What if you could suddenly feel all the physical sensations around you with more intensity? You probably think it would be wonderful to be able to feel with more intensity the whole range of pleasant and positive sensations that we can experience (hugs, caresses, kisses…) but… what would happen if this “superpower” also led you to feel with more intensity the painful and annoying sensations?

In this article we will talk about hyperesthesia , a little known perception disorder that should not be confused with hyperesthesia.

What is hyperesthesia?

The word hyperesthesia comes from hyper- and a derivative of the Greek αἴσθησις, sensitivity . We can define hyperesthesia as a perceptive condition that leads to an abnormal increase in sensitivity to stimuli or sensations, generally tactile. It is a sensory distortion that leads us to feel very intensely the sensations, even those belonging to low intensity stimuli (e.g. the rubbing of clothes on the skin).

Not to be confused with hypesthesia or paresthesia

Let’s define the two terms (hypesthesia and paraesthesia) concretely so that it doesn’t lead to confusion:

Hypesthesia consists of a decrease in sensitivity (the opposite of hyperesthesia), and paresthesia would be an abnormal sensation of the senses that results in a tingling sensation, numbness, etc. These alterations are produced by a pathology in any sector of the structures of the Central or Peripheral Nervous System .

Symptoms

As a general rule, people suffering from hyperesthesia experience most unpleasant sensations through touch , although there are cases in which the senses of sight and hearing are also affected.

Although there may be occasional moments of very intense reactions to stimuli, people with hyperesthesia often feel tingling, tingling or numbness almost permanently throughout the day.

It should be noted that the person suffering from hyperesthesia can suffer very high levels of anxiety, depression, which can lead to isolation and total interference in their daily life (work, social, family and personal). Abnormal reactions to stimuli can appear at any time of day, and this is one of the most interfering elements of hyperesthesia.

Since almost any sensory element from the outside can be extremely annoying to the person, there is interference to their normal rhythm of life. For example, as we have mentioned before, the rubbing of certain clothes, the intensity of light (it can become unbearable for the eyes), the contact with warm or hot water, covering with a blanket, shaving or depilation… Even physical and sexual contact with other people.

Let’s say that the person’s sensory threshold is well below what is adaptively best for the human being , so that when faced with the same stimulus with the same intensity they will feel more pain by default than a person without hyperesthesia. Thus, the resistance to pain is much lower. What for us could be pleasant and self-care activities (getting a massage, applying a skin exfoliant, waxing…) for these people could hardly be tolerated.

The variables that determine whether the stimulus is considered negative are the intensity of the stimulus, the speed with which it is presented and/or the number of stimuli. Some people may reject the touch of a particular garment (e.g., a sweater) more strongly because of its intensity, and another person with this condition may feel intense negative tactile sensations in several regions of his body and through multiple stimuli (e.g., several pieces of clothing at once).

Dental or dentin hyperesthesia

I’m sure that more than once in your life you have felt an intense reaction to the annoying or painful sensation generated by contact with a cold food (who hasn’t made the mistake of wanting to eat an ice cream too quickly?).

This type of hyperesthesia is specific to the dental area. It is characterised by an exaggerated response to thermal stimuli in the dental region . As you know, it usually manifests itself with a sharp, short (even stabbing) pain in the exposed teeth. This may be due to the loss of dental enamel by erosion of the same, by some periodontal disease or by aggressive and abrasive brushing.

Causes

Fortunately, hyperesthesia is a rare condition. Most cases are due to a primary cause (psychopathology or substance abuse), and it is understood that it is a secondary symptom of such causes. We will detail each one of them.

Psychopathologies comorbid to hyperesthesia

  • Mania : some subjects with Type I Bipolar Disorder who are manic may experience hyperesthesia, although this is usually a rare symptom. Experts have hypothesized that the brain activation and arousal that mania generates would be responsible for lowering the sensory threshold and causing this disturbing perceptual condition.
  • Psychotic disorders : in these cases hyperesthesia is usually more prevalent, but in no case is it a typical symptom of psychotic disorders. However, the mental disorder in which most cases of hyperesthesia are seen is schizophrenia. Although there is no hard and fast body of research on the subject, it is believed that alterations in brain function are responsible for the emergence of this perceptual condition.

Substances that can cause hyperesthesia

  • Psychoactive substances (cocaine, methamphetamine) : the use of these substances may cause an increase in the person’s sensory sensitivity. In this type of case, hyperesthesia usually occurs at the same time as the intoxication of the psychoactive substance, and therefore disappears when the psychoactive effects of the drug are over.
  • Heroin consumption : sedative and opiate substances can cause hyperesthesia. In several studies, heroin consumption has been positively related to experiencing these sensations.

This over-sensitivity resulting from stimuli and feelings can lead the person to abuse substances to cope (such as cocaine or alcohol), and in psychological problems such as anxiety or clinical depression.