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Constant Sunburn Pain All Over Body. Getting Relief After Using Benzos. Proper Treatment?
Question: I have constant sunburn like pain all over my body that started about 11 yrs ago. It is there 24/7 and the only thing that helps is clonazapam or another benzo. Doctors have no clue what it is and most just say it must be anxiety because the benzos work but i know its something else. I cant go a day without benzos or the pain is excrutiating, completely intolerable. Its not visable, its burning pain inside...even my organs, eyes, brain, muscles, everything feels like its on fire....the benzos calm it down, but the fires always there..im 41 year old male and have suffered for 11 years.. it started in my eyes and within 2 weeks it was my entire body.... Do you have any answers for me? Thankyou
Hello,
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
You case is interesting and but difficult too. Even your attending physician is facing to solve it. I will try to give my best effort to help you in this problem.
Benzodiazepines are used for anxiety and sleep problems for short duration. On long term use, these medicine lead to dependance on them.
From your description and response to benzodiazepines, we should suspect presence of psychological problems like anxiety and depression. In your medical history, you already mentioned about chronic depression. These disorder also present as somatoform disorder in which patient has multiple and disabling pain/other complaints with normal investigation.
Psychological issues can cause above symptoms by causing muscle spasm, as we used to have headache during tension due to forehead muscle spasm.
Following steps and measures will help you:
-Get check up of hormones (specially thyroid) as its imbalance can cause your symptoms by affecting psychological health.
-Vitamin deficiency: Vitamin deficiency can present with similar symptoms. Get serum B12 level. Start multi vitamins as they are easily available.
-Healthy diet: Milk and fruits in diet.
-Daily morning walk and breathing exercise.
-Stop substance use if present.
-Get concurrent opinion from psychiatrist apart from seeking opinion from other physicians. If you are already on treatment for depression then it need to be modified for better relief.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. In case of any doubt, I will be available for follow ups.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr Ashish XXXXXXX Mittal
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
You case is interesting and but difficult too. Even your attending physician is facing to solve it. I will try to give my best effort to help you in this problem.
Benzodiazepines are used for anxiety and sleep problems for short duration. On long term use, these medicine lead to dependance on them.
From your description and response to benzodiazepines, we should suspect presence of psychological problems like anxiety and depression. In your medical history, you already mentioned about chronic depression. These disorder also present as somatoform disorder in which patient has multiple and disabling pain/other complaints with normal investigation.
Psychological issues can cause above symptoms by causing muscle spasm, as we used to have headache during tension due to forehead muscle spasm.
Following steps and measures will help you:
-Get check up of hormones (specially thyroid) as its imbalance can cause your symptoms by affecting psychological health.
-Vitamin deficiency: Vitamin deficiency can present with similar symptoms. Get serum B12 level. Start multi vitamins as they are easily available.
-Healthy diet: Milk and fruits in diet.
-Daily morning walk and breathing exercise.
-Stop substance use if present.
-Get concurrent opinion from psychiatrist apart from seeking opinion from other physicians. If you are already on treatment for depression then it need to be modified for better relief.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. In case of any doubt, I will be available for follow ups.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr Ashish XXXXXXX Mittal
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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