Can anyone explain this psychosomatic sensation/pain?
August 2, 2020 3:49 AM Subscribe
For the last many years, whenever I hear or think about a certain kind of physical pain/trauma, I get this electric-zap feeling in my legs. I'd like to understand it a bit better (and ideally get rid of it), but I have no idea what it is! Does this ring any bells to anyone?
To help explain further, the trigger here is always hearing or thinking about something physically painful - but not *all* painful things. Like someone telling me about their teeth getting removed, or I'm daydreaming about falling or having an accident, or if I'm getting surgery, envisioning what will happen or what it will look like, etc. The feeling itself is only in my legs, and the overall feeling is kind of like a reflex, like how some people get the chills from nails on a chalkboard perhaps - It's a split second kind of 'lightning-bolt' feeling but only in my legs.
It's not like a super-frequent thing, but it happens enough, say once every orther day or so to be midly annoying, and happening for a number of years now that I'm just very curious! It's not painful or stopping me from doing normal activities etc.
Also I can't 'will' it to happen by specifically envisioning or recalling things. It only happens randomly when these thoughts come up on their own accord. I've asked my therapist about it who just said it was probably because I was a very empathetic person (ha!). Also, I'm 99.9 percent it's not neural pain - as I've had my fair share of that, and there is no physical trigger - it's a mental one.
Anway, hope this doesn't sound too crazy... If anyone has ever heard of anything like this or experienced something similar, I'd love to hear more!
To help explain further, the trigger here is always hearing or thinking about something physically painful - but not *all* painful things. Like someone telling me about their teeth getting removed, or I'm daydreaming about falling or having an accident, or if I'm getting surgery, envisioning what will happen or what it will look like, etc. The feeling itself is only in my legs, and the overall feeling is kind of like a reflex, like how some people get the chills from nails on a chalkboard perhaps - It's a split second kind of 'lightning-bolt' feeling but only in my legs.
It's not like a super-frequent thing, but it happens enough, say once every orther day or so to be midly annoying, and happening for a number of years now that I'm just very curious! It's not painful or stopping me from doing normal activities etc.
Also I can't 'will' it to happen by specifically envisioning or recalling things. It only happens randomly when these thoughts come up on their own accord. I've asked my therapist about it who just said it was probably because I was a very empathetic person (ha!). Also, I'm 99.9 percent it's not neural pain - as I've had my fair share of that, and there is no physical trigger - it's a mental one.
Anway, hope this doesn't sound too crazy... If anyone has ever heard of anything like this or experienced something similar, I'd love to hear more!
When I hear/see/ someone talking,or I read about being cut, losing a limb, being stabbed etc both of my legs go numb/tingling and and the overall feeling takes my breath away. Very uncomfortable. I hope someone here has a name for this kind of thing.
posted by james33 at 5:19 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by james33 at 5:19 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
I get that exact feeling - the lightening bolt down the backs of my legs - but only with scary situations that produce a palpable adrenaline rush; for me, it’s only certain kinds of scary situations that do it, and it’s always immediately preceded by an intense but fleeting upper abdominal cramp. It happens only rarely for me, since it’s triggered by a very specific kind of intense fear. I’ve always assumed, in a vague, non-medical way, that it’s a by-product of the adrenaline’s effect on the circulatory system, priming my legs to be ready to flee! run away! from the scary situation.
I also get physical ‘sympathy pains’ in situations like the ones you describe, but not in my legs. Mine are an unpleasant shivery tingle feeling in my, uh, crotch area.
posted by wind_up_horse at 5:34 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
I also get physical ‘sympathy pains’ in situations like the ones you describe, but not in my legs. Mine are an unpleasant shivery tingle feeling in my, uh, crotch area.
posted by wind_up_horse at 5:34 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
I get this too. It usually starts at the base of my spine, or in the medulla oblongata region. It may be my brain just reminding me that hey, what you're thinking about? It's bad. Don't do it. Very bad. Then it sends a zap to underscore its point.
When I get it in my legs, though, it makes me wonder if my brain is going FLIGHT FLIGHT FLIGHT and prepping my muscles to flee.
Having a body sucks sometimes, TBH.
posted by Kitchen Witch at 5:52 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
When I get it in my legs, though, it makes me wonder if my brain is going FLIGHT FLIGHT FLIGHT and prepping my muscles to flee.
Having a body sucks sometimes, TBH.
posted by Kitchen Witch at 5:52 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
OMG! I get something very similar and have been so curious as to whether it was something others experience, but never had any idea of how to even begin to go about Googling it.
For me it is an intense tingling, crawling sensation that starts at the bottom of my buttocks and zings down the back of my legs, and sort of throbs in my lower spine. And yes, it is in response to seeing or hearing about certain types of injuries. I experience it often while watching Ridiculousness (a show that features clips from the internet, many of which are people hurting themselves doing dumb stuff. Like a guy falling off a skateboard going top speed and skidding down the road on his nipple...)
I used to say "ahhhhh... that makes my butt crawl!" when something triggered the sensation but nobody ever seemed to understand what I meant so I don't say that any more... lol.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 6:35 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
For me it is an intense tingling, crawling sensation that starts at the bottom of my buttocks and zings down the back of my legs, and sort of throbs in my lower spine. And yes, it is in response to seeing or hearing about certain types of injuries. I experience it often while watching Ridiculousness (a show that features clips from the internet, many of which are people hurting themselves doing dumb stuff. Like a guy falling off a skateboard going top speed and skidding down the road on his nipple...)
I used to say "ahhhhh... that makes my butt crawl!" when something triggered the sensation but nobody ever seemed to understand what I meant so I don't say that any more... lol.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 6:35 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Well well well! This is the exact thing I experience, and it is what got me to listen to the podcast Every Little Thing. Listen to the episode Pain in My Butt, where they discuss it with an expert.
Basically yes, this is sympathy/empathy pain. When someone with this sees, or experiences a description, of something painful, they'll get what I unpoetcially call "pain in my thighs and my butthole clenches". I don't believe it's something you can get rid of, just a symptom of having a sensitive/empathetic brain.
posted by wellifyouinsist at 7:01 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
Basically yes, this is sympathy/empathy pain. When someone with this sees, or experiences a description, of something painful, they'll get what I unpoetcially call "pain in my thighs and my butthole clenches". I don't believe it's something you can get rid of, just a symptom of having a sensitive/empathetic brain.
posted by wellifyouinsist at 7:01 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
Oh God. I get this too. But for me, it stays in my butt. I always thought I was a weirdo. Then again, maybe I am a weirdo in the best possible way.
posted by kathrynm at 9:44 AM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by kathrynm at 9:44 AM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I get it too. Especially from people looking down from high places. Back of the legs and the... uh... family jewels.
posted by Splunge at 10:11 AM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Splunge at 10:11 AM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yes! This has been happening to me for as long as I can remember. It's like a brief jolt of pain down the backs of my legs, and it happens when I see or hear/read/think about something that must be painful for someone else (usually another human, but even animals a couple times). I am comforted to know that others experience this too.
posted by Boogiechild at 3:49 PM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Boogiechild at 3:49 PM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
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posted by oh yeah! at 4:30 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]