Full body joint aches and itchiness during sleep?
xaventh posted:
Not sure if this is necessarily a sleep disorder, but recently I've recently been having this strange problem sleeping that is preventing me from getting any decent rest on a regular basis.
Occasionally I will wake up after 2-3 hours of sleep and all of my major joints will seem to ache. It is worse in the back, knees, and neck/shoulders, but it is also noticeable in my wrists, elbows, fingers, etc. The pain is not too intense, but it is annoying enough to wake me and keep me from sleeping. It definitely feels like a "bone/joint ache" and not muscle tension. Taking 200-400mg of ibuprofen usually cleans it up after an hour or so. I have never experienced this kind of problem at any other time except when I had just been asleep.
At the same time, I will feel very flushed and have an itching sensation all over my body. I like sleeping cold and so my room is set to 68F at night. Uncovering completely helps a little bit, but then I actually get cold even though my skin still feels hot. I also itch all over, but not all at once. One minute my arm will itch, the next my leg, the next my chest, etc.
I would also note that I am pretty jealous of my sleep. I have a Talalay latex mattress and memory foam topper. I sleep on 800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. I have a dust-mite cover and wash my sheets--and myself--pretty regularly. I say this to ward of explanations such as fleas, bed bugs, you live in a barn, etc. =P I also never have this sensation when I have been awake.
I've tried researching this a bit online, but have come up pretty empty. Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated.
Occasionally I will wake up after 2-3 hours of sleep and all of my major joints will seem to ache. It is worse in the back, knees, and neck/shoulders, but it is also noticeable in my wrists, elbows, fingers, etc. The pain is not too intense, but it is annoying enough to wake me and keep me from sleeping. It definitely feels like a "bone/joint ache" and not muscle tension. Taking 200-400mg of ibuprofen usually cleans it up after an hour or so. I have never experienced this kind of problem at any other time except when I had just been asleep.
At the same time, I will feel very flushed and have an itching sensation all over my body. I like sleeping cold and so my room is set to 68F at night. Uncovering completely helps a little bit, but then I actually get cold even though my skin still feels hot. I also itch all over, but not all at once. One minute my arm will itch, the next my leg, the next my chest, etc.
I would also note that I am pretty jealous of my sleep. I have a Talalay latex mattress and memory foam topper. I sleep on 800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. I have a dust-mite cover and wash my sheets--and myself--pretty regularly. I say this to ward of explanations such as fleas, bed bugs, you live in a barn, etc. =P I also never have this sensation when I have been awake.
I've tried researching this a bit online, but have come up pretty empty. Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated.
5 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Full body joint aches and itchiness during sleep?Not sure if this is necessarily a sleep disorder, but recently I've recently been having this strange problem sleeping that is preventing me from getting any decent rest on a regular basis.<br /><br />Occasionally I will wake up after 2-3 hours of sleep and all of my major joints will seem to ache. It is worse in the back, knees, and neck/shoulders, but it is also noticeable in my wrists, elbows, fingers, etc. The pain is not too intense, but it is annoying enough to wake me and keep me from sleeping. It definitely feels like a "bone/joint ache" and not muscle tension. Taking 200-400mg of ibuprofen usually cleans it up after an hour or so. I have never experienced this kind of problem at any other time except when I had just been asleep.<br /><br />At the same time, I will feel very flushed and have an itching sensation all over my body. I like sleeping cold and so my room is set to 68F at night. Uncovering completely helps a little bit, but then I actually get cold even though my skin still feels hot. I also itch all over, but not all at once. One minute my arm will itch, the next my leg, the next my chest, etc.<br /><br />I would also note that I am pretty jealous of my sleep. I have a Talalay latex mattress and memory foam topper. I sleep on 800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. I have a dust-mite cover and wash my sheets--and myself--pretty regularly. I say this to ward of explanations such as fleas, bed bugs, you live in a barn, etc. =P I also never have this sensation when I have been awake.<br /><br />I've tried researching this a bit online, but have come up pretty empty. Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated.
Annie_WebMD_Staff responded:
Hi xaventh,
If your skin is itchy, you may want to look at whether your bedroom is too cold for you at night time.
Another condition to look up with the WebMD search engine is fibromyalgia as unrestful sleep is one of the hallmarks of this condition, so articles about this condition may be helpful to you.
You don't mention how long this has been going on but you may want to see a doctor if poor sleep has been an issue for very long.
- Annie
If your skin is itchy, you may want to look at whether your bedroom is too cold for you at night time.
Another condition to look up with the WebMD search engine is fibromyalgia as unrestful sleep is one of the hallmarks of this condition, so articles about this condition may be helpful to you.
You don't mention how long this has been going on but you may want to see a doctor if poor sleep has been an issue for very long.
- Annie
Report This| Share this:Full body joint aches and itchiness during sleep?Hi xaventh,<br /> <br />If your skin is itchy, you may want to look at whether your bedroom is too cold for you at night time.<br /> <br />Another condition to look up with the WebMD search engine is <a href="http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?query=fibromyalgia&sourceType=undefined">fibromyalgia</a> as unrestful sleep is one of the hallmarks of this condition, so articles about this condition may be helpful to you.<br /> <br />You don't mention how long this has been going on but you may want to see a doctor if poor sleep has been an issue for very long.<br /> <br />- Annie
KPCeballos responded:
While I can't provide any thoughts/ideas, I just want you to know that I symathize with you because I recently have the same issues. Except, I don't have the hot/cold issue once awake. Just seems like my brain is misfiring signals of "itch" all over various parts of my body that I know isn't rational...but I feel the urge to itch.
Most prevalent is the muscle/joint feeling. The feeling you describe as "bone/joint ache" is the same that I would describe as a deep aching need to move or stretch my extremities. If I am motionless after moving my body, I'll have another overwhelming need to readjust or move my leg or arm.
I have recently experimented with over the counter sleep aid such as unisom-type pill but I still wake up 2-3 hours later and the feeling I describe above is enhanced even greater, which is really frustrating. It can keep me up for up to 3 hours until I fall into bed exhausted. I do also take Ibuprofin or something to relax my body because it typically works.
I perceive all of these issues as "overtired." I think there's more merit in researching sleep theory, sleep patterns, or biorhythms than a medical illness. I've been trying to start the bedtime process earlier and read recently that dark room, awake time is important for eliciting sleep body chemicals. Sounds like you do that - all light and sound stimulatus off. I've come to believe the theory that sleep is a learned behavior and that your brain remembers the disruption and repeats it. I can't take NSAIDs right now so I'm practicing breathing techniques and using the power of my mind to overcome the issues. I have yet to know the outcome of my little "experiment!"
Good luck and sweet dreams.
One difference: I suffer from ulcerative colitis (an autoimmune disease) that flares up 1-2 times a year but have never had accompanying issues such as insomnia. I am currently in the middle of a flare-up that's lasted 10 days so far, after nothing for 3 years. Perhaps this is why I am so disrupted in my sleep.
Most prevalent is the muscle/joint feeling. The feeling you describe as "bone/joint ache" is the same that I would describe as a deep aching need to move or stretch my extremities. If I am motionless after moving my body, I'll have another overwhelming need to readjust or move my leg or arm.
I have recently experimented with over the counter sleep aid such as unisom-type pill but I still wake up 2-3 hours later and the feeling I describe above is enhanced even greater, which is really frustrating. It can keep me up for up to 3 hours until I fall into bed exhausted. I do also take Ibuprofin or something to relax my body because it typically works.
I perceive all of these issues as "overtired." I think there's more merit in researching sleep theory, sleep patterns, or biorhythms than a medical illness. I've been trying to start the bedtime process earlier and read recently that dark room, awake time is important for eliciting sleep body chemicals. Sounds like you do that - all light and sound stimulatus off. I've come to believe the theory that sleep is a learned behavior and that your brain remembers the disruption and repeats it. I can't take NSAIDs right now so I'm practicing breathing techniques and using the power of my mind to overcome the issues. I have yet to know the outcome of my little "experiment!"
Good luck and sweet dreams.
One difference: I suffer from ulcerative colitis (an autoimmune disease) that flares up 1-2 times a year but have never had accompanying issues such as insomnia. I am currently in the middle of a flare-up that's lasted 10 days so far, after nothing for 3 years. Perhaps this is why I am so disrupted in my sleep.
Report This| Share this:Full body joint aches and itchiness during sleep?While I can't provide any thoughts/ideas, I just want you to know that I symathize with you because I recently have the same issues. Except, I don't have the hot/cold issue once awake. Just seems like my brain is misfiring signals of "itch" all over various parts of my body that I know isn't rational...but I feel the urge to itch. <br />Most prevalent is the muscle/joint feeling. The feeling you describe as "bone/joint ache" is the same that I would describe as a deep aching need to move or stretch my extremities. If I am motionless after moving my body, I'll have another overwhelming need to readjust or move my leg or arm. <br />I have recently experimented with over the counter sleep aid such as unisom-type pill but I still wake up 2-3 hours later and the feeling I describe above is enhanced even greater, which is really frustrating. It can keep me up for up to 3 hours until I fall into bed exhausted. I do also take Ibuprofin or something to relax my body because it typically works.<br /> <br />I perceive all of these issues as "overtired." I think there's more merit in researching sleep theory, sleep patterns, or biorhythms than a medical illness. I've been trying to start the bedtime process earlier and read recently that dark room, awake time is important for eliciting sleep body chemicals. Sounds like you do that - all light and sound stimulatus off. I've come to believe the theory that sleep is a learned behavior and that your brain remembers the disruption and repeats it. I can't take NSAIDs right now so I'm practicing breathing techniques and using the power of my mind to overcome the issues. I have yet to know the outcome of my little "experiment!"<br />Good luck and sweet dreams. <br /> <br />One difference: I suffer from ulcerative colitis (an autoimmune disease) that flares up 1-2 times a year but have never had accompanying issues such as insomnia. I am currently in the middle of a flare-up that's lasted 10 days so far, after nothing for 3 years. Perhaps this is why I am so disrupted in my sleep.
Lingua responded:
I used to have similar sensations and I chalked it up to everything from my laundry detergent (I use a fragrance-dye-fee one) to getting older (I'm nearly 62). However, a couple years back I started seeing a new doctor who put me on a regimen of several new meds, among them loratadine (Claritin) to help with chronic low-level sinus allergy problems. Wow, the diff it made in the itchies at night! And getting better sleep helped the joint achies as well, it is part of a vicious circle. Discuss with your doc about taking a small dosage of such a drug every day. I can really see the diff if I miss refilling my scrip for a couple days.
Report This| Share this:Full body joint aches and itchiness during sleep?I used to have similar sensations and I chalked it up to everything from my laundry detergent (I use a fragrance-dye-fee one) to getting older (I'm nearly 62). However, a couple years back I started seeing a new doctor who put me on a regimen of several new meds, among them loratadine (Claritin) to help with chronic low-level sinus allergy problems. Wow, the diff it made in the itchies at night! And getting better sleep helped the joint achies as well, it is part of a vicious circle. Discuss with your doc about taking a small dosage of such a drug every day. I can really see the diff if I miss refilling my scrip for a couple days.
sollyheit replied to KPCeballos's response:
I have sesativities to many foods and these cause joint pain I'm also sensitive to all ansaids like aspirin, motrin, and advil, they all cause headaches. Try to keep a record of what you eat and see if there's a correlation
Report This| Share this:Full body joint aches and itchiness during sleep?I have sesativities to many foods and these cause joint pain I'm also sensitive to all ansaids like aspirin, motrin, and advil, they all cause headaches. Try to keep a record of what you eat and see if there's a correlation
thanks,
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