Why does the skin hurt when touched?

Some people face a problem, when without obvious provoking factors the skin starts to hurt at the slightest touch. In this case, unpleasant sensations are localized not in one place, but extend to the abdomen, back, legs, hands and other parts of the body. Such a symptom can significantly worsen a person's life, because of the constant discomfort there is irritation, sometimes depression and sleep disturbances.

Soreness of the skin when touched - what is this disease?

When the skin is more sensitive to the lightest touch, in medical practice it is called allodynia. This syndrome is considered neuropathic, as it often appears due to neurological disorders of a different nature.

Allodynia of the skin is characterized by the appearance of pain in response to a stimulus that a healthy person does not cause painful sensations: it can be a simple touch of the finger of the hand, contact with clothing or bed linens, sometimes patients experience discomfort even when the wind blows. The resulting pain reaction is characterized as constant, itching, burning or cooling. It is common throughout the body, but with some neurological disorders (eg, spinal cord pathology), discomfort is concentrated in one area. Depending on the nature of the irritation, skin allodynia happens:

• tactile: appears in response to a touch;
• static mechanical: occurs after touching a piece of cotton wool or other light pressure;
• dynamic mechanical: the reaction develops to a weak kneading;
• thermal: the stimulus is the temperature drop.

Any of the forms of this pathology does not arise by itself, its cause is a variety of diseases and malfunctions in the work of body systems.

Why does the skin on the body hurt so much that it hurts to touch?

The reasons for this can be the following factors:

1. Burn with ultraviolet rays or chemical means. A burn of 1 or 2 degree provokes unpleasant sensations in the area of ​​the upper layer of the epidermis.
2. Allergic reaction to the fabric of bed linen or clothes. Other manifestations of allergy, other than painful tactile contact, may not occur.
3. Herpes virus, which manifests itself in the form of herpes zoster. Pain of a burning nature is localized where the disease has spread most. It can be back, stomach and other places.
4. Chicken pox or, in simple terms, chickenpox in adults often manifests itself only in painful sensations when touched: papules are not likely to appear during the entire period of the disease.

Often such a painful problem when touched develops against a background of neurological disorders:

1. Polyneuropathies are characterized by the emergence of allodynia due to pathological changes in nerve fibers and their endings, which are located in the deep layers of the dermis. The most common is diabetic neuropathy. Since the first ones are affected by long nerves, the legs and hands first suffer, and then discomfortable sensations spread throughout the body.
2. Demyelinating pathologies are a group of neurological diseases in which the myelin sheath of nerve fibers is damaged.
3. Pathologies of the spinal cord and brain. Violated conductivity, fixation and analysis of nerve impulses, which can lead to an exaggerated painful response to the weakest stimuli.
4. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of chronic pain. In addition to hypersensitivity, it is characterized by sleep disorders and constant fatigue.

Many of these diseases can develop as a result of such harmless factors as stress, lack or excess of vitamins, hypothermia, banal cold, long uncomfortable poses.

Why does the soreness of the skin appear at a temperature?

If the skin starts to hurt after touching and at the same time there is a fever, it is worthwhile to suspect the following processes in the body:

1. If the temperature has risen first, and the pain has appeared later, the infection became the reason. Inflammation develops in the ducts, which in turn stimulates the receptors in the deep layers of the dermis. This phenomenon can cause staphylococcal infection.
2. If the temperature rises after other symptoms, the doctor will suspect a purulent-inflammatory process - erysipelatous inflammation or furuncle.

If the change in sensitivity appeared suddenly without other clinical manifestations, you do not need to let this state drift. Such a symptom may be a sign of a serious illness requiring special treatment. Take care of yourself and be well!