Although most occur in the feet or hands, tingling can also occur in the head. This sensation can be experienced by anyone. Do you often experience tingling in the head? Let's see the explanation here.
Tingling that occurs in the hands or feet usually occurs when you are still for a long time in the same position. This can happen because there is a compressed nerve or because the blood supply to that part of the body is not smooth.
The tingling sensation that occurs in your head can be similar to that in your hands or feet, but you may also feel a numbness or burning sensation in your head. This can be a sign of certain diseases, ranging from mild to serious.
Various Conditions Cause Head Tingling
Head tingling can be temporary or ongoing. The following are some conditions that can cause you to experience a tingling head, namely:
1. Stress
Head tingling can occur if you are under stress, especially stress that is classified as acute or occurs suddenly. Examples are a serious accident, the death of a relative, or a natural disaster.
Symptoms caused by acute stress are caused by a sudden increase in stress hormones and an exaggerated nervous response in various parts of the body, including the scalp. That's why stress can cause a tingling feeling in the head.
In addition to a tingling head, other symptoms of acute stress can include anxiety, insomnia, lack of enthusiasm, unstable emotions, nightmares, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, chest pain, stomach pain, and difficulty breathing.
Head tingling and various symptoms of acute stress usually do not require treatment, but if it persists for more than a month, you are advised to see a doctor.
2. Migraine
Migraine headaches are usually felt on only one side of the head. In addition to a tingling head, migraines can also be accompanied by various other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or being sensitive to sound and light.
So far, migraines are thought to occur due to the widening and narrowing of blood vessels in the head. These changes then affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues.
3. Occipital neuralgia
The occipital nerve consists of 2 nerves that run from the upper cervical spine to the scalp, one on the left and one on the right. If one of them is disturbed, the side of the head will feel tingling like an electric shock and prickling for a few seconds or minutes.
In addition to head tingling, occipital neuralgia is also characterized by red, watery, and sensitive eyes to light, pain when moving the neck, and scalp pain to the touch.
4. Cranial Neuropathy
In this condition, there is damage to the cranial nerves, namely the nerves that come directly from the brain or brain stem. Generally, cranial neuropathy is caused by certain diseases or conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or injury to the head.
Some complaints that can occur in this condition include tingling, pain, numbness, weakness of facial muscles, and an uncomfortable sensation in the head.
5. Light stroke
Mild stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is an early sign that you are about to have a stroke. The symptoms of a minor stroke are similar to those of a stroke, except that the symptoms of a stroke are temporary and usually go away within 10–20 minutes.
The characteristics of a mild stroke include tingling of the head, sudden difficulty walking or difficulty maintaining balance, sudden confusion or not understanding easy words, slurred speech, sudden changes in vision, and tingling on one side of the body.
Head tingling can occur at any time and last a few seconds or minutes. Even so, this complaint needs to be watched out for because it can indicate a more serious health condition that needs to be addressed.
In addition, the complaint of a tingling head is often accompanied by other complaints that can interfere with your daily activities, such as a stabbing headache. If you feel this condition, consult a doctor to get the right examination and help