Formication is a symptom where you hallucinate the feeling of insects crawling in, on or underneath your skin. This symptom has many possible causes, including mental health disorders, medical conditions and more. This symptom is often treatable, with available treatments depending on the cause and other factors.
In some cases, an antihistamine, such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) or diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may help reduce the crawling sensations. Take these right after the sensation starts to prevent acute itching episodes. Shop for Zyrtec and Benadryl.
Iron deficiency is more associated with fatigue, poor circulation, restless leg syndrome and hair loss, but it can also cause itchy skin. The good news is that the itchiness should subside if this is the underlying problem by increasing your iron intake!
Formication is a tactile hallucination, which means a person feels a physical sensation, but there is no physical cause. The sensation can lead to itching, which may be worse at night and can be severe enough to impact on a person's quality of life.
Causes of formication include normal states such as onset of menopause (i.e. hormone withdrawal). Other causes are medical conditions such as pesticide exposure, mercury poisoning, diabetic neuropathy, skin cancer, syphilis, Lyme disease, hypocalcaemia, or herpes zoster (shingles) and neurocysticercosis.
No-see-ums are tiny flying insects that are incredibly difficult to spot. Also known as biting midges, punkies, sand flies or biting gnats, these flying insects are small enough to fit through the mesh screens of windows and doors. They are also easy to overlook when they swarm around you or land on your skin.
Scabies mites: When microscopic scabies mites burrow into human skin, they cause rashes and itchiness. A scabies rash looks like a cluster of bed bug bites, which makes it easy to confuse mite bites with bed bug bites. Unlike bed bugs, you won't be able to see scabies mites on your skin or in the bed.
Formication is the sensation that bugs are crawling on or under your skin when they don't really exist. Causes include mental health conditions such as depression, medical conditions like Parkinson's disease, certain prescription medications, or drug use.
They work by blocking the cell receptors that react to the falling oestrogen levels causing the itching. However, Itchy skin (if it affects the whole body and is accompanied by other symptoms) can also be a sign of an underlying illness, consult your doctor if you're worried.
To be very, very clear, tactile hallucinations and formication are symptoms of neurological disorders and they are symptoms of possible psychiatric disorders. They are also symptoms and conditions of cervical spine and neck instability.
Long, hot showers not only wash away your cares but also essential oils. To avoid aggravating your formication, turn down the thermostat and take a shorter shower for a more forgiving skin experience.
Physical symptoms of anxiety include skin crawling or tingling sensations without a medical reason. People describe this sensation differently, but basically anxiety for many people can feel like their skin is crawling or tingling.
Dry skin: Your body loses moisture at night, which can make your skin itchy. Hormonal changes: At night, your body doesn't produce as many hormones as it does during the day and certain hormones reduce inflammation (swelling). As you have fewer hormones at night, your skin could be itchy.
Formication that occurs from drug use or withdrawal will often resolve on its own, once the drug use has stopped and the body has detoxed. Mental health conditions can be treated with medication and counseling.
Household products or environmental irritants could cause hives or rashes. If no pests can be found and the irritation doesn't seem to match any of the most common bug bite pictures, you may be experiencing a skin reaction to a household product or environmental irritant. Consider the location of the rash.
Dust mites and their feces are one of the most common allergens found indoors. Pillows, mattresses and upholstered furniture are typical nesting sites for dust mites.
Many people suffer from the feeling that insects, mites, or other tiny creatures known as arthropods are biting them, crawling on them, or burrowing in their skin.
Self-Checks
Rash: Small red bumps, nodules, or pimple-like irritations, which are most commonly located on the webbing between fingers, on the inner part of the wrist, under the arms, and on the elbows, knees, and along the belt line can occur. Scabies does not usually affect the face and scalp.
In most cases, the bites of these mites cause an itchy skin rash, which may feature small lumps or pimples. “The skin might be very itchy or red for a few days, but then that will taper off,” Merchant says of mite bites. Ice and anti-itch creams like hydrocortisone can help control the swelling and itching.
Mute/unmute from the mobile apps
Click the Mic icon in the upper toolbar. On the iOS app, the icon will be gray when you are muted and blue when you are unmuted. For Android, the icon will be filled in when you are unmuted and crossed out when you are muted .
Hot temperatures kill dust mites. So, use this to your advantage. Wash pillowcases, fitted sheets, bedding, pyjamas, curtains and other washable fabrics at 40°C or above. Use a similar temperature in the dryer too, to kill off any remaining dust mites that might have survived the washing machine!