Many people have felt that something goes through their heads, wondering what to do in this strange situation at some point in life. Fortunately, it is a temporary symptom that can disappear spontaneously, either by applying a massage to improve circulation or by changing the activity you perform.
In other cases, it is usually the warning that the body suffers from an alteration such as stress, anxiety, circulatory disorders, nerve compression due to a herniated disc, or deficiency of both vitamins and minerals.
Many causes can give rise to the appearance of tingling or paresthesia in the head, as it is also known. Next, in this FastlyHealarticle, we ask, ” why do I feel that something is walking on my head and what to do to fix it.”
Table of Contents
Anxiety and stress
An anxiety crisis resulting from poor stress management can cause alterations in insensitivity, giving rise to that tingling sensation. It is widespread that it occurs in areas such as the face, tongue, or, in this case, on the head.
Treatment
Suppose it is paresthesia due to anxiety or stress; practice relaxation techniques that allow you to breathe better and promote blood circulation, such as yoga or Pilates. Both will allow you to control pressure as well as anxiety.
Head trauma
Suffering an accident or trauma to the head can cause damage to the nerves and muscles found in it, thus causing a series of symptoms such as headache, dizziness, tingling, blurred or double vision, nausea, and vomiting.
Treatment
In this case, the specialist in neurology will indicate the treatment after carrying out a physical examination and complementary studies that clarify the cause that is generating the sensation that something is walking through the head.
Migraine
It is popularly known as migraine, and headache is the characteristic symptom of this ailment that, at the same time, is accompanied by tingling in the face or head.
Migraine can manifest itself in the form of an aura, with acute symptoms before the headache appears. Some of them are vision with bright spots and tingling. Often the latter can appear on other parts such as the face, tongue, or lips.
Treatment
The treatment is symptomatic to alleviate the symptoms that affect the sufferer of this alteration. The doctor will indicate analgesics to relieve pain and preventive medicine to avoid or reduce the risk of frequently suffering from these malignant pictures. In this group are both antidepressants and antihypertensives.
Alteration of the facial nerves
The appearance of an inflammatory process on the face is usually the warning of a nervous alteration in this area, which can reach the head due to increased sensitivity in the affected area.
The nerves that are frequently affected and generate the tingling sensation in the head are:
- Trigeminal.
- Facial.
- Glosofaríngeo u occipital.
Treatment
This condition can recover entirely on its own or with treatment. However, you may need medications such as corticosteroids, which act as anti-inflammatories. In addition, antivirals will be indicated in severe cases.
Pharmacological treatment will be accompanied by physical therapy to stimulate paralyzed muscles during nerve injury.
dental problems
Some dental disorders such as pulpitis, dental abscess, or periodontitis usually cause nerve stimulation in the face and head, giving the sensation of tingling or that something is walking through that area of the body.
Treatment
If a dental problem with a tingling sensation in the head should be treated by the dentist, who will be in charge of checking the oral cavity and will determine the treatment to follow.
Nerve injuries
They can appear in the neck region due to muscle contractures or traumatic injuries. The appearance of herniated discs causes compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord, which gives rise to the formation of some symptoms such as dizziness, tingling, pain, and general malaise.
Treatment
The feeling that something is walking through your head is due to diseases caused by a nervous disorder. Medical treatment will be vital to reverse these symptoms and control the disease.
Herpes zoster
Herpes zoster is a viral infectious disease. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and can be found in different parts of the body such as the face, mouth, ears, scalp, or thoracic region. It is characterized by the appearance of very painful vesicle-type lesions or blisters.
It should be mentioned that the tingling and burning in some of these areas appear before the vesicular lesions appear, this is a characteristic symptom of this lesion.
Treatment
It is based on the indication of analgesics or anti-inflammatories and antivirals known as Acyclovir and Valaciclovir. These are indicated to combat the herpes virus.
They are indicated in different presentations according to the type of lesion present: orally, topically, or in injections.
Lyme’s disease
It is an infection caused by a bacterium called Borrelia Burgdorfer, which is spread in humans through the bite of black ticks that carry this bacterium.
This disease affects the nervous system and is evident by the appearance of:
- Pain.
- Numbness of the affected nerve.
- Tingling in different parts of the body.
- Weakness of the muscles of the face.
- Abnormal muscle movements
Treatment
Treatment for the control of this disease is based on oral antibiotics in the initial stage for 14 to 21 days. In cases where the nervous system is compromised, intravenous antibiotics will be required for the same period. This is to eliminate the infection and control the neurological symptoms that it causes.
Vitamin and mineral deficiency
Decreased levels of vitamin B1, B6, B12, or folic acid and sodium, potassium, or calcium cause anemia, circulation problems, and difficulty transmitting nerve impulses. This causes the appearance of numbness and tingling in the head and other parts of the body due to nerve involvement.
Treatment
If it is due to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, you must make changes in your eating habits and consume supplements that contain them. However, you must always do so by following your doctor’s instructions.
A side effect of medications
The consumption of benzodiazepines can generate withdrawal syndrome, which among other symptoms, causes tingling in the head and different parts of the body.
Also, chemotherapy can affect nerve transmission, which causes tingling in different parts of the body, including the head.
Treatment
If your tingling in the head is due to the intake of some medications, you should go to the doctor to adjust or change the drug; in this way, the side effects of the medicine in question can be reduced.
Neurological diseases
Some diseases affect the nervous system, such as the following:
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Encephalitis.
- Diabetes.
- Hypothyroidism
- Myelitis transversa.
- Peripheral neuropathies.
These degenerative conditions tend to cause tingling in the head due to an alteration of the nervous system. In turn, they can cause temporary numbness.
Treatment
If the tingling in the head is due to multiple sclerosis or any other diseases above, the specialist doctor in the area will indicate the treatment to follow to control the disease. As this happens, the tingling in the head and any part of the body will disappear.
Infectious diseases
Some infectious diseases such as sinusitis, which consists of the infection of the paranasal sinuses, can cause pressure on the head and a tingling sensation in areas such as the forehead, nose, and even between the eyes—all of this in addition to nasal symptoms like runny nose, itching, and headache.
Treatment
In the case of treating infections such as sinusitis, the ENT doctor will indicate oral antibiotics to control the condition in the paranasal sinuses for 10 to 14 days, which nasal decongestants will accompany for oral and topical use to control symptoms.
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can damage the nerves and cause symptoms such as tingling in the head, hands, and feet.
Treatment
When it comes to tingling in the head due to excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, you should see a doctor evaluate your general condition and can rule out the presence of other diseases caused by excess alcohol, such as liver disorders or gallbladder stones problems.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why do I feel that something is walking on my head and what to do, we recommend that you enter our Brain and Nerves category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.