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Shooting pain in leg, starting from ankle….

(28 Posts)
MayBee70 Tue 27-Jun-23 14:52:48

I know I need to see my doctor but up to my neck with windows being replaced etc. This happened a couple of times recently but today it’s been happening throughout the day. It’s as if there’s an electric shock in my ankle that shoots up my leg for a second and then goes. It started in the night when my leg was raised. It happened on my other leg in my thigh a couple of times. I’ve never had a pain like this before; it’s like a trapped nerve. Don’t like anything that seems to be a bit neurological sad

BlueBelle Tue 27-Jun-23 15:10:53

It definitely sounds like a nerve pain I had it in my hand a few times, months ago exactly like an vivid electric shock in fact on one occasion I had just taken my hand out of my handbag and I went back to look into my bag to see what had shocked me (no idea what I expected to find ) but of course there was nothing I had it probably half a dozen times over a couple of weeks but nothing at all since then, in fact I d virtually forgotten about until I read your post
It really was violent though

Foxygloves Tue 27-Jun-23 16:40:52

Night cramps MayBee ? Certainly sounds like them.
Magnesium tablets (I take 4 at bedtime) and lots of water.
Are you on statins? I stopped mine for that reason. The knee to groin cramps were excruciating and the pain lasted well into the next day. I could not stand up and the ankle/lower leg cramps felt as if I had dislocated my ankle.
Some people swear by Magnesium spray too. I also sometimes wear a Tubigrip stretchy bandage-ankle to knee- which seems to help. Glamorous night attire it ain’t, but who cares!

grannysyb Tue 27-Jun-23 16:44:32

Tendonitis?

Shinamae Tue 27-Jun-23 16:47:18

I have recently stopped statins on my doctors advice, because I was getting all sorts of pains, groin and leg, pins and needles as well and feeling like my feet are burning ..🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Foxygloves Tue 27-Jun-23 17:45:22

Shinamae

I have recently stopped statins on my doctors advice, because I was getting all sorts of pains, groin and leg, pins and needles as well and feeling like my feet are burning ..🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

👍👍👍
All of these - the feet I took to be plantar fasciitis , hadn’t thought of the connection with statins, but the other side effects were proving unbearable - goodness know what would have happened if I’d had a cramp attack while driving 😱

MayBee70 Tue 27-Jun-23 17:53:36

Not on statins. I do take magnesium but haven’t taken any recently. Just taken one and I’m going to soak my foot in Epsom salts tonight. I haven’t been drinking enough water either. I’ve been on my feet a lot over the past few weeks. I wonder if I’ve got any Dioralite stashed away somewhere? Thanks for the ideas ( now back to moving furniture around…)

Shinamae Tue 27-Jun-23 19:08:08

I take a good quality magnesium every night, but don’t drink enough water… keep meaning to 🤷‍♀️

crazyH Tue 27-Jun-23 19:16:45

I think we’re all guilty of not drinking enough water - must try better !

MayBee70 Tue 27-Jun-23 19:29:47

Still got intermittent pain in my ankle but it isn’t shooting up my leg. I did get plantar fasciitis in that foot years ago.

PamQS Wed 28-Jun-23 12:02:43

Unexpected shooting pains in my leg were diagnosed by my GP as ‘nerve pain’. He gave me amitryptyline (strong stuff!) for nerve pain. A few years later, I was sent for a hip X ray, which showed osteoarthritis. I have to use pain relief almost every day. I keep a note of when I take it, and where the pain is!

FannyCornforth Wed 28-Jun-23 12:48:42

It’s definitely a trapped nerve I reckon. But I hope that it isn’t.
I had it day in day out for two years. It was excruciating.
On bad days I would literally cry with pain.
It only stopped when I had my hip replacement.
I had to take Pregabalin and Tramodol. Sometimes morphine.
My dad has recently started getting it too, not as bad though, he sees a physio and that really helps

FannyCornforth Wed 28-Jun-23 12:54:34

I get plantar fasciitis too (in the other leg)
I was told by a podiatrist that it was due to a leg length discrepancy, but following an X-ray it’s obvious that my hips are misaligned. The surgeon says it’s due to osteoarthritis in my lumbar region.
I’ve seen an orthotics expert and had special insoles made.
I’m currently wearing them in

MayBee70 Wed 28-Jun-23 13:12:11

I had some orthotics made a few years ago but they’re so big they don’t fit into any of my shoes!

Tattooedfidelma Wed 28-Jun-23 13:24:01

I have Achilles Tendinopathy ( not sure if I’ve spelt it correctly) and as well as very tender shins and heels, I also get a burning shooting pain travelling up my leg from my ankle. The doctor will give you exercises which can help.

Jac53 Wed 28-Jun-23 14:06:05

It could be sciatica

Grandmama Wed 28-Jun-23 14:56:08

Very interesting to read this post.

About 5 years ago I had very bad plantar faciistis in my left foot. Cured with with self-treatment using exercises and advice from internet.

Almost 2 months ago I suddenly felt pain behind my left ankle walking downstairs (I hadn't injured my ankle in any way). After a couple of weeks I then had pain in my left calf after walking for, say a mile or two (I was covering about 20 miles a week rather than using the bus) and wondered if it was a circulatory problem because after a brief rest it went away but then came back on resuming my walk. Eventually because this was interfering with my life so much I went to GP, one who didn't know me - it's years and years since I went to GP, my designated GP from years ago had left and my new designated one on leave. I suggested Achilles problem, he didn't think so, he emailed me exercises for an injured ankle (I told him it was not injured). I've done them faithfully but no better. I'm sure it's tendonitis. I'm also getting regular night cramps in right leg, really painful. Sometimes left ankle hurts when walking, sometimes shooting pain and left knee aches a bit, sometimes aches in bed but sometimes left leg feels better. I definitely think it's achilles tendinopathy and I need to contact GP again - might ask for a second opinion.

jerseygirl Wed 28-Jun-23 14:58:07

Make time to go and see your GP. I had pain like this and it was hardening of the arteries. I was given a tablet for it and its much better now. Of course it could be something simple and i hope it is but you should really get it checked out even if just to put your mind at rest.

Greciangirl Wed 28-Jun-23 16:04:05

Yes, I thought sciatica.
Have recently developed it in right leg.
I know it’s that as partner has had it exactly the same.

Bent down to clean kitchen floor and couldn’t get up again. Pain was excruciating. Managed to limp upstairs to bed.
It comes and goes. But leg seems to constantly ache.

It could be something else, but no good seeing gp as they only prescribe painkillers which I already take for back.

Just have to live with it I guess.

Alison333 Wed 28-Jun-23 17:30:12

My advice would be to see your GP, see if you can get referred for a scan to try and find out what it is. There seem to be a lot of possible explanations on this forum. Perhaps a bone has trapped a nerve?

Alternatively, could it be muscular from moving furniture? A physiotherapist may be able to help. Either way you need answers and not just painkillers!

MayBee70 Wed 28-Jun-23 18:01:00

jerseygirl

Make time to go and see your GP. I had pain like this and it was hardening of the arteries. I was given a tablet for it and its much better now. Of course it could be something simple and i hope it is but you should really get it checked out even if just to put your mind at rest.

That is my concern because I had a similar pain in my other leg a while back. If only I could just turn up at the doctors and see someone the way I used to be able to do! The work I’m doing on the house is futureproofing it because I know I’m at an age when things can go wrong!

cc Wed 28-Jun-23 18:05:56

Jac53

It could be sciatica

I had sciatica last year and was in constant pain. My doctor was no help but I found a physio who said there was nothing he could do but confirm that it was sciatica and recommend an osteopath. She didn't honestly help much either.
Eventually I had flu and took it very easy for a few days and it resting solved the problem.

cc Wed 28-Jun-23 18:07:22

sorry, mistype: "... resting solved the problem..."

Callistemon21 Wed 28-Jun-23 18:13:56

MayBee70

I had some orthotics made a few years ago but they’re so big they don’t fit into any of my shoes!

I did have to gradually replace all my shoes to accommodate the depth of the orthotics.

If they're just too long you can usually trim them at the toe ends with scissors.

Callistemon21 Wed 28-Jun-23 18:15:03

cc

Jac53

It could be sciatica

I had sciatica last year and was in constant pain. My doctor was no help but I found a physio who said there was nothing he could do but confirm that it was sciatica and recommend an osteopath. She didn't honestly help much either.
Eventually I had flu and took it very easy for a few days and it resting solved the problem.

Sciatica is horrible.

All any medical professional ever says is "oh dear, it's an age thing" ☹