1. < Brain & Nervous System

Electrical shocks throughout my body.

Posted by KidWithShocks @braedenl2202, Nov 13, 2019

Hello. I’m not sure if anyone knows what I am talking about but I am hoping that someone does because I am beginning to feel crazy. Every day, I have an electrical sensation feeling throughout my entire body. The only way I can describe it to people is that it feels like I am being shocked by a light switch throughout my entire body. It is very painful, however only lasts from around 5-20 minutes, 1-5 times a day. It’s starting to scare me because my doctor looked at me like I was crazy, and my nurses chuckled when they heard my symptoms. I am going to a neurologist but they cannot fit me in for another month. It’s very painful for me and it has started to come with a red, splotchy rash from my neck down to my legs. If anyone has any idea what this could be and what I can do to surprise the pain, I would really appreciate the advice. And also if anyone else deals with this please tell me because I really am starting to think I am crazy. Thank you!

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su8 | @su8 | Jun 13, 2023
In reply to @seeker4answers "Going on 5 months of electric current sensation. Miserable. I am a 64 year old female..." + (show)
@seeker4answers

Going on 5 months of electric current sensation. Miserable. I am a 64 year old female and in January I started to feel pins and needles, creepy muscular spasms in my legs, unusual cold/hot sensations in my torso and arms. Physician in February, tested for diabetes and put me on anti-depressants. In March, the sensations became a chronic (24/7) electric current feeling travelling my entire body. At times, I feel pulsing in my rectum and the uncomfortable prickling pain in my urethra/vagina. My throat is sore and voice is raspy. The "current" can be felt in pits of my teeth, my tongue, my entire mouth at times. Along with this, for months - without relief - my shoulders have been in spasm, tensing upwards. I have pains of various parts of body - torso, wrists, hip flexors, jaw - but they are intermittent and random. Began seeing a new physician in April, shared all this with him. He prescribed low dose of gabepentin.
I pleaded with him to advocate for further tests. He ordered MRI of brain and spine, which he found to be normal (didn't indicate MS lesions), but the report noted a "flair" in an area of my brain scan; I am waiting to be evaluated by a neurologist in mid-July, the soonest I could be seen. Since my last appointment with PCP, I have developed a rosacea type flush of redness on my cheeks or nose. For a while, I had a cluster rash - didn't itch - on the top of my left thigh. There are days, I feel like whatever this is, is so virulent, I may not survive. I haven't had a decent night's sleep since February. Anyone have similar symptoms/diagnosis?

Jump to this post

I wish this site was easier to navigate.
How many people have electricity running through their body?Horrible pain.
Me, 20 months 24/7.
How many?

REPLY
Ray Kemble | @ray666 | Jun 13, 2023
In reply to @seeker4answers "Going on 5 months of electric current sensation. Miserable. I am a 64 year old female..." + (show)
@seeker4answers

Going on 5 months of electric current sensation. Miserable. I am a 64 year old female and in January I started to feel pins and needles, creepy muscular spasms in my legs, unusual cold/hot sensations in my torso and arms. Physician in February, tested for diabetes and put me on anti-depressants. In March, the sensations became a chronic (24/7) electric current feeling travelling my entire body. At times, I feel pulsing in my rectum and the uncomfortable prickling pain in my urethra/vagina. My throat is sore and voice is raspy. The "current" can be felt in pits of my teeth, my tongue, my entire mouth at times. Along with this, for months - without relief - my shoulders have been in spasm, tensing upwards. I have pains of various parts of body - torso, wrists, hip flexors, jaw - but they are intermittent and random. Began seeing a new physician in April, shared all this with him. He prescribed low dose of gabepentin.
I pleaded with him to advocate for further tests. He ordered MRI of brain and spine, which he found to be normal (didn't indicate MS lesions), but the report noted a "flair" in an area of my brain scan; I am waiting to be evaluated by a neurologist in mid-July, the soonest I could be seen. Since my last appointment with PCP, I have developed a rosacea type flush of redness on my cheeks or nose. For a while, I had a cluster rash - didn't itch - on the top of my left thigh. There are days, I feel like whatever this is, is so virulent, I may not survive. I haven't had a decent night's sleep since February. Anyone have similar symptoms/diagnosis?

Jump to this post

Hi, @seeker4answers

You have so specific symptoms, and it sounds like you're keeping good track of them, I'm surprised no doctor has stepped up to give you some help, or to at least give you a possible explanation for what is going on. To have to wait until July before you can see another neurologist seems a damn shame. Are there no other neurologists in your area who might be able to see you sooner? Might your PCP know of one? I don't know the protocol for this, but, considering your pain and other symptoms, might this warrant a visit to your local hospital's ER? I'm sure others here will have better suggestions for what you might. In the meantime, I wish you speedy relief from all of your discomforts.

Best wishes,
Ray (@ray666)

REPLY
1 reply
Moderator
Amanda Roe | @amandajro | Jun 13, 2023
In reply to @seeker4answers "Going on 5 months of electric current sensation. Miserable. I am a 64 year old female..." + (show)
@seeker4answers

Going on 5 months of electric current sensation. Miserable. I am a 64 year old female and in January I started to feel pins and needles, creepy muscular spasms in my legs, unusual cold/hot sensations in my torso and arms. Physician in February, tested for diabetes and put me on anti-depressants. In March, the sensations became a chronic (24/7) electric current feeling travelling my entire body. At times, I feel pulsing in my rectum and the uncomfortable prickling pain in my urethra/vagina. My throat is sore and voice is raspy. The "current" can be felt in pits of my teeth, my tongue, my entire mouth at times. Along with this, for months - without relief - my shoulders have been in spasm, tensing upwards. I have pains of various parts of body - torso, wrists, hip flexors, jaw - but they are intermittent and random. Began seeing a new physician in April, shared all this with him. He prescribed low dose of gabepentin.
I pleaded with him to advocate for further tests. He ordered MRI of brain and spine, which he found to be normal (didn't indicate MS lesions), but the report noted a "flair" in an area of my brain scan; I am waiting to be evaluated by a neurologist in mid-July, the soonest I could be seen. Since my last appointment with PCP, I have developed a rosacea type flush of redness on my cheeks or nose. For a while, I had a cluster rash - didn't itch - on the top of my left thigh. There are days, I feel like whatever this is, is so virulent, I may not survive. I haven't had a decent night's sleep since February. Anyone have similar symptoms/diagnosis?

Jump to this post

Hello @seeker4answers and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so sorry to hear of your experience and your progression of symptoms. All of this has to be overwhelming.

You will notice that I have moved your post into an existing discussion on this topic which you can find here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/electrical-shocks-throughout-my-body/

I wonder if you've considered journaling your symptoms and all of what you are taking in (food, medication, etc.) to see if there is any correlation between your symptoms, any flairs of worsening symptoms, and what may be contributing or even exacerbating them? One way to effectively see if food is contributing, is to try a detox diet to see if you can get any improvements if there are no other options present for you otherwise. Here is a link to one created by a Functional Medicine doctor that you may find helpful: https://10daydetox.com/wp-content/themes/tendd/downloads/resources/10-Day-Detox-PDF.pdf

Have you ever tried anything like this to see if it can be of any help in reducing your symptoms?

REPLY
1 reply
seeker4answers | @seeker4answers | Jun 24, 2023
In reply to @amandajro "Hello @seeker4answers and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so sorry to hear of your..." + (show)
@amandajro

Hello @seeker4answers and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so sorry to hear of your experience and your progression of symptoms. All of this has to be overwhelming.

You will notice that I have moved your post into an existing discussion on this topic which you can find here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/electrical-shocks-throughout-my-body/

I wonder if you've considered journaling your symptoms and all of what you are taking in (food, medication, etc.) to see if there is any correlation between your symptoms, any flairs of worsening symptoms, and what may be contributing or even exacerbating them? One way to effectively see if food is contributing, is to try a detox diet to see if you can get any improvements if there are no other options present for you otherwise. Here is a link to one created by a Functional Medicine doctor that you may find helpful: https://10daydetox.com/wp-content/themes/tendd/downloads/resources/10-Day-Detox-PDF.pdf

Have you ever tried anything like this to see if it can be of any help in reducing your symptoms?

Jump to this post

Hello Amanda,
Thanks for your reply. I have not tried journaling my symptoms and food/med intake, no. I don't have an appetite for days it seems and then will eat all day. I've managed to put some weight back on as when this all started near beginning of the year, I lost 25 pounds.

Had more MRIs done this week, so see what they come back with. I broke down and pleaded to speak with a radiologist, who said the doctor was looking more extensively for evidence of lesions might cause MS. I just want to to know once and for all.

My symptoms are non-stop. I will check out the detox for symptom relief, as I really hate taking all these pills. Thank you.

REPLY
seeker4answers | @seeker4answers | Jun 24, 2023
In reply to @ray666 "Hi, @seeker4answers You have so specific symptoms, and it sounds like you're keeping good track of..." + (show)
@ray666

Hi, @seeker4answers

You have so specific symptoms, and it sounds like you're keeping good track of them, I'm surprised no doctor has stepped up to give you some help, or to at least give you a possible explanation for what is going on. To have to wait until July before you can see another neurologist seems a damn shame. Are there no other neurologists in your area who might be able to see you sooner? Might your PCP know of one? I don't know the protocol for this, but, considering your pain and other symptoms, might this warrant a visit to your local hospital's ER? I'm sure others here will have better suggestions for what you might. In the meantime, I wish you speedy relief from all of your discomforts.

Best wishes,
Ray (@ray666)

Jump to this post

I am in California and have decent insurance. The specialists are so overloaded that it takes months to see anyone. I went on an email campaign and was finally given the appointment in July which was originally end of September! If I go to an ER, they will just do labs and run my vitals, which will be okay and then send me on my way.

My PCP has been ordering the MRIs - I just had 2 more - but I won't really have them evaluated until I'm seen by neurologist. I know enough from the radiology tech that they are looking for MS, which is what I suspected all along. I know doctors hate when one goes "on-line", to self diagnose, but given that I am always so uncomfortable, may anxiety level is through the roof and I just want to get some relief. I hate taking pills and they don't much work anyway.

I'm starting to wonder if chordoma on my sacral area, which they have yet to image, even with everything going on down there. More months of waiting to find anything out.

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Jun 24, 2023
In reply to @seeker4answers "I am in California and have decent insurance. The specialists are so overloaded that it takes..." + (show)
@seeker4answers

I am in California and have decent insurance. The specialists are so overloaded that it takes months to see anyone. I went on an email campaign and was finally given the appointment in July which was originally end of September! If I go to an ER, they will just do labs and run my vitals, which will be okay and then send me on my way.

My PCP has been ordering the MRIs - I just had 2 more - but I won't really have them evaluated until I'm seen by neurologist. I know enough from the radiology tech that they are looking for MS, which is what I suspected all along. I know doctors hate when one goes "on-line", to self diagnose, but given that I am always so uncomfortable, may anxiety level is through the roof and I just want to get some relief. I hate taking pills and they don't much work anyway.

I'm starting to wonder if chordoma on my sacral area, which they have yet to image, even with everything going on down there. More months of waiting to find anything out.

Jump to this post

@seeker4answers I think an evaluation with a neurologist is a good idea. Electric shocks particularly when you are moving your neck, can be a sign of a nerve compression or spinal cord compression because the movement may cause something to be touched. I hope they didn't just look for MS lesions and ignore the spinal anatomy. That certainly would be a question to ask the neurologist if there is anything compressing the spinal cord or nerves that could generate electric shock type pain. I did have a compressed spinal cord and experienced this, so that is why I suggest asking bout it. I had spine surgery that freed my spinal cord and fixed the problem.

REPLY
nickm | @nickm | Jun 25, 2023

Hi @braedenl2202
I have issues with electrical shocks in the body. I made an earlier post on Mayo Connect, but the discussion got orphaned. In the meantime, I saw my PCP, and he scheduled an appointment for me to see a Neurologist. My appointment with the Neurologist is in October. I would like to be part of this discussion. My "shocks" descriptions are slightly different from yours. Even so, I understand what you mean by electric shocks in the body. I wish the very best treatment outcomes to you and to anyone else suffering similar symptoms.

REPLY
helene71 | @helene71 | Jun 25, 2023

I don't know what you can do to stop that shocking pain. My brother has the same problem with his feet, he gets electric shocks and then the toes get so hard he can't walk on them. He has to walk on his heels to get to a bed or a couch to lay down till the episode has passed. He takes Pregabalin which was meant for seizures and epilepsy.
He get some relief but it takes at least 20 min. for the pill to take effect and by then the shock treatment has passed. He is also itchy all over his body but mostly in his upper back and tailbone area. Then he has this squeezing straggling feeling below his rib cage on his right side. He has been diagnose with diabetic neuropathy but his blood sugar is stable now 6.5 on the monitor and he has lost over 100lbs. No appetite and trouble sleeping with shocks and pain waking him up randomly throughout the night. If the nerves are damaged, dead or dying why is it so painful. One specialist offered to cut the nerve to stop the tingling and burning Might as well just slash your wrist and get it over with. The central nervous system has a mind of its own and most doctors just ignore you when you start explaining because they don't have a clue what to do to help you. There isn't a pill for that.

REPLY
Ray Kemble | @ray666 | Jun 25, 2023
In reply to @seeker4answers "I am in California and have decent insurance. The specialists are so overloaded that it takes..." + (show)
@seeker4answers

I am in California and have decent insurance. The specialists are so overloaded that it takes months to see anyone. I went on an email campaign and was finally given the appointment in July which was originally end of September! If I go to an ER, they will just do labs and run my vitals, which will be okay and then send me on my way.

My PCP has been ordering the MRIs - I just had 2 more - but I won't really have them evaluated until I'm seen by neurologist. I know enough from the radiology tech that they are looking for MS, which is what I suspected all along. I know doctors hate when one goes "on-line", to self diagnose, but given that I am always so uncomfortable, may anxiety level is through the roof and I just want to get some relief. I hate taking pills and they don't much work anyway.

I'm starting to wonder if chordoma on my sacral area, which they have yet to image, even with everything going on down there. More months of waiting to find anything out.

Jump to this post

Hello, seeker4answers! (@seeker4answers)

I wonder if the problem is we patients outnumber our doctors twenty- or fifty-to-one; that, and our doctors (not all, but many) have so much digital paperwork to complete before they get to go home. You say, "I went on an email campaign and was finally given the appointment in July, which was originally the end of September… " That sounds all too familiar! Too often, I have the same experience with my doctors, even with the best of them, and by "best," I mean "most caring" when I finally get to see them. You're probably relegated to using "patient portals" the way I am. I use a homemade "factor" or multiple when wanting an appointment or advice: I know I must send three or four messages to my doctor through his patient portal before receiving one response. In 2023, three- or four-to-one odds aren't too bad. LOL, I wish the odds were better, but, but, but …

You also say, "My PCP has been ordering the MRIs … but I won't really have them evaluated until I'm seen by a neurologist." I went for several years, my balance starting to feel a little "off," talking only to my PCP, who sent me to PT and advised various supplements. Someone––a friend? a neighbor? I don't remember––I was the first to suggest seeing a neurologist. My PCP (she's great!) didn't hesitate but referred me straightaway to a neurologist. That's when I had my first MRIs, followed without delay in their evaluation. So, working with a neurologist was the key to making any headway.

"I know doctors hate when one goes "online," to self-diagnose … " I know many do, but some don't. My PCP (my neurologist, too) is among those who don't mind. Among my PCPs umpteen patients (who knows how many she has?), she says about half come to her with questions gleaned from the Web, that they're usually good questions, and asking them not only saves time but sends the patient away feeling that he's been genuinely listened to. My PCP tells me she has only one patient who's a pain in the a**, demanding all kinds of untested therapies and contraptions he saw on the Web.

As Kurt Vonnegut would say, "So it goes!" LOL

Cheers!
Ray

REPLY
angelawoods | @angelawoods | Sep 4, 2023

Did you ever find out what it was bc I am experiencing the same thing only the stinging static electrical sensation last all day it's almost as if it has liquid static in it my body is broke out from my neck down to my feet look like I've got into a major mosquito infestation but that's not what happened I'm broke out on my arms my chest my stomach my legs and my hair stays staticky on the end

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