Comments on: What is causing this tingling in my body?

Question: What is causing this tingling in my body?

daninnj — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 17:27:32 -0800

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?

By: daninnj

daninnj — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 17:31:13 -0800

Arg, I just found this post while clicking on my tags. Oh well.

By: mic stand

mic stand — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:25:54 -0800

If you believe in it, it is chi. http://www.healing-systems.com/chi.html

By: abcde

abcde — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:27:48 -0800

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).

By: drpynchon

drpynchon — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 20:23:57 -0800

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.

By: Mack Twain

Mack Twain — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 20:45:05 -0800

Fear........

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 21:30:43 -0800

The offer to hook one of you tingly young ladies up to electrodes still stands.

By: singingfish

singingfish — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 21:33:24 -0800

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.

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:18:48 -0800

Here's yet another AskMeFi on the same topic.

By: angry modem

angry modem — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:24:26 -0800

FWIW, I get this when I eat a lot of NoDoz. Go Chi.

By: punkbitch

punkbitch — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:59:17 -0800

Its love, or robutussin.

By: dame

dame — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 23:07:27 -0800

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.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 07:01:57 -0800

SEE the movie that the science academy DOESN'T WANT YOU TO SEE!!!

By: spooksie

spooksie — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 08:05:04 -0800

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.

By: tomble

tomble — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 22:00:52 -0800

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.