Painful Skin to Touch

Sometimes, sensitive and painful skin is accompanied with some external signs such as skin rash, burning sensation or redness, and swelling. In some cases, there will not be any external sign but an acute pain in the skin will persist. The reasons for painful skin can be hereditary, hormonal changes or changes in nervous system. Sometimes certain health ailments, nutrition deficiencies, and diseases can also trigger pain in skin. At times, certain food products, cosmetics, or detergents too can cause the skin to pain, if they contain any harmful and strong chemicals. This sensitive skin can be an indication of serious health problems. So it is advisable to know the causes of painful skin, so that you can detect the right reason behind your skin pain and can cure it accordingly.

Causes of Skin Pain When Touched

As mentioned above, there can be various reason that can be the cause of skin that is painful to touch. Some of the more common problems are mentioned below.

Vitamin Deficiencies
Some vitamins like thiamine, pyridine, biotin, and riboflavin are very essential for healthy skin. Deficiencies of these vitamins can make your skin very sensitive with tingling feeling inside. This may be accompanied with a prickly feeling in the skin.

Diabetes
If diabetes remains untreated it may lead to diabetic neuropathy that affects the peripheral nerves. Diabetic neuropathy blocks proper blood circulation in the body, and prevents the blood cells from getting adequate blood and oxygen supply. This may result in break down of blood cells or various muscles resulting in inflammation, sores, and painful skin.

Herpes Zoster
This is a skin disease in which small blister like pimples appear on the skin, that creates stinging, aching and burning sensations. Once these blisters appear, it is relatively difficult to get rid of them, as the affected skin will be painful to touch for few days even after it is treated. Another skin disease known as fibromyalgia too causes widespread painful skin and tingling sensation in skin. In this skin disorder, the skin may look normal from outside, but it is highly traumatic to touch the skin.

Peripheral Neuropathy
This disorder attacks the nervous system in the body. Peripheral neuropathy affects the nerves that carry the blood and oxygen to various internal organs of human body. When the blood cells in the skin are deprived of blood, they breakdown, causing pain and needle-like sensations in the skin. Sometimes the skin can become hypersensitive due to crawling and itching sensations.

Demyelineating Disorder
This is a skin disorder that destroys the protective layer around the nerve fiber. This causes parenthesis of the limbs, that induces prickly and tingling sensation in the skin.

Tactile Defensiveness
It is a neurological disorder that affects the neurotransmitters and their functions. This causes sensory nerves in the brain to receive and send inappropriate signals, that triggers an exaggerated feeling of touch in skin. At times this pain can be highly distressing and uncomfortable for the person suffering from this disorder, as the softest touch or slightest pressure can also trigger pain inside the skin.

Migraine
A migraine can also be the cause, as it causes allodynia. Allodynia makes the skin very sensitive to any kind of touch. Minor and usual things like combing hair or applying moisturizer etc., too can result in painful skin conditions.

Apart from this, any accident or injury, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome along with mental stress, can also cause nerve damage that can result in skin that is painful to touch.

Skin pain also occurs due to sunburn or excessive exposure to heat and cold. Whatever the reason for painful skin, it can be cured by medical intervention. The doctors will diagnose the cause of the condition and prescribe the right treatment for it. So, the next time you feel any pain in skin, consult your doctor immediately. However, a healthy lifestyle is the key to a healthy body, so follow the right diet and exercise to get glowing skin.