Prickly sensations legs, neck, face

Posted , 11 users are following.

Hello. I've read several posts and am relieved that I'm not alone in wondering if my nerve symptoms might be related to hormones and menopause. I am in my early 50's and had my last period 1.5 years ago. About a year ago I started to get sharp, prickly sensations that started in my neck and thighs, then progressed to many other areas - including my face, arms, feet. The sensations come on many times daily, and seem to be very random. I also had some episodes of numb feeling in my face, which would last an hour or so. It was pretty scary at first, came out of nowhere and a bit more intense at first. After 6 months it seemed to become more low grade, but now has increased in frequency again. I've seen my family doc, 2 neurologists and had an MRI of my head. All normal. I also have a health care background and realized that the symptoms really didn't match any typical neurological pictures. I was told by the neurologists it might be due to some type of infection, which may be the case, but I started to seriously think about my shift in hormones. I've been trying to stretch daily, and do a lot of walking, just trying to stay healthy and positive but it's hard to ignore these symptoms when they occur so frequently.

I see some others have had the prickly sharp pain. It would be great to hear how long it lasted , did you continue with your regular activity, and did you find anything that helped?

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Edited

    hi there Rhomo - its really scary when it happens right? i have had so many weird nerve related pains in the last 6 years that all i can chalk it up to is that with decreasing hormones our nervous system gets compromised somehow. i first started out with this "hot spot" that would travel around my thighs & backside then i started getting tingling hands & feet especially at night, then electric "jolts" & vibrating sensation starting happening & then came the wonderful burning body parts....like a really intense sunburn only skin wasnt red or hot. that started on the front of my calves, then to my chest & back - the burning always seems to come on at night specifically between 2:00 - 4:00 in the morning - the burning has been so intense that it landed me in the ER, after multiple scans, tests etc...Nada - the tingling has been going on for a good 3 years, burning started about 1 1/2 years ago - i just try & not react to it anymore, but every so often, i will get a unfamiliar zap, that gets my attention - i try to just keep moving, relaxing, & try to take care of myself - hopefully, ill wake up fromthis nightmare one day -

    • Posted

      hi debra

      thanks for your message and understanding. yes, its pretty unsettling and hard to ignore sharp random pains. my strategy has been same as yours, trying to just keep active and busy, and stretching alot. im not sure what else to do.

    • Edited

      just the way I feel. just when you think you are getting better, it pops it head with different syptoms again. Thank God for this platform. Really helpful. Anything u used for the tingling feet? it's horrible and annoying. I pray God helps us through this phase IJN. Amen

  • Posted

    Hope you feel better soon!!! Just today I was talking to this woman and she was telling me she is done with periods BUT 2 days ago she had all this numbness in her and she stayed in bed all day because it was very scary.. We just both agreed it was due to the cold, aging and hormones.. Women go thru so much with their bodies... And also today I had the talk radio on and the topic was healthy food and about all the garbage that is in our food making ppl sick.. Could be true. This woman called in because she was having painful and heavy periods at about 30 and Dr didn't want to do hysterectomy on her b-cuz she wanted kids.. But she said she changed her diet to Vegan and it helped so much with everything-- female problems, more energy, sleep ,etc..... So I don't know. I am making changes but I should do more for myself to stay healthy and strong.

  • Posted

    can relate only too well. All tests coming back normal. It's hard to know what's nerves or hormones. Feel like im going mad! So hard to believe the skin sensations that im feeling , mainly during sleep. It'a a little bit of a relief to read of similiar experiences. Thanks for sharing.

    • Posted

      are you also getting the prickly/sharp pain, kind of all over the place?

    • Posted

      i get different skin sensations. Buzzing under the skin, pins& needles tingling sensation and numb body parts at times, always during sleep. I have to shake it out. Last night my joints did feel a little achy. Can't believe this is happening !

  • Posted

    HI Rohmo,, DO YOU OR ANY ONE GET THIS SENSATION IN YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU SLEEP? Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and my whole hand is like prickling sensations almost like the whole hand is asleep but I was not laying on it,, scary almost makes you feel you have some kind of heart problem or something also have had random pin pricks all over my body when I lay down and rest for bed all over,,, sometimes lasts for hours...That symptom went away for me in early peri. Hope it does for you!! HUGS GIRLIExxxx

    • Posted

      Yes, that sounds exactly like me at the moment. I'm always relieved to hear it from other women. I can't work out if its underlying nerves or hormones. It can be so worrying. I'm trying to keep busy and active as much as possible. Really hard when these symptoms wake you up during sleep. THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

    • Posted

      I was having extremly high estrogen and I think testosterone because I was so aggressive it was terrible almost like a young man that wants to fight everybody it was horrible,, I MAY POST TO OTHER LADIES ABOUT THIS! It lasted so long like a whole year so I started drinking wine to calm down one of my girlfriend suggested and I really didn't drink before and found I was doing it way more then I should,, I FELT LIKE A CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.... was horrible,, so was very worried it was from drinking wine... Went to doc he checked my hormones and told me I was in meno I told him no way as I am still having my period, LONG STORY SHORT THAT WAS 4 YEARS AGO AND I STILL HAVE MY PERIOD,,, that is when I realized these people are clueless!!! Hugs to you!!!xxxx

  • Posted

    I had it across my chest and upper arms. It felt like getting randomly poked with a pin or being pinched. It was very odd and anxiety inducing.

  • Posted

    I've had your post in my e-mail for several weeks meaning to respond. I began to have all kinds of crazy neuro symptoms about two months ago - random buzzing and electrical jolts around the body, scalp and face tingling with a sensation that felt like crawling skin across my forehead, eye twitching and random twitches on my back and legs and incessant chills. I am almost 48 (in just a few days) and I would say in perimenopause for about three years. I saw a midlife OB/GYN specialist at the end of October. She was not reassuring and referred me to a neurologist (who I can't get in to see until the end of January). At the time of my most intense symptoms I had been under tremendous amounts of stress. Since that time, most of my worst symptoms have gotten better or resolved. The scalp sensations still linger when I get overly anxious. I think so much of what we experience is a combination of unstable/declining hormones triggering anxiety. The symptoms only further the anxiety, and the anxiety increases the symptoms. It's like a cycle. One exacerbates the other. You have to find a way to break the cycle. I have been cutting back on my obligations, avoiding toxic people, and meditating. This seems to help. But anytime I get an uptick in anxiety, it seems to increase symptoms and the cycle starts all over.

    Angela

  • Posted

    Hi Rhono

    I get something similar. my legs get hot, feels burny, creepy and crawly like under skin and sometimes it feels numb.. specially my right bottom leg... I hate it... at night my whole body feels burny... it sucks... but hang in there... we are all in the same boat

    sending hugs...

    Tams

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