this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2024
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Painful sensitivity to touch? (lemmy.blahaj.zone)
submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/autism
13 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this. Things like my hair laying on the side of my head or bracelets cause a medium-intense aching pain on my head or arm. Some days, I'll have a pretty bad headache just from wearing a shirt, and I'll occasionally just have to take it off. It sounds like a milder form of allodynia, maybe? I know touch sensitivity is definitely a thing, but I've never known anyone who experiences it quite this way. It definitely scales with how well rested I am, too.

Anywho, I've tried searching for this before, but it only somehow just now occurred to me to ask my fellow neuro-spicies if this is common. Thanks!

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[–] nzeayn 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I've only ever found two real studies on topic of tactile processing issues. reading the descriptions of tactile defensiveness made me feel less crazy.

The neurological process of light touch and movement being miss communicated to include a fight or flight response. The stress to muscles and joints that goes with constantly supressing a low level fight or flight response.

I've found it helpful when explaining to people hoe it is for me at least. To ask them to describe their physical response to something like a jump scare, someone startles you from behind kinda thing. then i ask if lightly moving their own hand over their arm causes the same feeling at like 1/3 the intensisty. Sure they usually say something along "thats not real". But damnit i was at least able to explain the experiance.

these links shouldnt have paywalls. i can poke around for new links if they do.

https://www.jneurosci.org/content/37/27/6475

https://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1186%2F2040-2392-3-6

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

That's a very interesting way to think about it, and as I think about an actual intense physical response like that, this kinda feels like a constant, low level version of that. Thanks for the articles! I definitely want to go dive into those.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I wouldn't say I've had it to such a degree, but I do have a sensitivity to touch (well, every sense). I don't have a problem if I am touching the thing (I am initiating the touch), but if the thing touches me (I am the recipient of the touch) I get this growing impulse to get away from it to the point of getting shaky. In some extreme cases it will feel like my skin is on fire even though there is no rash.

I do not know if your severity is common but I can easily see it being a thing.

[–] FollyDolly 4 points 3 months ago

I can get a version of this, but instead of heat it feels like my skin is full of bees.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yeah, that's kinda the vibe I get. It's definitely a receiving instead of initiating thing for me, too. I don't know that it's worse (because skin on fire sounds awful), but it's kinda different.

[–] BugleFingers 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

When I'm super tired, really over stimulated, have a migrane, or have far too little sleep my skin can be extremely sensitive. I just can't wear a shirt or move my hair. I can feel the temperature and soft breezes almost burn. It's not exactly like a burn but I lack the words to describe the sensation.

I already know that I have sensation issues though so I've never looked too hard into it, but at least you now know that other's get it too!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Yup, and that's mostly what I was looking for. I just kinda assumed it was an autism-related sensitivity thing, but it's nice to have confirmation. Thanks for sharing!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

I dont get pain from touch, i do get sever frustration and irritability from gentle touches

[–] Lokiya 3 points 3 months ago

When I'm overstimulated or migrainey my skin becomes sensitive to touch. So that when I am touched I have a burning sensation and oddly enough light touches are more painful than a normal touch. I often describe it as the same feeling from when I am running a fever that makes my skin burn and I get painful goosebumps all over. (The painful goosebumps happen with a migraine more than being overstimulated.)

Also I can't stand repetitive touch, like when holding hands and the other person rubs their thumb back and forth over your hand. These repetitive motions quickly become painful and can often set off my whole body becoming too sensitive. Another weird touch thing is light touches on my back, this almost always causes my how body to start itching. It's sooo annoying and something I have to constantly remind my partner about.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

It's progressive for me, sweat feel uncomfortable then irritating, tiring, and finally painful/burning. But it also depend of my mindset, I'm a lot less tolerant at home where I should rest.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Yeah that sounds about right unfortunately. And fibro is a diagnoses of exclusion but there are specific body parts that are more sensitive and that’s pretty easy to test for. The doctor basically pokes you and sees if you flinch in pain or not lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I have fibromyalgia along with audhd and this actually sounds a lot like my experience. You should look into that maybe!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

I've considered it before, but maybe I should look into it a bit more concertedly! Every time I've gone into a doctor for a long term condition, they inevitably tell me to take B12 for 2 months and come back, and by that time I've usually lost my motivation for doing something about it. 😆