Hyperesthesia: definition, symptoms, causes and treatment
What would happen if, suddenly, you could feel more intensely all the physical sensations around you? Surely you think it would be wonderful to be able to feel more intensely the whole range of pleasurable and positive sensations that we can get to live (hugs, caresses, kisses ...) but ... What would happen if that "superpower" would lead you, moreover, to feel more intensely the painful and annoying sensations?
In this article we are going to talk about hyperesthesia , a little known perception disorder that should not be confused with hypesthesia.
- Related article: "The 13 types of pain (causes and symptoms)"
What is hyperesthesia?
The word hyperesthesia comes from hyper- and a derivative of the Greek αἴσθησις, sensitivity . We can define hyperesthesia as a perceptive condition that leads to an abnormal increase in sensitivity to stimuli or sensations, in general tactile. It is a sensory distortion that leads us to feel sensations very intensely, even those that belong to low intensity stimuli (eg, the rubbing of clothing on the skin).
Not to be confused with hypesthesia or paresthesia
We will concretely define the two terms (hypoesthesia and paresthesia) so that it does not give rise to confusion:
Hypoesthesia consists of a decrease in sensitivity (the opposite of hyperesthesia), and paresthesia is an abnormal sensation of the senses that results in tingling, numbness, and so on. These alterations are produced by a pathology in any sector of the structures of the Central or Peripheral Nervous System .
symptom
As a rule, People suffering from hyperesthesia experience most unpleasant sensations through touch , although there are cases in which the senses of sight and hearing are also affected.
Although there may be occasional moments of very intense reactions to stimuli, people with hyperesthesia usually feel sensations of tingling, tingling or dullness almost permanently throughout the day.
It should be noted that the person suffering from hyperesthesia can suffer very high levels of anxiety, depression, which can lead to isolation and total interference in their daily life (work, social, family and personal). Abnormal reactions to stimuli can appear at any time of the day, and there lies one of the most interfering elements of hyperesthesia.
From the moment that almost any sensory element from the outside can be extremely annoying to the person, there is an interference in their normal rhythm of life. For example, as we have mentioned before, the friction of certain clothes, the intensity of the light (it can become unbearable for the eyes), the contact with warm or hot water, covering with a blanket, shaving or waxing ... Even physical and sexual contact with other people.
Let's say that the sensitive threshold of the person is far below what is adaptively better for the human being , so that before the same stimulus with the same intensity they will feel by default more pain than a person without hyperesthesia. Thus, the resistance to pain is much lower. What for us could be pleasurable and self-care activities (getting a massage, apply scrub on the skin, waxing ...) for these people could hardly be tolerated.
The variables that determine that the stimulus is considered negative are the intensity of the stimulus, the speed with which it occurs and / or the number of stimuli. Some people may feel more rejection of the touch of a particular garment (eg, a sweater) because of its intensity, and another person with this condition may feel intense tactile negative sensations in various regions of their body and through multiple stimuli (eg, several pieces of clothing at a time).
Dental or dentine hyperesthesia
Surely more than once you have felt at some point in your life an intense reaction to the annoying or painful feeling generated by contact with a cold food (who has not made the mistake of wanting to eat an ice cream too fast?).
This type of hyperesthesia is specific to the dental area. It is characterized by experiencing an exaggerated response to thermal stimuli in the dental region . As you know, it usually manifests itself with a sharp and short (even pungent) pain in the teeth that are exposed. This may be due to the loss of tooth enamel due to erosion, periodontal disease or aggressive and abrasive brushing.
Causes
Fortunately, hyperesthesia is an uncommon condition.The majority of cases are due to a primary cause (psychopathology or consumption of psychoactive substances), and it is understood that it is a secondary symptom to these causes. We will detail each of them.
Psychopathologies comorbid to hyperesthesia
- Mania : some subjects suffering from Type I Bipolar Disorder who are undergoing a manic episode may experience hyperesthesia, although it is usually an uncommon symptom. Experts have hypothesized that the activation and arousal generated by the mania would be responsible for lowering the sensitive threshold and causing this so annoying perceptive condition.
- Psychotic disorders In these cases, hyperesthesia is usually more prevalent, but in no case is it a typical symptom of psychotic disorders. However, the mental disorder in which more cases of hyperesthesia are discernible is schizophrenia. Although there is no body of conclusive research in this regard, it is believed that alterations in brain functioning cause the appearance of this perceptive condition.
Substances susceptible to generating hyperesthesia
- Psychoactive substances (cocaine, methamphetamine) : as a result of the consumption of these substances an increase in the sensorial sensibility of the person can be originated. In this type of cases, hyperesthesia usually occurs parallel to the intoxication of the psychoactive substance, so it disappears when the psychoactive effects of the drug are over.
- Heroin use : sedatives and opiates can cause hyperesthesia. In several studies heroin use has been positively related to the experimentation of these sensations.
This disproportionate sensitivity resulting from stimuli and sensations can lead the person to abuse substances to cope with the situation (such as cocaine or alcohol), and psychological problems such as anxiety or clinical depression.
