Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentOther Causes
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Other Causes
Tactileallodyniais nerve pain that’s one of the characteristic symptoms offibromyalgia. It is a neurological condition in which the sensation of pain—sometimes severe—can occur with a simple touch. With this condition, the body perceives pain from something harmless. For example, your skin may hurt when clothes touch it, or you could feel pain when you lay down on a soft pillow.
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Fibromyalgia involves multiple pain types, includinghyperalgesia(the overamplification of pain) and paresthesia (abnormal sensations like burning or tingling in the absence of stimuli).
This article covers the symptoms, causes, and treatment of tactile allodynia. It also describes how fibromyalgia leads to allodynia, and what other conditions can cause it.
Tactile Allodynia Symptoms
Common descriptions of tactile allodynia include:
Tactile allodynia is a form of pain that arises from a malfunction ofnociceptors, which are specialized nerves. Nociceptors sense information about your environment, such as temperature, pressure, and conditions that could cause you harm at the cutaneous (skin) level.
Do you know how your hand will pull away from a hot burner before you even realize that you’re about to burn yourself? This action is due to the unique action of nociceptors, in which a reflexive response is triggered without the need for a separate signal from the brain.
Many of the treatments that lessen your fibromyalgia symptoms can help alleviate symptoms of tactile allodynia. Treatment options include:
Some people also get relief from topical pain creams, including Tiger Balm, Aspercreme, BioFreeze, and capsaicin-containing ointments and patches. You may also want to identify and avoid triggers that incite allodynia flares.
Other options may includecognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)andbiofeedbackto help modify your response to pain.
Other Causes of Skin Sensitivity
Fibromyalgia is just one cause of allodynia. Some of the other causes of skin sensitivity include:
Summary
Treatment may include antidepressants, seizure drugs, and topical lidocaine. Cognitive behavioral therapy and biofeedback may also be options.
Other causes of allodynia, besides fibromyalgia, include migraines, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and shingles.
8 Sources
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