Weird skin sensations (pin pricks, burning) HELP! Anyone else?

[Elsa_Alkaseltzer]

Hi, all. Does anyone else get weird skin sensations on a regular basis? For almost 4 months now, I've been getting pin prick sensations all over my body every day, as if someone opened a safety pin and is sticking me with it. The feeling can happen anywhere from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Lately, I've been getting the feelings all day long, which is very upsetting. Sometimes it's also a burning sensation, like I've been hit with a droplet of hot grease. This is not something that happens from a panic attack, or because my hands or feet "fall asleep." It's all over my body, throughout the day. I HATE it!!!! I had something similar back in 2004, but it went away after a couple months. I had my B12 level checked a couple months ago, because a B12 deficiency can cause these problems. But my level was normal. I am afraid my nerves are damaged. I don't want this discomfort forever.

[countrygirl]

I have had weird skin sensation for past 30 years and believe me I have over that time had every test for neuro diseases available!

I can get the wasp sting prickles as I call them anywhere on my body, so bad I have whipped my clothes off as soon as I can to check there isn't a wasp in there! I get crawling sensations as if a large booted insect is crawling its way up my face/ head/leg etc again I have had to check there really isn't one. I also get shingles like patches anywhere on my skin wehre it is agony to lightest touch but if you press its fine together with sharp stinging pains in area, the areas never last longer than 48 hrs and are then gone and all of this has affected every part of my body at some time or other.

Its a bit like the twiching eyelid - anxiety and stress make your nervous symptom hyperactive and this is the consequence.

[feminism_rocks]

Wow, so relieved to know that other people are getting this too !!! I started out with itchy skin a few months ago and it's progressed to these awful pin-prick stinging and burning sensations. I keep going to Dr. Google and diagnosing myself with all sorts, you know the story! I found an online forum about this particular symptom (type 'weird prickly skin' into Google) and thousands of people have posted on it, some of them have had the symptom for years and doctors have not been able to get to the bottom of it - although suggestions are vitamin deficiency, stress/anxiety and pollen allergy. I recently had blood tests and nothing abnormal was found but think I'm going to have to go back as it's really painful some days. Be interesting to see how we all get on xx

[countrygirl]

I had no luck in 30 yrs finding out what it is. I have had quite a number of brain scans over that time so know its not a neuro disease and galllons of blood tested! One Dr said "peripheral neuropathy" which is not a diagnosis but describes the symptoms as in nerve sensations of the peripheral nerves as in nerves of the skin.

[carefree68]

I have exactly the same I call them zaps, it feels like electric shocks and can happen any where on my body any time any where, not when an attack occurs. Have no idea why happens just been told its a symptom of anxiety along with 1000+ other symptoms, but I don't think its anything to be concerned about is it?

Lisa

[feminism_rocks]

I agree, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's anxiety/stress, but it's hard to accept that sometimes isn't it. Countrygirl, sorry to hear you've had this for 30 years ! Poor you x

[Elsa_Alkaseltzer]

Thanks for the replies. I'd love for this to go away, but I'm not getting my hopes up. At least when you've had a symptom for 30 years you can be sure it's not from anything terminal!! ;)

[looking4answers]

I get the pin pricks all over all the time it makes me jump and hurts ,but you should feel what I feel a vibrtion in my pelvic area and in lower back and legs. It feel like a vibration/buzzing/tuning fork sensation. It started in my foot ankle a year ago but now its in my lower back tailbone and pelvic region and legs and have it every other day all day and night and sometimes a day goes by thst I dont have it. but its really bothersome and makes you worry.

[countrygirl]

Yep I know all about the tuning fork vibration I first had that about 28 yrs ago and it drove me mad for three months straight, all day every day as if someone was pinging a tuning fork inside my left leg, I also got feeling as if I had stood in a bucket of cold water or someone had poured cold water down my leg. I was convinced I had ms but I didn't and eventually worked out that it had started after I had got my left leg very cold sitting on a concrete step with a cold wind blowing on back of knee. I had it on and off for about 5 years and realised it was due to hypersensitivity of the nerve in leg from original cold experience. The gap between getting the leg so cold and the symptoms was about 3 weeks so of course did not connect the two.

[luckyme]

yes the same thing happens to me .. i just posted that i was worried about ms because of this exact symptoms. i dont know how to even explain the weird things that happen to me. i get this static feeling throughout my body and i feel like a vibration right before going to sleep!! im worried sick!! i just want you to know you are not alone

[Kevin1984]

I get the creepy crawler feeling, those sharp pinprick itches that drive me nuts, and a pinch feeling also. I get these weird limb jumps, ill be lathing down or sitting and everytime one limb has to jump sometimes a couple feet lol. But the itching sucks I itch all the time till I go to bed then just my ankles and shoulder blades itch. Thought it was bed bugs or fleas but haven't seen any. Well good luck everyone.

[Mr m anxious]

These pin prick sensations are irritated nerves through muscle tension. Ive had them and I agree there horrible. Once you stop getting tense and your muscles relax the prickly sensations eventually go. I have been relaxed for 3 months now and they have eventually stopped. Yes people who have ms get this but they get it for the same reason only there's is there illness and yours are caused through stress.

[tiff123]

OP - I had this and the pain was getting quite terrible and ruining life. Burning all the time and the other things you list.

In the end I saw a private neurologist who did bloods and MRI (of brain and spine).. all normal so he put me on gabapentin (normally used for epilepsy afaik) and with tramadol (strong pain killer).

I had to get to v high doses of gaba but did work BUT took a long time (I was on 10+ pills a day at this point to control it).

I started lowering my dose after about a year and was several years until I was off the meds. This was near 10 years ago now and pain has not come back so you can get cured of this.

My belief is you need the meds while taking time (probably quite a bit) to reset your nervous system and reduce stress.

[ottom]

Hi, all. Does anyone else get weird skin sensations on a regular basis? For almost 4 months now, I've been getting pin prick sensations all over my body every day, as if someone opened a safety pin and is sticking me with it. The feeling can happen anywhere from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Lately, I've been getting the feelings all day long, which is very upsetting. Sometimes it's also a burning sensation, like I've been hit with a droplet of hot grease. This is not something that happens from a panic attack, or because my hands or feet "fall asleep." It's all over my body, throughout the day. I HATE it!!!! I had something similar back in 2004, but it went away after a couple months. I had my B12 level checked a couple months ago, because a B12 deficiency can cause these problems. But my level was normal. I am afraid my nerves are damaged. I don't want this discomfort forever.


Hi Elsa

I had the same feeling except for the hot burning feeling back in 2005. Now I am experiencing it again. In these two occassions it happened after a heavy drink of Hard Drink. I have not visited any Doctor but it is scary.

Martin OTTO

[nstaff]

I believe what you have is Cholinergic Urticaria. I have the same thing. Try taking an antihistamine like zyrtec. Also read up on the Wikipedia page. Also check out CholinergicUrticaria.net

Whatever allergy medication you take, make sure it has cetirizine as that is supposed to be a key ingredient in fighting this.

Good luck!

[Beckie4567]

Yes yes and yrs wen I stopped thinking bout it it went x

[jenniferelizab]

Hi,

No one has commented in this thread in awhile, but I am experiencing the same weird pin poke sensation which started with burning itchy skin about 2.5 months ago. I've had anxiety for about 7 years and have always been able to control it.

I do not have many anxiety symptoms now except for the pin pricks and weird buzzing sensations which makes me think it has to be "something else" since I am not experiencing any other classic symptoms. Muscle spams also, but I've had since I was 18 and now I am 25. I was wondering if you have ever found relief from the pin pricks? I've calmed down since the episode started--about 2.5 months ago. I have been doing yoga, getting massages and relaxing. I am worried that this will be forever though? Or maybe I need to be more patient? Do anxiety symptoms develop and evolve over time? Is this why I am feeling this now?

Please help :(

[gatsby12]

This sounds a lot like paresthesia. Its completely benign and psychosomatic. I have this and it gets so bad my tongue goes numb and it feels like its being poked by needles.

[jenniferelizab]

Thanks Gatsby12. Does this last a lifetime? I am still having issues with this 2-3 months after initial anxiety episode. :(

---------- Post added at 11:09 ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 ----------

Are you still struggling with this? How have you found relief?

[mary jane]

Hi,

I used to have nerve pain (vulvodynia) in 2013 and also had paresthesia with it and pain but no burning.

I took amitriptyline 50 mg and lyrica 300 mg for 2 years and then quit them and had no pain or symptoms for 1 year and 4 months. This has now returned after a period of high stress, anxiety and depression.

Has anyone else experienced nerve pain with no reason for actual nerve damage (no surgery or organic damage) ???

I am now back on amitriptyline , at 30 mg, it stopped the paresthesia. I am considering treating my severe anxiety as well, I have been neglecting it.

I find nerve pain to be traumatizing, I'd rather have a fracture or something else.