The sense of touch is an integral part of the human experience. A strong bonding mechanism is being contacted by others, whether through a handshake, a smile, or a pat on the back, and it can also improve a sense of general well-being.
Chronic pain can disrupt other people’s ability to touch, smell, carry, or keep. One of the most daunting examples of this happens as we acquire serious sensitivities that are normally not unpleasant to touch from items. The medical term for this is allodynia, and from a non-painful stimulation, it means something is painful, and people must need pain management doctors in OKC. Imagine rubbing the hand’s back gently with a cotton ball. At the very least, that shouldn’t hurt, but now imagine that’s suddenly combined with the sensation of extreme hand pain.
This type of extreme touch sensitivity can affect a person’s life dramatically. They may avoid using an affected part of the body completely, like a hand in our example, or they may even avoid leaving the house out of fear that being around others may risk contact with the sensitive part of the body.
Nerve pain, also known as neuropathic pain, is one of the most common types of pain that can lead to allodynia. One nerve pain syndrome often associated with allodynia’s cantankerous manifestations is a complex regional pain syndrome or CRPS. After some form of tissue trauma, CRPS can be a chronic pain condition that usually involves an extremity such as an arm or leg.
Allodynia Symptoms
Allodynia’s main symptom is discomfort from the stimulation that normally does not cause pain. You can consider hot or cold temperatures uncomfortable in some cases. You can find it painful to have gentle pressure on your body. You can feel pain along your skin or hair in reaction to brush or with similar other movements.
You may also encounter other symptoms of allodynia.
If it is caused by fibromyalgia, for example, you may also experience:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trouble Concentrating
- Trouble Sleeping
- Fatigue
If it’s linked to migraines, you might also experience:
- Painful headaches
- Increased sensitivity to light or sounds
- Changes in your vision
- Nausea
Allodynia Causes
Some underlying conditions can lead to allodynia. It is most commonly associated with symptoms of fibromyalgia and migraine. It may also be caused by postherpetic neuralgia and peripheral neuropathy.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a body-wide condition where you experience muscle and joint pain. But it is not linked to an accident or an arthritis-like disease. It seems connected to how the brain processes the body’s pain signals. It is still a medical mystery. Researchers don’t know their origins, but they run in communities. Some viruses, stress, or trauma may also cause fibromyalgia.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine is a form of headache-causing severe pain. This headache is triggered by nerve signal changes and the brain’s chemical activity and can bring allodynia.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral Neuropathy occurs when you injure or kill the nerves linked to your body, the spinal cord, and, of course, the brain. It can come from a variety of severe medical conditions. It’s a potential risk of diabetes, for example.
Postherpetic Neuralgia
The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia. This is a disease caused by the chicken pox virus varicella-zoster virus. It can damage your nerves and lead to neuralgia postherpetic. A potential symptom of postherpetic neuralgia is increased sensitivity to touch.
Contact Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management for pain management doctors in OKC. We also offer Occipital Nerve Blocks.
**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.
