Pins And Needle Feeling In Scalp

[Katybug]

So, it's about 75 and very humid hear in Baltimore as we are now in the storm system that caused the tornados in the mid-west. But I pushed myself to walk the dog (about 20 minutes) because I've been physically incapable of that most days this week. I had shortness of breathe within the first 5 minutes but kept going. If I let the dog stop and sniff I started to immediately feel presyncopal. About 15 minutes in, I noticed a new (I think) symptom ....it felt like I was being stuck all over my scalp with pins...dull pins with a low level electric shock (similar to static electricity). It's not an enjoyable sensation!

Anybody experience this? I'm not sure if it was related to lack of blood in that region or if it had something to do with sweating (which I was doing in excess). It was enough of a sensation that it was distracting me from thinking of anything else.

[Racer]

I get that sensation pre/during headaches/migraines. Topamax stopped the sensation for me (so far), so in my case I am sure it was related to migraine activity. You might want to talk to your neurologist about it.

[Katybug]

Interesting. Thanks. I did get a migraine many hours later but it doesn't take much these days to trigger some level of migraine. I've had one everyday since the 9th of this month. Not the same one. One goes and the next one comes but I have been having other migraine symptoms in the last 2 weeks that I haven't had for a long time.

[Mydoggielovesme2]

Do you think it could be med related? Maybe a side affect?

[megsmit6]

I get that when my body is fighting my midodrine

[bebe127]

Interesting you mention this Katybug, but sorry you are having to go through it. I have as of late been experiencing something similar. My sensation is like a tingling, almost "goosebump" type feeling on the left side of my head. It happens from time to time (and has been happening with more frequency lately), but I've also experienced it in different areas of my body, like in areas of my arm or leg. It doesn't hurt, I definately know when it is happening, and it is something new to me. It reminds me of when I was little and I'd get a "chilly-willy" and someone would say, "oh, that means someone just walked over your grave" not to sound morbid, it was just something that people would say about that sensation. Mine almost feels like that sensation when a part of the body "falls asleep", but it's only for seconds, then goes away. Does your sensation hurt? or is it a matter of you noticing it when it happens? I'd be interested to know if you find anything out. Just since writing this response, it has happened on both sides of my head and on my left arm. Hmmmm...

Be well,

Bebe

[corina]

My sensation is the same as Bebe's. I've noticed that wearing compression hose and abdominal binder helps. I don't have migraines.

[Katybug]

Hi everyone. Yes, it is a somewhat goosebumpy feeling but it's sharper. It doesn't "hurt" but it isn't a "good" feeling either. It's like a cross between getting goosebumps and a shock from static electricity. I don't think it's medicine related as I haven't changed meds except for starting the Xolair shots and I looked up the side effects for that and this doesn't seem to even come close to any of them. It seems like a benign symptom and I wouldn't have brought it up but it was so noticeable. I've been having some old symptoms that had gone away flare up too like my arms falling asleep very easily and my abdominal migraines making a reappearance after being controlled for 2 years. So, I don't know what it means (as usual) . If I figure it out I'll update this post in case it helps someone.

[Hope]

From time to time I get a prickly feeling on my head that is annoying and hangs around for about a day and disappears again. I can't attribute it to anything.

[Dizzysillyak]

Did you eat something sweet before walking the dog ? I have a tendency towards low blood sugar

and used to get what you described until I learned to keep my blood sugar up when I'm exerting myself. I'm currently using dex4 glucose tablets successfully. I just take 2 as needed if I start to feel light headed. If I have pem tho, I need caffeine. Vitamin water xxx seems to be helping me lately too.

Another possibility tho .. If you changed your diet and your body is now working on healing itself you can get some weird short term neuro symptoms. My forearms had a fluttering feeling in them for several weeks post diet change. Gluten was keeping my body inflamed.

Tc ... D

[ken870]

I get that feeling a lot of times and it comes from hard knots that I have in my temples and the back of my head.

[MarkA]

Yes I have felt this too. Usually after a bad stand up episode.

[Lethargic Smiles]

Like Meg, I got that feeling with Midodrine. It was constant during the first 10 days and now it's just every now and then.

[blueroses79]

I get that sensation pre/during headaches/migraines. Topamax stopped the sensation for me (so far), so in my case I am sure it was related to migraine activity. You might want to talk to your neurologist about it.

Really? I'm going to ask to try this tomorrow! I've had pins and needles on my forehead and nose since I was 12, mostly in late afternoons or evenings, depending on when my day began. It's been diagnosed as migraine, but nothing I've tried yet (mainly elavil and neurontin) affects it. I do think it's related to my OH, because it feels vascular; but what do I know?

[Katybug]

I asked my POTS neuro about this last week. He said it is my sympathetic nervous system reacting to what it perceives as my need for catecholamine release from being orthostatically stressed. He said it is the same reaction to midodrine (except I'm not on it.) He suggested that when it happens, I sit down on a park bench or even the curb for a few minutes to calm the reaction. He said he suspects I can make it go away like that but if it doesn't to call him and we'll have to look into it further.

[looneymom]

Have you found any relief for your problem? Just wondering if you have tried wearing compression hose or the abdominal binder. I'm ordering compression hose for my son to see if this will help.

[Katybug]

I have compression stockings. I have to be careful about wearing them. Some days they help but some days, when my BP isn't in the toilet, they actually make my symptoms worse. See my post just prior to yours for what my neuro had to say about it.