Foot/Ankle pain & stiffness, itching/burning thigh

Hello,

I was diagnosed w/ Fibro about 8 months ago. Just wondering if the following symptoms I've been having for several months now is likely related to Fibro or not..wondering if others w/ Fibro experience this?

Started out with subtle stiffness to both ankles when getting out of bed in the morning, so stiff I'd walk like a duck. The past few months it's progressed to a lot of pain to both feet (more the to left), so tender when walking, sometimes throb/ache so bad (if I've been on my feet for more than 1 hour) that I can't stand it. Such tenderness to the arches of my feet (they are very high arches). When I get up from lying down or sitting, so much pain to feet, ankles, achilles tendon area. Have to walk down stairs slowly and with feet sideways as they just don't bend that well at ankle.

about ?5-6 months ago began waking up in the night with the most excrutiating hot burning pain to my outer left thigh; felt like someone had pour boiling water on it. The intense burning would last about 15 seconds, I'd actually be screaming it was so intense. When the burning stopped, that area of my thigh would feel sort of numb and "fuzzy" feeling (reduced sensation). Had MRI of head, all good. Xrays of spine, all good. Upon reading, it seemed this was something called "Meralgia Paresthetica" and my family doc agreed. Strange though, I had no known risk factors for it. I experience this horrible burning almost everynight, it wakes me up and I hear myself screaming "no, no, no." It's not like a cramp that you can stand up and walk off. I also get a weird tingling, sometimes cold (feeling inside, not to the skin) to the sides of BOTH thighs.

3 months ago my feet were getting so bad and painful that I went to a Podiatrist. 5 minute appt, he tells me that I need expensive orthotics. Said I had symptoms "like" Plantar Fasciitis but that's not what I had. Told me I am an "underpronator", very high arches, walk too much on outside of feet. He was really fairly useless but good at taking my $550 for orthotics (which didn't help, by the way).

I then started physio, weekly for about 7 weeks. Physiotherapist felt I DID have Plantar Fasciitis. She felt the burning to thigh was due to knots in my Iliotibial bands in my thigh, she could feel lots of knots in them. I would nearly go through the roof when she would press on these areas. She acknowledged that I had major stiffness to ankles, poor range of motion, and felt that the issues with my feet were affecting my legs/thigh. When she'd work on my legs (she'd roll this hard roller thingy over the sides of thighs), it was so tender...and then I'd get very intense ITCHING to these areas.

I have almost constant intense itching to the areas from the sides of my hips down the sides of my thighs (both) to my knees. Very tender to these areas.....seems there's a fine line between major tenderness even when pressing on these areas, and the itching. I could scratch and scratch and scratch and I can't relieve the itch. No rash or redness to skin. And when I'm walking, I will get this sudden feeling of hot to the back of my heel and sides of my ankles. It's like a sudden blast of hot hot air. It's the weirdest feeling. Feels like someone is blowing hot air from a hair dryer right up close to these areas.

I'm going to try wearing night splints on my feet/ankles to see if that helps.

Some nights it's so hard to sleep, my feet almost feel like they're pulsating with pain. feels like every inch of the sides and undersides of my feet are so so tender.

I'm only 45 and live alone so I don't have anyone to help me. Being on my feet to do housework or get groceries, well I pay for it dearly. 30 minutes at the grocery store and I come home almost in tears, takes me hours if not days to put all of my groceries away (non-perishable stuff).

Doc has put me onto a new anti-inflammatory med but haven't noticed any real improvement with that and I don't want to have things feel better, then I over-do and we still haven't fixed the root cause.

I'm going to see a new Podiatrist next week (as 1st one so useless).

When I'm sitting in my vehicle driving, even for 20 minutes, then go to get out of vehicle, I walk like I have a stick up my butt, so much pain, feet so sore and stiff.

I have tried all kinds of orthotic type gadgets, expensive foot massagers, arch supports, you name it. I feel like an old lady.

Does all of these go along w/ Fibro?....or is it something else that's only exacerbated by having Fibro?

Post Edited (Lisa_Michelle) : 5/4/2013 11:17:37 PM (GMT-6)

HI Lisa

I tried to email you on this but you don’t list an email address on your profile.

Last July I had been walking about 5 miles a day and cycling two or three hours a day. Woke up one morning with right Achilles pain. Then it spread to the whole foot. A week later the left foot then two weeks later woke up with pain in every cell of my body.

I had been a runner and top athlete all my life. I could walk/hike 20+ miles a day with no pain. Now I take the electric carts at the stores. My feet hurt so bad that just getting up to go to the bathroom makes me want to not move and pee my pants.

I did physical therapy for 6 weeks, orthotics and lots of stretching. One book I am reading says you have to stretch 8 to 10 times a day.I did night splints for a week and they did not help and kept me awake – like wearing combat boots to bed.

The most probable diagnosis is TMS (Tension Myoneuronal Syndrome) which is caused by the brain and nervous system.

If you email me I would love to compare notes and what might work in the future....

Organic sesame massage oil has helped my extreme itch and burning. I have this on my extremities and my back.

Hi I have been suffering with the same problems for 8 years I have been to many specialists and doctors I had plantar

fasciitis in 2001 and had to take off from work for 6 weeks it went away after a steroid shot and wearing orthotics for 6 months then in 2003 I started to notice pain, stiffness and weakness in my legs and thighs but it was not so bad that I could not function but it has gotten so bad that I had to go to down to work 3 days a week  because of the  pain as well. and no one really seems to know what it is they say it's fibro. But my symptoms are exactly as you described and I thank you so much for the description. I have a DR appt. tomorrow and I will get a referral from him for the podiatrist hopefully I get some relief because I can't sleep because of the burning and itchiness. I also take certain meds and they don't really work. 

My feet are very sensitive, and I have very high arches. It has helped me to wear soft socks to bed, to keep them warm so they don't cramp. Although, it's hot out now, and we have no AC, so I wear very light cotton socks to bed, and my feet are so 'touchy' that they still cramp often in the morning.  Yesterday I had a toe cramp in my left foot, and cramping in my arch in my right foot.

I used to have specially made orthotics, which helped me a lot. But in recent years, I can't stand the hard surfaces of those orthotics, so I buy soft arch supports at Wal-Mart, in their foot care section. I especially like the lavender-colored ones, as they are thick and offer good support. The brand is Profoot.

I have also had good luck with socks which have some support in the arch. And, I love my tennis shoes which have gel soles. I sometimes buy the Wal-Mart generic brand of 'Odor Eaters,' and they help sore feet, too.

Here's a little more info from a recent post (scroll down to my post):

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=24&m=2775848

I have tried a few things in the FootSmart catalog, too.  The arch bands help, but they can sometimes get too tight, when my feet are acting up.

I hope this helps a bit!! Sore feet are not fun!  I still struggle with walking a lot on hard surfaces, especially sidewalks and in bigger stores.

Lisa Michelle, I had that burning thing just one night and it was excruciating and the cold thigh thing for a few days...thankfully it got better soon, but my feet developed an achy, cold, and with a sorta tingly sensation going on every single night for months. The simplest thing alleviated it....a 20 minute foot massage by an experienced medical massage therapist. That's it, that's all it took! It was trigger points causing all of that nonsense. For the cold, I try to keep my feet warm as much as possible, along with the weekly foot massage seems to take care of things. You can also learn to reduce your trigger points yourself (self-massage). Check out a book called The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.

I too have been DX with Fibromyalgia. My Neurologist does not agree with the DX. I was told to walk, it's the best treatment. I walk 3-5 days per week, 3-5 miles per day. I am still in constant pain. My biggest issue is SEVERE leg pain at night. It starts sometimes as soon as I go to bed & other nights not until around 3 a.m. But, once it starts I can no longer sleep. The pain starts in my thigh & goes all the way down to just below my knee. Only my right leg.  The only medication I am on is Lyirca for the Fibro. This has been going on for the last few weeks. I am in my 7th week of walking. I have seen no relief from the Fibro. I do have relief from the Neuropathy though. I am 51 year old female. Need to lose about 15 more pounds. Have lost 9 since I stared walking. So, I don't think it's from my weight. Unlees I'm just naive & I am more overwieght than I think. Help ANY suggestions would be GREAT!!!! 

Liz574 had it right all along! There is no question that you are suffering from trigger point pain. You can go to either a trigger point therapist (physical therapist or specially-trained massage therapist well-versed in myofascial pain relief) or you can save the money and treat yourself using The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook (latest edition released in September 2013).

If you use the book, read & understand the first three chapters, then go to the part of the book that covers the location of your current intense pain. Look for the illustration that shows cross-hatching on the spot where you are feeling the pain. Then read the information referenced by that illustration.

The illustration should also show a black dot referencing the location of the trigger point causing your pain. Refer back to the illustration when you attempt to deactivate the trigger point.

In all likelihood, you'll be amazed to see your own experiences showing up in print. That happens a lot with this book. Follow the instructions to locate the muscle(s), and the trigger point(s) within the muscle(s) that are sending referred pain to where you hurt.

Do the treatment exactly as they instruct you and you should find your pain diminish within days and disappear within weeks. Then follow instructions to prevent re-injuring/irritating the muscles.

I too have foot and leg issues, cramping etc. I always thought it was from my fibro. I make sure my legs never get cold. I wear tights and socks to bed during cooler weather. Good shoes are a must. My absolute fave are from Merill they cost a fortune, but worth every penny.

Walking and stretching is the best for this. It is hard to do, but very necessary. If not doable, a hot tub works wonders.

The worst is a few times a year my foot feels like it is getting stung by a bee every 10 seconds.

This weekend it was on top of the foot, other times the arches or heel. Regular sleep is not possible due to the pain, just lay there until I drift off and then awake shortly after due to feeling the pain in my sleep.

Only lasts for a few days.