Burning Toes?

I've been active in the Lupus site for some time, but haven't been dx with any kind of arthritis & thus haven't visited here before. I've recently developed a new symptom and at the same time my rhuemy will be out of the office for several months, so I thought I'd ask here. My toe joints, mainly the joints that connects to the metatarsals, feel like someone has come in the night and inserted fire or an intense burning acid right into the middle of the joint. This has happened on and off for maybe 4 months, mainly in my right foot. (This is the foot that first experiences a bit of neuropathy that tells me I'm overdoing something.) Just this week the 'acid gremlins' have added some of the joints of my right hand as attack sites. This is also an area that reacts w/neuropathy when lupus is acting up.) So far I have not been able to identify anything that correlates with this pain -- not cold feet or cold weather, no particular activities, no other lupus symptoms seem to flare up....I don't know if this is some kind of Arthritis or Lupus symptom or something else altogether. Does anyone else experiance burning deep in a toe or finger joint like this? There is no swelling, no calcium buildup, no heat or cold at the affected joint..... If so, what diagnosis and/or treatment has helped? (See my signature for my current medication list.) Thanks for your ideas!

Lynnwood,

I haven't been dx with lupus, but when inflammation is active in my body (I do have RA), I also experience neuropathy in my toes and fingers.  Once the inflammation is under control, the neuropathy gets significantly better.  You can have inflamed nerves with no obvious swelling of any specific joints.  The mtx I'm on has been controlling my disease very well, and I haven't experienced too much of the neuropathy for the past year.  Lupus is also associated with joint problems, and I believe the neuropathy is quite common; that's why I have not ruled out SLE for myself, nor has my rheumy.  I hope your inflamed nerves settle down some since it will be a while before you see your rheumy again.  I believe several members of the lupus forum currently take neurontin for neuropathic pain.

Elcamino