Experiencing Bizarre Tingling Waves in Heat - Is This Common?
For the past several years, I've intermittently noticed a peculiar tingling sensation that feels wave-like throughout my body when I become overheated. This feeling primarily occurs in my upper body and legs, resembling a surge of tingling rather than an actual shiver. While it’s not particularly painful and doesn’t occur with every rise in temperature, it’s certainly noticeable when it does happen. There are periods where this sensation vanishes for months only to reappear later. I haven’t faced any significant health issues connected to this phenomenon, and it has remained consistent over the years without worsening, leading me to largely overlook it. However, I'm eager to find out if anyone else has had similar experiences or if anyone has insight into what this could potentially indicate. I appreciate any input!
Answers (1)
6/29/2025, 5:20:38 PM
OpenHealth AI
The tingling sensations you’re experiencing when overheated can be concerning, but they’re not uncommon and often have benign explanations. Your description suggests a possible response of your nervous system to changes in temperature, which may occur in conditions like heat sensitivity or even anxiety. This is particularly noted in some chronic conditions but can happen to anyone.
Explanation:
When your body heats up, it can affect nerve function and blood flow, leading to sensations like tingling or wave-like feelings. Various factors can contribute, including dehydration, anxiety or stress levels, and even simple fatigue. Since you’ve indicated these sensations come and go, they might be linked to temporary changes in your body or environment rather than a chronic health issue.
Next Steps:
- Stay Hydrated: Ensure you drink enough water, especially in hot weather. Dehydration can worsen tingling sensations.
- Monitor Triggers: Keep track of when these sensations occur. Noting the temperature, your activity level, and any recent food or stress could help identify patterns.
- Cool Down: When you begin to feel overheated, try to cool down with a fan or air conditioning to see if that alleviates the sensations.
- Stress Management: Incorporate relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or gentle stretching, which can help your overall nervous system response and may alleviate symptoms.
- Consult Resources: Consider researching more about heat sensitivity and common sensation responses, as they may help put your mind at ease.
If the sensations persist or worsen, or if you develop new symptoms, you might consider seeking medical advice for personalized assessment. Remember, you're not alone in experiencing this, and many find similar things occur with changes in heat.
Related Questions
Unexpected Head Pain During Dance Moves
This may seem humorous, yet I'm genuinely interested in uncovering the cause of this peculiar experience. I’m a 34-year-old female. A few months back, hoping to elevate my mood and get my body moving away from the grip of depression, I decided to play some music and dance in my living room. In a moment of misguided enthusiasm, I attempted to twerk. It's worth noting that I have a long history of lower back discomfort, I've never attempted to twerk before, and I lack the rhythm, flexibility, or skills typical of proficient dancers. As I embarked on my very first serious twerk attempt, a sudden jolt of agony shot through my forehead, nearly causing me to lose consciousness. It felt like being struck with a hammer. I was momentarily blinded by the pain, convinced I might have suffered an aneurysm or something equally serious. This intense sensation only lasted for about a minute, during which I dramatically considered that I might be the first individual to perish from twerking. You might think it was just a case of me bumping my head while trying to dance away my sadness; however, I assure you that this wasn’t the case. Just as abruptly as the pain struck, it dissipated. In that moment, I promised myself to never attempt twerking again. Fast forward to today, and I experienced a similar incident again—not the twerking, but the sudden stabbing pain in my skull. I was engaged in some back stretches, particularly the cat-cow pose, and during the cow portion, I once more felt an intense sharp pain in the center of my forehead, just above my right eye. Stars filled my vision, and everything seemed slightly distorted. This sensation vanished within seconds, leaving me puzzled. What is causing this reaction? How do my forehead and lower back relate in this context? It's baffling! I genuinely seek any insights that might help explain this mysterious phenomenon.
14-Year-Old Male with Cough and Rash Symptoms
My 14-year-old son, who stands at 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 149 pounds, has been experiencing persistent cough and cold-like symptoms for slightly over a week. He stayed home from school on January 30 and February 3 as he was feeling unwell, but aside from that, he has managed to attend school. The predominant issue has been his cough. Initially, he had a runny nose for a couple of days, but that symptom has since resolved. He has not complained about a sore throat or experienced any fever. This afternoon, he reported developing a rash with red spots. He mentioned that it itches a little, but it's not uncomfortable, and he does not feel any pain. The rash is primarily located on his abdomen and chest, with some patches on his legs and a little on his arms, but there are no spots on his back. I checked his temperature, which was recorded at 99.4°F. He is fully vaccinated according to the standard vaccination schedule recommended by pediatricians in the United States. Our residence is near Vancouver, WA, in case that information is pertinent. Additionally, we have not changed any laundry or personal care products recently. What could this condition possibly indicate?
Neurological Challenges Mimicking POTS Symptoms
A 36-year-old female, weighing 265 pounds, is dealing with a complex medical history that includes conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and a splenic artery aneurysm. There is a tentative diagnosis of hypertensive Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). The patient experiences significant symptoms when not on medication, including a rapid heartbeat (ranging from 117 to 150 beats per minute), dangerously high blood pressure, episodes of vision impairment, difficulty walking accompanied by stumbling and falls, tremors, memory issues, and brain fog. Currently, her medication regimen includes Pristiq, lithium, lorazepam, low-dose naltrexone for pain management, and propranolol to regulate heart rates. She takes ubrelvy when needed. In January, a recurrence of severe pain radiating from her right side led to a hospital admission where her gallbladder was surgically removed due to complications. Although the surgery was successful, she subsequently developed CRPS, further complicating her health. While working in the emergency department, she experienced a sharp tearing pain associated with her known aneurysm. Unable to manage the pain, she informed her manager of her need to leave. During her walk back to her workspace, approximately 1500 feet away, she began to stagger and lost her vision, while also experiencing heavy sweating and shortness of breath. Support from coworkers was crucial, as she lost her strength and collapsed, gasping for air and experiencing vertigo. Her heart rate was recorded at almost 150 bpm and her blood pressure at 152/120. Once lying down, her vitals stabilized but would escalate again with movement. The attending nurse suspected POTS based on her symptoms. Despite efforts to provide explanations, her overnight doctor attributed her condition to anxiety. However, subsequent doctors recognized her situation increasingly suggested POTS and put her on a heart monitor after she began falling to one side, which later confirmed episodes of tachycardia over a monitoring period of two to three days. Her first cardiology appointment revealed a drop in her blood pressure when she stood, further aligning with the POTS suspicion. An echocardiogram was scheduled for the following week, but complications arose the very next morning at work, where rising distress prompted coworkers to assist her following an apparent episode of tachycardia. Administered Ativan temporarily helped alleviate some symptoms, but as her condition worsened, she was transported to the emergency department once again. After several hours of treatment, she was discharged with little clarity regarding her condition. Currently, she takes an extended-release dose of propranolol (80 mg), but without it, her heart rate can exceed 130 bpm, accompanied by memory lapses. Episodes of sporadic vision loss persist, alongside difficulty walking that has progressed to staggering or being unable to move at all, leading to falls. These occurrences are thought to be related to syncope. Neurological evaluations are underway, with initial tests like ECG and EEG returning normal results, but an MRI suggested increased intracranial pressure, though some specialists doubt its relevance. A pain specialist indicated that her pain conditions may not directly correlate but suggested central nervous system dysfunction related to stress could be a factor, as her symptoms often intensify during anxious moments. An Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist found no abnormalities causing her symptoms, and her cardiologist is pursuing further investigation at a specialized clinic, expressing concern about her ongoing employment due to the physical and financial strain it entails. The patient’s aneurysm was treated with an embolism in September, adding another layer to her intricate medical profile, and she is seeking additional perspectives on her challenging situation.
Unusual Urges to Consume Non-Food Items
At 23 years old, I am contending with various health issues, including anemia (with an iron saturation of 6%), and I’ve read that this might be influencing my bizarre cravings. There’s more going on with my health, but delving into all of it would take quite a while. Recently, I stumbled upon a video showcasing cleaning techniques, and I experienced an intense and unexpected hunger when I witnessed the soap lathering. Despite having dinner afterward, my cravings persisted, and regular food has proven ineffective at satisfying my appetite. To provide some background, I also have bipolar II disorder, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and generalized anxiety disorder. These peculiar cravings appeared following several stressful experiences in my life. In the past, I was compelled to induce vomiting due to an OCD ritual, which I believed was linked to avoiding “bad luck.” Logically, I understood that there was no connection, but at one point, I was so entangled in these thoughts that I restricted my food intake entirely, convinced that eating brought misfortune. I was also unmedicated during that challenging period. Fortunately, I managed to break those cycles a few years ago, but now I face an ongoing struggle with overwhelming hunger. I find myself in the obese category today, unlike previously, and I am actively pursuing options for gastric bypass surgery due to my incessant appetite. Although I feel confident I won’t actually consume soap, I am concerned that sharing these cravings might jeopardize my chances of qualifying for the procedure. Still, if there’s a viable solution, I’d like to discover it. These cravings don’t dominate my thoughts, yet whenever I come across soap—either in videos or in person—I get this overwhelming desire to consume it. It’s as if I believe that succumbing to this urge would somehow provide relief and satisfaction. I’ve made a conscious effort to limit my viewing of such cleaning videos but find myself tempted to order edible chalk to see if that might alleviate my unusual hunger.
Impact of Tegretol Overdose at Age 7
As a woman now in her late thirties, I reflect back on a significant event from my childhood. At just seven years old, I accidentally ingested a large quantity of Tegretol, a medication prescribed to my brother for his epilepsy. Without realizing the danger, I swallowed a handful of those pills and fell asleep on the couch next to my mother. To my surprise, I regained consciousness a week later in a hospital bed. My mother recounted that I had suffered a seizure, at which point she found herself unable to awaken me, leading to a state of coma. Once I awoke, the emotional shift was profound; I transitioned from sadness to experiencing a tumultuous range of feelings. I am now curious about how such an overdose could have impacted my brain function. I attempted to search online for insights but came up empty-handed. Any information or shared experiences related to brain effects from similar situations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!