when I first received a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy several years ago, but I believe MS is notoriously hard to diagnose so I think it's still a possibility. Anxiety is another angle that may have some merit--both in terms of the odd chest warming/wetness sensations and the all-over burning, acid-like pinpoint pains.

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I have had wetness to forehead and over L eye feeling 4 1/2 years ago with slow pinpoint prickling to my trunk and extremities. Tingling to my lower lip. They thought MS then but nothing on imaging or CSF. I am now coming on with more symptoms and being looked at again for MS. I hope your doing ok these days since I see your post was from 2020.

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@oatmeal

Does anyone have total body burning pain?. I have had painful burning feet for about 5 years now but things got worse starting in February after a hospitization for cardiac Cath. I now have burning pain all over. Been diagnosed with small fiber fiber neuropathy thru punch biopsy. Taking generic Lyrica that helps some but still suffering. Each day and night is a battle against the affiction.

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Hi oatmeal, I have had burning arms/shoulders on and off, with mostly off for the past 4 1/2 years. In February after having Covid in January the sole of my right foot has become a burned sensatioin like I have been walking on a hot road barefoot. First 2 toes numb, it has gradually gone up my leg into groin area. The burning has extended intothe palms of my hands and has made numbess and tingling to the fingers. I had a SFN test 2 weeks ago awaiting results. Im being looked at for MS for a second opinion. My MRI shows 2 areas of demyelination but small 1 and 2 mm. Spinal tap neg. It has become very painful. Neuropathic meds like Lyrica or Neurontin make me feel really low. I feel so alone in this. I hope things get better for you.

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@notasunburn

Not much longer after receiving the covid vaccine, I developed SFN; all of my skin burned. I took pregabalin, which helped with the pain, but gave me drowsiness and fatigue issues. A few weeks ago I contracted covid (not fun), which cured my SFN. Not completely, but enough that I no longer need meds.
SFN was difficult to deal with. I have a demanding career so not being able to sleep was a problem. The cumulative pain was starting to weigh me down. I had SFN for 8 months.

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so glad it went away for you. I too delveloped SFN right after my 2nd covid shot. going on two years for me, hope it goes away but seems unlikely. thanks for sharing. Ed

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