Dysesthesia consists of the appearance of unpleasant sensations, often painful, which are not objectively justified by a specific stimulus. In this sense it is related to other similar disorders such as neuropathic pain and allodynia.
In this article we will describe What exactly is dysesthesia and what are its causes? as well as five of the most common types of dysesthesia: cutaneous, which is associated with burning sensations, scalp, occlusal (or ghost bite) and genital.
The term “dysesthesia”, which comes from Greek and translates as “abnormal sensation”, is used to refer to a perceptual phenomenon that consists of the appearance of sensations of pain, burning, tingling, itching or other discomforts without the intervention of a causal stimulus, while other times they are altered perceptions of real stimuli.
Following this definition, dysesthesia would include, for example, sensations of pain when brushing one’s hair and when putting on or taking off clothes, as well as the continued perception of tingling in the toes or fingers.
The most common thing is that episodes of dysesthesia occur in the legs and feet although it is also common for these sensations to appear in the arms, face or as a sensation of pressure around the torso, both the chest and the abdomen.
Abnormal perceptions can occur punctually and briefly, but this is not always the case: in some cases dysesthesia consists of the sustained presence of discomfort without an identifiable objective cause.
People who suffer from this symptom frequently report that worsens when trying to fall asleep, after exercise or exertion and as a consequence of changes in ambient temperature.
Causes of this alteration
The sensations that are categorized as dysesthesia have a neurological origin. They are often due to spinal nerve injuries caused by nervous system disorders. In this sense, many episodes of dysesthesia can be included in the general label of “neuropathic pain.”
Therefore, and although intuitively many people with this symptom think that the damage is located in the skin (or in another part of the body where they feel the pain), the truth is that the alteration is associated with the nerves.
A very common cause of dysesthesia is multiple sclerosis, which damages the myelin sheaths, interfering with the transmission of electrochemical impulses through the nervous system. This causes the brain to have difficulties interpreting the perceptions it receives from the peripheral fibers and the conscious sensory experience is abnormal.
Other factors that are associated with the appearance of dysesthesia are diabetes mellitus, herpes, Guillain-Barré syndrome, Lyme disease strokes that affect the thalamus, abstinence from substances such as alcohol, consumption of some medications and chemotherapy treatments.
On the other hand, there are authors who defend that dysesthesia has a psychogenic origin; From this point of view this symptom would be classified as a psychosomatic disorder, and It has been linked to disorders such as schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. However, research confirms the presence of neurological lesions in many cases.
Types of dysesthesia
The scientific literature has collected different types of dysesthesia that are especially frequent or significant due to their clinical interest. Let’s see what each of them consists of.
1. Cutaneous dysesthesia
Cutaneous dysesthesia is a very common type of this disorder, since most episodes are associated with sensations in the skin. As we have said previously, these include pain but also itching, tingling or burning.
2. Dysesthesia with burning
It is common for people with dysesthesia to feel an intense burning sensation in different parts of the body, as if they were on fire. A special subtype is burning mouth syndrome, a form of oral dysesthesia which is characterized by pain similar to that of mouth ulcers.
3. On the scalp
Dysesthesia also commonly appears on the scalp. In these cases, patients report pain, burning and other discomforts. Technically it is a subtype of cutaneous dysesthesia, although it has also been studied independently.
4. Occlusal dysesthesia (ghost bite)
Occlusal dysesthesia, also known as “ghost bite”, often occurs after dental surgery. It is characterized by an annoying sensation of forcing the jaws in a manner similar to a sustained bite and frequently causes intense pain when ingesting food and liquids.
5. Genital dysesthesia
More cases of genital dysesthesia have been detected in men than in women. It is generally associated with a burning sensation; When the discomfort is located in the penis, it is called penile dysesthesia, while If the burning occurs in the scrotum, the concept “burning scrotum syndrome” is used.
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This article has been reviewed by our editorial team at PsychologyFor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to evidence-based research. The content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.
