Burning Toes?

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.) As the day progresses, the joints become more and more bothersome as the pain radiates outward from the joint. (Ibuprofen does control the radiant pain.) 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!

Lynn,

It does sound like its peripheral neuropathy. I get the tingling burning toes too and sometimes it "crawls" up into my legs but always starts in my toes. Feels like bugs crawling around and eventually starts to burn.

Razzle is correct about B12 but my levels are okay. My doc says mine is definitely caused by the Lupus due to the inflammation surrounding the nerve tissues.

I hope you can get to the bottom of it (pun not intended .

Take Care

For me, the burning actually comes after the tingling/bug feeling and it does continue. The toes and feet and the upper part of my legs are more affected than my calf area. I don't get the neuropathy in my fingers as bad, just more pins and needles and tingling in my hands but never had the burning.

I've not heard or thought of neuropathy inside the joints before. If anyone has a resource that talks about this could you please direct me there? Thanks, Unfortunately I just found out yesterday that my (very good and well-liked) rheumy is going to be MIA for a while as he has to have a heart transplant.

Lynnwood,
My mom has that, it eventually went up to her ankles. She later developed shingles. If you have not been vaccinated you may want to talk to your doc about it, once you get it you can't get vaccinated. Not that its related, but it does seem an odd coincidence so I thought I'd mention it. Diabetes and back surgery cause this and it can be very very severe, like my mom has. I'm trying to get her to switch to klonopin, which works for restless leg. She is neurontin, which is not working, and lyrica, both which she doesn't like and doesn't want to take due to psych side affects. Restless leg can feel like that, and is horrible, feels like bugs under your skin, and it happens at night. The rest of my peripheral neuropathy has gone from bad pain to numbness now, guess the damage is done. Hope you get some help and feel better soon.

I get burning in one or both of my hips and shoulders and there is no pattern. I notice it if I am walking on the treadmill and for me it lets me know that I have an increase of disease activity coming. I just rest and go at it again. My feet don't burn, but in the morning I have pain on the bottom of both feet, have to walk around in my favorite bedroom shoes until my meds. kick in. I Take neurontin for neuralgia and also have neuropathy in my feet and hands.

I am new to this forum and posting things and don't know if my last post made it to you or not. We share the same Rheumatologist. He is the best and the most honorable man that I know. I have to believe in my heart that he will be up and running next year. I usually see him every 4 to 6 weeks. Every now and then I get an 8 week appointment. He has fought very hard through the years to keep me living and in the land of the living.

I saw on the forum discussion of excercise, massage, and meditation. I do Bodyflow, it is a combination of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilate's with relaxation at the end. I love it and it is easy on the body.

I have really severe osteporosis and was prescribed Forteo injections in June. Medicare did not cover the shots. After much paperwork, I got  sample injections and I had a reaction to the drug, I usually tolerate most anything.  I asked my doctor for another try with Fosamax and very committed weight bearing excercise. I have so many meds. that the Fosamax was just hard to remember every single week. I have fractured five times. Though my diet is good and full of calcuim/D. I have been on steriods for almost 9 years averaging 20 mg each day and at times up to 40 mg. for almost a year everyday in 2000 to get my heart and disease under control. I am determined to build my bones back!

Hope your feet get better. Can you do Reflexology?

Nice to meet you all.

(((Lynn)))

I'm really sorry to hear about your rheumy - he sounds amazing. I really hope the surgery goes well for him. I'm guessing this is going to be hard on a lot of his patients. Did he leave info about who he would like his patients to see while he's gone? Usually they try to pick someone who is similar and who they think will take good care of their patients. Hang in there and you'll be in my thoughts over the weekend.

I realize this thread is very old but I actually came across it as I was searching to see if others had same description. I have tried to describe to people that it feels as if acid is burning in joints. I had a hand injury and surgeries, the nerve pain in the hand I can differentiate, the arthritic feeling, the dull aching pain from where broken/fractured, I can differentiate all these pains in the hand but the burning as if acid is eating from the inside no one has said. I have it in just about every joint now and was Dx with Lupus years after the hand. It is in elbows, finger joints, knees, feet, etc. It is usually followed my more difficulty in moving said joints and overcomes whole body taking all strength of mind make self move.