Comments on: Strange Sensation

Question: Strange Sensation

stray — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 20:51:16 -0800

Sometimes a spot on my scalp crawls.

Sometimes a spot on my scalp, seemingly around the size of a quarter or two, will have a strange sensation. It's a little bit like the feeling you get when your hair is parted in the wrong direction, except that my hair isn't. It's like a crawling feeling, like someone's touching you, or even like someone's pouring lukewarm water onto the spot. Does anybody else get this? What is it?

By: JujuB

JujuB — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 20:53:10 -0800

Headlice?

By: stray

stray — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 20:59:34 -0800

*grins* I don't think so--it's always one spot, and scratching doesn't really affect it. I feels very "in my brain", if that makes sense.

By: Burhanistan

Burhanistan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:01:01 -0800

Is it just that spot and no other oddities conjoined with it like spots in your vision, headaches or something like that? If there's no mental or other physical activity associated with the strange sensation, just scratch it a bit and take a breath.

By: crewshell

crewshell — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:01:02 -0800

I get that sometimes too... haven't in a while but I can relate... wish I had more to say but at least you know your not alone!

By: Burhanistan

Burhanistan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:02:54 -0800

If it's "in your brain" does it happen when your mood or state of awareness change, or does it signal or precipitate some change of state?

By: stray

stray — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:09:31 -0800

I can't say that I've noticed it connected to anything. I do get migraines with visual flares, but that doesn't seem connected to the sensation.

The reason I asked today is that it's been happening for the last few hours and is a little annoying. It seems to go away if I rub the spot, but comes back a few minutes later.

I did bump my head a little doing some stage fighting earlier today, if anyone things that could be connected, although I think it has happened before without having bumped my head.

By: hortense

hortense — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:26:21 -0800

erector pili

By: np312

np312 — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:36:41 -0800

Sometimes when I'm sweating a little tiny bit, even on a cold day when no other part of my body feels sweaty and I've only just exerted myself a little, I get a really itchy sensation on the top of my head from tiny tiny amounts of sweat.

Gross, I know. But I guess I sweat there first, or feel it first or something. Drives me crazy.

By: frogan

frogan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 23:24:04 -0800

You have muscles and connective tissue under your scalp, like you do everywhere else. Could just be various twinges.

By: wsg

wsg — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 01:35:13 -0800

Botfly? (/devil's advocate)

By: notsnot

notsnot — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:16:06 -0800

I get a sensation much like you describe when I've had too much caffeine - right along the part, like it's gonna drift off of my scalp. (under these circumstances, I usually feel like I can *feel* my fingernails grow. I"m talking six Dews in four hours)

By: Sangre Azul

Sangre Azul — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:53:06 -0800

I get the same feeling, too (especially the lukewarm water feel). Irritating as all hell.

Mine is related to some extensive scarring on and under my scalp (everything got shifted around due to reconstructive surgery involving use of implanted skin expander balloons). So, trauma could be related. Aside from the bump on your head, do you have any long-term injuries near that spot?

By: jennyjenny

jennyjenny — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 07:40:23 -0800

I had that for a while. I was wondering aloud to a friend what it was, and she said "let me look at your head." While she was looking, I asked her what she was looking for. "Oh, all my sisters had head lice, and I was really good at finding them." "I don't have head lice! There's no way I could have them. What do they look like?" And she plucked a hair from my head, showed it to me, and said, "like this!"

Just sayin'.

By: o0dano0o

o0dano0o — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 07:56:03 -0800

I have had that feeling while drinking yerba mate.

By: goml

goml — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 09:52:52 -0800

May I suggest searching the term Trichotillomania? I certainly do not mean to infer you suffer from Trich, I just think you may find good information in that area since the crawling scalp sensation is a known trichotillomania trigger.

By: thinkpiece

thinkpiece — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:49:36 -0800

I've had that feeling from MSG in food.

By: SMELLSLIKEFUN

SMELLSLIKEFUN — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 13:05:56 -0800

I get that frequently and it is similar in sensation to an eye twitch. It creeps me out. I have not found a way to relieve it either. My uneducated guess is lactic acid build-up. I have no science to back it up though.

By: Spike

Spike — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:12:47 -0800

I get a sensation very similar to the one you're describing when I first wake up in the morning. If I don't shower within about 15 minutes of waking up, it drives me bloody insane. Might I suggest one of those deep/scalp-cleansing shampoos?

Also, I second the recommendation to read about Trichotillomania. I have an ex who has this, and she always said that's how it felt.