Hi,
I have a question about a condition that I do not believe has been recognized in the medical community and was wondering if you might have thoughts on how to treat it and I wish I could understand what is happening with my body. It is a reaction to the sun, but it is not sunburn, although it usually is only present when someone gets sunburn. However, during this current episode, I don't have any sunburn, but have recently had some exposure to the sun. The condition usually lasts for approx. 4-12 hours. It is a feeling of stabbing pins and needles about half inch to an inch under your skin. It feels like you are being shocked. I have never experienced such relentless, torturous pain in my life. I have had second degree sunburn, sunburn with blisters and puss, but did not have this sensation. It doesn't happen all the time and didn't happen during my worst sunburns. Usually more during one of my first exposures to the sun in the summer, even if it's wearing sunscreen, or for a short period. It feels like something is happening to my nerves and is not on the skin. I know sunburn. This is definitely not sunburn. I have tried tylenol, advil, aleve, zquil, aloe, lotion, lidocaine, nothing helps. I have read online that have experienced this condition only felt relief from taking a long, hot shower. As hot as they could take it, which doesn't make sense to me, but I have read this over and over again. I was wondering if you have any idea what is happening and what could be causing this. I know it's from the sun, but it doesn't always happen when I'm in the sun and this past time, I didn't even get burned. Also, is there anything you can suggest to take? One person said prednisone helped them. Let me be very clear, this isn't sunburn, or even sun poisoning. If you ever experienced this personally, you would want to get to the bottom of it because it is literally like you are being tortured with some sticking you with pins and needles under our skin. The pain is so bad, it can almost make you mad. There is no relief that I'm aware of until it stops on it's own. I have not found any lotion, pain med or anything that can provide relief. It obviously isn't fatal, or a disease, but the pain is equal to someone sticking you with needles over and over again. I wish this condition could get recognized because there are many folks that have experienced it only to leave a doctors office feeling like they are exaggerating a sun burn. I am a very fair person, who has unfortunately had plenty of sunburns in the past. Now I really do my best to avoid the sun at all costs, but if being in the sun with sunscreen and a t-shirt for a couple of hours under the trees, during the part of the day where the sun isn't supposed to be strong and I still got this pain, I am at a loss. In the past it was only when I had a sunburn, but now, its coming when I was exposed to the sun, but have to sunburn. I'm actually still completely pale and have no tightness, or redness to my skin. Please, please help or pass on to someone who might be able to assist.