adult 'growing pains' - what could it be?

[juicychops]

i call them growing pains because they are the exact same pain i had when i was a kid growing up when i would be laying in bed at night unable to sleep because my legs hurt.

i have had them every now and then all my life (im 27) in my legs and arms but it seems like lately im getting them a bit more often than i have done before, and are quite painful sometimes to the point of wanting to cry because it quite literally takes my breath away sometimes.

now im aware im probably not still growing but call them growing pains purely because its the same pain ive always had from childhood.

a few weeks ago i decided to start keeping a diary of when i get them, how long i have them for, where in my body, and a pain scale.

im starting to realise i think the pain originates in my joints - wrists and knees mainly, put the pain spreads all up my arms and legs so its unclear sometimes. I dont get it in both arms and legs at once, but one or both legs together, or one or both arms together and different pain scales. there is no pattern as far as i can tell.
its like a dull ache that gets worse in waves sometimes. it feels slightly different to my legs than my arms - worse in my legs.

anyone had similar? im planning on going docs but am waiting until i have a couple of months worth of diary records

[juicychops]

no nothing just get the achey pains every now and then. i had it in both arms yesterday evening, twice in my right leg in the last couple of weeks and once in my left leg in the last couple of weeks. and because i keep thinking about it, i think im starting to imagine it in my arms when ive not actually got it! i have a 'feeling' in my left arm this evening but can't work out if its phantom ache or very mild ache!!

on average ive been getting it in at least one leg every 1-2 weeks and it usually gets quite bad for at least a short period of time. for example, the other evening i had it in my right leg from about 7pm medium pain, but by about 10pm it got quite bad and had to just go to bed so that i could fall asleep to not feel it

i could take paracetamol, but i like to feel it at the moment so that i can assess it

[Saltire]

I used to get similar pains, they started when I was 19. They got gradually worse, and lasted for longer periods. Then other symptoms started, adn I kept getting told by GPs that it was a virus/flu/growing pains. I then finally got a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. now I am not saying thats what you have, as I am not a doctor. I think you have done right keeping a diary, but I would suggest going to see your GP

[juicychops]

maybe il look into the vitamin D thing once ive kept my diary for a bit longer, then i can see if taking vitamin reduces the pain a bit.

just had a google of Fibromyalgia but i don't recognise some of the symptoms of that one, although have no idea what it actually is.

i think i do have the ache in my left arm this evening but im not sure if being on the computer on and off all day has contributed to that. i can feel the ache there and it feels a bit heavy a bit like if you cut your circulation off of your arm for a minute or so and it goes a bit slow and aches a bit.

i think im worrying that it may be some form of arthritis, but i am a bit young to be getting that, and i think you notice that in your fingers more don't you? i don't notice anything wrong with my fingers, just arms and legs

[tashasal]

just googled growing pains in adults and came across this. you have just explained all my experinces like it was me talking. I have been goin docs on and off for years and keep being told they dont know whats wrong with me and its just one them unknown medical causes.. i get made to feel like im making this up.. iv had these pains since a child and now im 34.. and they are getting worse. pain killers are no longer working, iv ad blood tests after blood test, mri scan the phsyio all come back normal.. im in pain every day and so frustrated with doctors not takin me serious.

[LizAngharad]

I've suffered from dull aches in my calves and knees since I was a child and my mum always told me not to worry as they were growing pains. I would get them when I was very tired. However I never grew out of them and as an adult started to fall so get them in the day, if I had not had much sleep the previous night.

Recently I've started to get similar pains in my arms, again when I'm tired/not had enough sleep.

The pain stops me sleeping, but Paracetamol fixes then very quickly and allows me to sleep. Ive tried to find the cause before, but no success. after waking up I last night with a particularly bad one in one knee, I decided to have another go at googling it. I'd love an explanation!

I've never been to the doctor because its not bad enough to really bother me and also I feel a bit silly going about something I've suffered from for 20 odd years! However the recent spread to my arms makes me wonder if its getting worse and I should?!

[gourd]

I get something that sounds just like this. It seems for me to be linked to stress and stress-related fatigue. When I am really tired my joints ache, my leg bones also ache quite strongly especially when in bed. It usually goes away a week or so after the stress has subsided. The aching joints can feel quite debilitating and I start to get depressed as it affects my mood as well as my ability to exercise which in turn makes me even more grumpy, irritable and depressed. Awful. The only thing that works for me is to rest as much as possible until the stress at work/home has subsided again before taking up running/cycling/swimming again as before. I don?t know whether this could be classed as post viral fatigue or even ME but it certainly coincides with periods of stress, stress-related fatigue and after viruses and colds - which I also only seem to catch when I am stressed at work.

I'd suggest though, that you see your doctor as soon as possible if you are at all worried that it is due to some underlying disease, condition or a vitamin/mineral deficiency.

[gourd]

Burning/aching in legs at night or 'heavy legs' is different and i get that as well but mostly when my legs are too hot under the winter duvet or/and after weekends bike rides or fast runs. I always assumed it was something to do with bloode vessels dilating or with increased circulation or something. I have variacose veins in my thighs/abdomen and in one calf/shin which can be painful after hard or fast exercise so I think this type of pain must be linked to blood flow. My legs feel better straight away on stcking them out of the duvet or putting a cold damp flannel on them. The aching bones are a different thing though and for me are definitely related to stress and fatigue.

[boymama]

I associate it with my rheumatoid arthritis. See a rheumatoligist.

[mooch11]

Have you considered Joint Hypermobility Syndrome? Especially if it's your joints/muscles that ache. My mother searched for a diagnosis for years before a consultant looked into it and it all fell into place. Obviously I'm not a doctor so look into it and if it fits then ask your GP about it.

[Cocolepew]

I hace achey joints , etc due to Lupus. I was reading that some children are told it's growing pains but it turns out to be lupus when they are adults. It might be best to ask for a rheumy referral.

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Yep, go get checked out to see if there is an underlying cause. Could be too little/too much of some nutrient or other (iron, various vitamins or minerals) or how your body processes them, or all kinds of things. Not everyone gets the full spectrum of symptoms of every disorder/condition so don't let it put you off. Fibromyalgia tends not to be diagnosed before other things have been ruled out.

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

I've had achy joints for years and pain in legs at night, hands and feet would be numb on waking. Then found out last year I've got hashimotos (auto-immune thyroiditis, so is related to rheum. Amd lupus type things) and anaemia. Now, with daily Levothyroxine and iron I don't get related joint aches nearly as much and rarely have the restless/heavy legs or numbness (have taken up running a bit which might also be helping with circulation.)
It took a long time for the dosage to settle and to get to an optimum dose and I started to think I had lupus as well, but tests show I don't.

It helps a lot to know what it is, is all I can say. Knowing that it isn't in your imagination, you're not making it happen, and yet not having your imagination run away with itself makes as much difference as treatment ime.

[Kgonzales1024]

Did you ever figure out what your pains were stemming from? It sounds like fybromyalgia. My mom experiences the same pains and she can't handle the pain.

[jojo710]

i have had this same problem on and off my whole life...the last few months it has been daily. I am also a chronic pain sufferer. I've been reading a lot about vitamin deficiency and that some deficiencies cause leg pain/aches and pains...so...I've been drinking lots of vitamin c as well as taking vitamin c and takin vitamin D once a week-too much vitamin d can be dangerous so you have to be careful with that. I have noticed a HUGE improvement! my legs haven't hurt at all since I've started the vitamins...not even my pain meds would help my leg pain....but replenishing my vitamins did...not saying this will help for everyone but wanted to put it out there in case it could help at least one person:) good luck guys! pain sucks!

[sidebottom]

This is an old post but I figured I'd chime in. I go to a chiropractor he says this is a common problem with women because of our hips. They get out of place and cause a similar pain to growing pains. I get them all the time because I like to sit with one leg under me all the time. He yells at me for it, but once he puts my hips in place they go away til I forget again not to sit like that. Lol.

[Mckeeganlou]

I would suggest talking to your doctor about ankylosing spondylitis. I'm sorry if someone has suggested this already. I'm 32 and was diagnosed at 26. I have growing pains times a million it seems. I also have fibromyalgia but the Drs do not think the growing pains are linked to that and are pretty sure it is from the ankylosing spondylitis. I will say when I was on biologic shots (tend blockers) the pain disappeared.

[Slaurenbarnett77]

I have had this all my life along with many other disabling issues. Vitamin D is definitely a good choice. I've just found out that when they diagnosed me with MS 14 years ago they were wrong and my doc now thinks I have a rare Neuro muscular disease called painful myoclonus. Getting the tests run over the next few months so I would suggest your doc check into Huntington's or rare muscle diseases as mine has.

[DianaT1969]

This thread is 2 years old.

[Rtw1234]

I'm having this same exact problem. I started getting them probably around 12/13 and I was told they were "growing pains" but I'm 21 now and they haven't ever gone away and seem to be getting worse.

[Brimedlin11]

IM having the same problems. Its weird

[Tyrionsbitch]

Oh I've had these pains my whole life, the op describes them perfectly. I mostly have them in my legs but can also get them in my arms. I know that they are more likely to appear if I am tired or stressed. I did go to the doctors once when I was a teen but they just said they weren't concerned as no signs of a blood clot or anything.

Always have to take painkillers for them otherwise I can't sleep