What is causing this tingling in my body?

August 15, 2005 5:27 PM

What is causing this tingling in my body?

When I find out or realize something shocking or very surprising, I get this tingling sensation in the back part of my body. The tingling starts from my lower back and travels to the upper part. It usually lasts for about a second or two and feels like a weak electrical shock.

I also get the same sensation in my legs, but only when someone describes a great pain or shows me a really bad wound. It starts from the bottom of my legs and stops at my hips.

My mom says that its common in her side of the family and my dad says it doesn't happen to him. Could it be my nerves? Does this happen to anyone else?

posted by daninnj to health & fitness (14 answers total)

Arg, I just found this post while clicking on my tags. Oh well.
posted by daninnj at 5:31 PM on August 15, 2005

If you believe in it, it is chi. http://www.healing-systems.com/chi.html
posted by mic stand at 7:25 PM on August 15, 2005

There was another thread about something similar that someone got falling asleep. These idiosyncratic spark sensations, seem to be fairly common, but I don't think they have a categorical name (though I'm sure ikkyu will clarify for us).
posted by abcde at 7:27 PM on August 15, 2005

This is actually fairly common, and results from reflex stimulation of your sympathetic nervous system. It's thought to be a remnant of our old 'fight-or-flight' response to stressors, but in modern life, the stressors are typically scary movies or seeing blood for example. Sometimes people experience these symptoms during panic attacks as well. As the sympathetic nervous system gets amped up, a whole host of things happen in just about every organ system: your pupils dilate, your gut shuts down, your heartrate goes up, you become hypervigilant, you may notice goose bumps or your hair standing on end, and finally there are changes in your blood vessels. The last of these is the cause of your symptoms, most likely. Blood vessels supplying the skin constrict so your blood supply is diverted to more essential and oxygen-dependent organs (heart, brain, etc). As that happens a sensation of tingling or flushing is often felt.
posted by drpynchon at 8:23 PM on August 15, 2005

Fear........
posted by Mack Twain at 8:45 PM on August 15, 2005

The offer to hook one of you tingly young ladies up to electrodes still stands.
posted by ikkyu2 at 9:30 PM on August 15, 2005

Different people have different relationships between their brain and their bodies via the autonomic nervous system. My wife feels emotional distress as physical pain and discomfort in various parts of her bodies for example.

So probably the way you are wired.
posted by singingfish at 9:33 PM on August 15, 2005

Here's yet another AskMeFi on the same topic.
posted by ikkyu2 at 10:18 PM on August 15, 2005

FWIW, I get this when I eat a lot of NoDoz. Go Chi.
posted by angry modem at 10:24 PM on August 15, 2005

Its love, or robutussin.
posted by punkbitch at 10:59 PM on August 15, 2005

I tingle all the time. I tingle when I sit funny. I tingle in these sorts of situations. I tingle as a precursor to panic attacks. I tingle when I exercise. I really want to go to San Franciso & get hooked up to ikkyu's electrodes.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry.
posted by dame at 11:07 PM on August 15, 2005

SEE the movie that the science academy DOESN'T WANT YOU TO SEE!!!
posted by mkultra at 7:01 AM on August 16, 2005

You could be vitamin B1 deficient, I used to have similar symtoms. Basically I used to get like a shock/pins and needles feeling in my arms. I dunno what vitamit B1 does to help this, maybe its to do with the circulation.

Vitamin B1 is found in breakfast cerials such as weetabix, shredded wheat or get a multi vitamin suppliment.
posted by spooksie at 8:05 AM on August 16, 2005

I get that sort of reaction to things, beautiful music, something scary, skin contact. When I've had the presence of mind, and looked at my skin, it's covered in goosebumps.

What actually causes it, I don't know, but it's very enjoyable most of the time.
posted by tomble at 10:00 PM on August 16, 2005