Skin Pain?

[firewatcher]

Hi guys,

In addition to my daily headache I have had bouts of allodynia (Allodynia, meaning "other pain", is a painful (noxious) response to a usually non-painful (innocuous) stimulus and can be either static or mechanical...supersensitive response to touch, etc.)

This is a "normal" part of my migraines, my entire left side will become painful to the slightest touch. But I have not had a full-blown-want-to die-please-shoot-me migraine in over a year, this is sporadic and highly irritating; it is mostly my scalp/hair, like I've worn a ponytail that is too tight. Some days I can't brush my hair on that side or wear earrings, certain clothing is "painful." Is this just a POTS thing, or more of a migraine thing. It intensifies when my headache does. I've also had zaps in other places that have made me jump, like I've been shocked or stuck with a needle. These zaps also occur if I grip a doorknob too tight or move the wrong way, it feels almost like a tendon slipping and I've hit my funny bone, but in my hands and wrist.

Many of you have spoken of "zaps" is this what you are referring to?

POTS or Migraine?

[janiedelite]

As a regular symptom of my small fiber neuropathy, I have the burning skin pain all over. But the worst of it is in my feet, hands, and face. I get migraines if my POTS is super-flared and my burning skin pain worsens whenever my POTS is flared. My scalp often also burns (it is now, and my ears, lips, cheeks).

I wonder if during the migraines you are experiencing increased blood flow to your head. My feet burn the most after some kind of activity that increases blood flow, and they get bright red and burn. I don't get the zaps you referred to. I have constant aches, burning or radiating pains but no zaps...

[ajw4790]

Jennifer,

Hi! I know what you are talking about. It can be caused or related to many things. One thing I think it partially goes along with is the "haircut syncope", I forgot the real name... But, I had it when I was younger, and still do to a lesser extent. It has something to do about touching/messing with the scalp and hair and triggering a reaction with the trigeminal nerve, which in turn causes a vagal reaction. This is more likely to be the cause if you get tachy or lightheaded with it.

Also, I get it with migraines and headaches. I also am on a daily basis since I was a young kid very sensitive to anyone touching my hair/head. My scalp especially can be very sensitive. I have to watch how I put my hair up. Used to not tolerate it up or anything in my hair tugging on it. My hair gets very long because I don't want anyone touching it. Everything with my hair and scalp is sensitive and brings on symptoms.

I also have had many meds make this much worse. SO, if you are taking different meds or doses this can also be a cause. The worst that I could not stand was Midodrine (like someone was tugging me by my hair) and it can occur now on the Cymbalta. I think I had at least one other previous med I remember it causing this affect, but I do not remember what it was.

From what you each described Jennifer and Thankful, I think you are describing slightly different things for the most part (with some overlap). I am not sure that what Jennifer describes sounds like neuropathy? But, Jenn you do have some neuropathy don't you? So, it is a possibility.

Zaps I am not real familiar with... But, I started Florinef today, and as I laid down for a nap I think I may have felt one. Not sure, it was weird...

If it is zaps down the arms etc. it can be from Chiari. I had a instructor that had that. Every once and a while she would have a zap sent down her arm and would have to shake it out.

[summer]

I almost always have this super-sensitivity and skin pain in my left shin area. It gets worse after a warm bath or on a warm day. I usually don't have it in my feet so I don't know whether that could still be caused by small fibre neuropathy (is small fibre neuropathy always in the feet?)

When I have migraines I get it on one side of my face. Sometimes my migraine seems to come right down into my cheek, but I also have "skin pain" in my face. I really don't know what causes it so I'm very interested in your answers.

[firewatcher]

It's semi-officially called "pony-tail syndrome." I guess mine would be half-a-pigtail syndrome since it is unilateral.

I have always been "tender-headed." My mother hated taking me to the salon for haircuts, I still avoid it, but now the weight of the hair itself and movement is painful. I don't think it is neuropathy; it is not a burning or numbness, it is actual pain. It radiates from the back of my head, over the top, into the ear and right behind the eye. It even hurts to move the eye.

When I get a migraine it is intolerable, even the hair on my forearms is sensitively-painful! It feels like my clothes are made of needles! This is not that bad, but it is painful.

The zaps feel exactly like when you hit your funny-bone, or touch a live circuit. I get them mostly in my arms and hands, but occasionally in my feet and legs. If I grab a doorknob the wrong way or step the wrong way: ZAP!

[Miriam Poorman-Knox]

Sounds like an "aura". If you are a migrane customer, this is a reward given to some for no additional fee. !!!!!!!!!! Could also be part of masto.

Its

everywhere!!!!!! M

[Heiferly]

I get different kinds of skin pain too, but haven't gotten any answers from my doctors (and believe me, I've tried complaining to every "flavor" of MD that would listen--GP, neuro, cardio, endo, you name it).

-What I believe is called allodynia, any area of skin with hair follicles seems susceptible (never get it on bottoms of feet or palms of hands, so I really do think it has something to do with the hair follicles?), even eyelashes seem to hurt when it's bad. Everything that touches my skin when this is flared up feels like steel wool, no matter how soft it actually is. Because I have migraines, I think it's likely this is related to the migraines, but I'm not sure. [i did find a research paper about migraines and allodynia once, I believe. If anyone is interested I could try to dig it out.]

-Hyperalgesia: levels of heat (for example, the temperature in the shower) that I used to enjoy now feel scalding to me, things that might have been a little annoyance but not real pain (like tweezing a stray hair from my eyebrow) now seem like searing pain, ... it just seems like my skin has turned the dial up on pain and over-reacts to the slightest things.

-Prickle burn ... I guess this is a sign of neuropathy? It's mostly on my legs and a patch on my upper back and it flares up especially with exposure to heat.

I guess what I'm saying is that I sympathize. But I haven't found any solutions, because every doctor I talk to about this says they'd rather address some other "more pressing" (to them) issue first, and never gets around to my pain. Are any of you guys getting help for skin pain?

[morgan617]

I haven't had the pleasure of migraines...yet. The closest I've come is when trying to get off hormones, for whatever reason i don't know. I think if I stopped hormones I would get meno induced migraines. But I do have sensitive skin get the pony tail syndrome on other parts of my body.

I also get zaps, not as badly as I used to, but they are always in my head and drive me crazy. Trying to explain them to the doc was real fun too. I finally gave up and now just live with them. morgan