Yupo said:
I don't know how old you are or if you smoke, what meds you take, etc.
1. The first thing that came to my mind was something called intermittent claudication. This is a symptom of advanced lower extremity arterial disease. The symptoms with this can vary a little bit, but are predictably associated with walking or other leg exertions. Your symptoms are atypical, but I would want to get this problem ruled out asap.
2. Burning pain can be a sign of peripheral neuropathy. If the circulatory deficit is mild, the nerves can be affected primarily in some cases. Some people are very prone to this for a variety of reasons, some of which are genetic. If your blood sugar is high, your nerve membranes can swell and cause such symptoms.
3. Is it possible you have undiagnosed diabetes? This can impair immune function and contribute to vascular disease and neuropathic pain.
4. You might have some biomechanical issues at the spinal or fascia level that cause occasional symptoms following disuse.
I would get a random blood sugar level right away. I'd ask for a homocysteine level, too.
Are you in UK? See if you can find a US trained podiatrist there. It is a completely different career/education here in US. There are maybe 5 in UK. These people are trained in neural, mechanical, metabolic and skeletal issues affecting the lower extremity. I think that would be your best bet for a one stop opinion of what might be going on.
Thanks for the very detailed response!
Intermittent Claudication
It sounds somewhat similar except mine is caused by not exercising. It's probably blood circulation related though! One to talk to the GP about!
Peripheral neuropathy
I don't really know about that one, could be a link.
Undiagnosed Diabetes:
We have history of diabetes in my family, my dad currently has type 2 diabetes. He has home testing kits which he's given to monitor his levels. Every now and again, we also test ours. Last few times I tested, mine were within the normal range. It's been a while though, at least about a year so might need another test.
The thing though, my dad grew up on a traditional diet usually based on organic produce. This is because this was what was cheap and affordable and his childhood into young adulthood home was agriculturally rich. Even in later years as he got older, he still always remained true to his growing up diet. There are 2 things which he struggled with which have cost his health dearly, the first is alcohol and the second is a gluten allergy. He never had any sugar problems. However, as soon as he hit 50, for some reason, he decided to throw himself into the full embrace of the medical system and now he has a whole cocktail of drugs.... It's not even like he was not physically active, he was always in nature and stuff so I just don't understand the situation now. He's stopped the alcohol, for months now, to my surprise, but he has way to much trust in the medical system and their drugs!
My mum had a more western diet compared to my dad, but she is not diabetic nor on a cocktail of drugs. She has dental issues though, which I have, I'm not even sure my dad has ever got a dental cavity. My mum's a sceptic of the system, that's probably where I get it from!
I haven't been to the GP for a while, usually because I have no reason to go. My first response upon being hit by something is to hunker down and wait it out, if symptoms persist then I give the GP a visit. I know this is a bad strategy but I don't want to be seeing the doctor every other time I think something is up and getting prescribed a million different cocktails.
This is the usual procedure on going usually.... you go in, he/she asks you if you have any problems. I'm usually like, just a check up and to discuss long standing things I think are an issue . They then proceed to ask you lifestyle questions, including your age. All mine fit me into a category of normal. Minimal alcohol intake, non-smoker, exercises etc. They check your heart rate, take your blood pressure, they look into their computers (where my medical history for more than 10 years are stored), last time I even asked to be tested for nutritional deficiencies, at which point he asked me, there is many different tests, what do you think you are deficient in? In my mind, I was like WHAT! If I knew that, I wouldn't ask!!!!! Can you test me in everything? NO!
That's GPs for you. Next time though, I can mention my leg problems if I don't do anything active. He'll probably just tell me to keep active...
The general impression you get is, you are a young adult, don't live a stupid lifestyle, now go away, I've got old people and young kids to deal with.
