Please help me understand an odd medical event.

July 30, 2009 6:24 PM

Please help me understand an odd personal medical event. Ever since I was little I've had this funny thing happen from time to time and I've never understood what it is or heard of anyone else having it. My inner ears gets a "pressure" type feeling like when you are trying to pop them by opening your jaw and straining slightly. The funny thing is, this happens very uncomfortably with a strange powerful itch/funny feeling on my inner thigh/privates. It is quick and intense and rare, it stops when I itch. I have no idea what it is and would appreciate any explanation. Thanks!
posted by gibbsjd77 to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

Perhaps it has something to do with this?
posted by wafaa at 7:08 PM on July 30, 2009

I occasionally get a sensation like that in my inner ears, coupled with a powerful itch on the tip of my chin, on the roof of my mouth, and the crown of my head... the latter three are all in a line straight through my head, from crown to chin.

It lasts for several minutes and is not responsive to scratching / rubbing.

Similarly, if I scratch a bite or spot on the top of my thigh, I can feel it not just in my thigh but on my upper back.

Who knows? Maybe various nerves can be shortcircuited to one another in the brain, or run close to each other...
posted by blue_wardrobe at 7:54 PM on July 30, 2009

You should talk to a Chinese acupuncturist.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:08 PM on July 30, 2009

Best answer: My understanding is that the somatosensory cortex, being all bunched up in the brain, places tissue for disparate parts of the body right next to each other so that electrical stimulation from one area can spill into electrical stimulation for another (find one of those "homunculus" representations of the somatosensory cortex in an intro to psych textbook to see what I mean). If I scratch my stomach in a certain spot I can feel a faint tingling on my ankle.
posted by ms.codex at 11:18 PM on July 30, 2009

I have a spot on the inside of my elbow, which when tickled lightly, will always cause a strange itching sensation on my tongue. I realize this is of no real help to you, but at least I was finally able to admit it on the internet.

Just curious, do you itch your thigh/private area or your ear in order to relieve the feeling?
posted by orme at 8:29 AM on July 31, 2009

Response by poster: I do itch it to stop the feeling. Thanks for the feedback.
posted by gibbsjd77 at 7:04 PM on July 31, 2009