[44F] Experiencing chronic leg, back, shoulder, and finger pain

What might be happening

Based on your symptoms, a few possible conditions could be causing your discomfort:

• Peripheral Neuropathy: This condition results from damage to your peripheral nerves, which often causes weakness, numbness, and pain, usually in your hands and feet. It can also affect other areas of your body. The burning sensation in your thigh could be a symptom of this condition.

  • Diagnostic tests for peripheral neuropathy may include blood tests, nerve function tests, and nerve biopsy. Treatment typically involves managing the condition causing your neuropathy.

• Fibromyalgia: This is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Your symptoms of pain in various parts of your body, tingling in fingers, and memory issues could be indicative of this condition.

  • Diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be difficult as the symptoms overlap with many other conditions. There is no specific test for this condition, but your doctor may want to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms. Treatment usually involves a combination of medications, exercise, stress-management measures, and healthy lifestyle habits.

• Meralgia Paresthetica: This condition is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, which supplies sensation to your upper leg. The burning sensation localized to the outer side of your thigh could be a symptom of this condition.

  • Diagnosis typically involves physical examination, and sometimes imaging or nerve studies. Treatment usually involves addressing the underlying cause of the nerve compression.

Please remember that while these conditions could explain your symptoms, it's also possible that your symptoms are due to a different condition. Only a healthcare professional can provide a definitive diagnosis.

What you can do

While waiting for your appointment with a healthcare professional, here are some things you can do to help manage your symptoms:

1. Over-the-counter pain relievers: Non-prescription medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), or naproxen sodium (Aleve) might help ease the pain.
2. Physical activity: Regular exercise might help reduce pain and improve your sleep. Exercise has been shown to boost your mood and decrease feelings of fatigue.
3. Stress-reducing activities: Techniques such as deep-breathing exercises and meditation help many people to relax, which might help reduce pain and ease stress.

What you should look out for

You should seek immediate medical attention if:

• Your pain becomes severe or unbearable
• You experience sudden or progressive weakness in your leg
• You have difficulty controlling your bowels or bladder
• You experience unexplained weight loss

Remember, this advice is intended to be general in nature, and specific causes may need different approaches. Always consult with a healthcare professional for accurate information.