Why goosebumps appear on the head: the reason for the unusual sensation. What and why do you get goosebumps?

Many people have experienced the feeling of goosebumps crawling all over their face and head: a kind of frost on the skin. This condition does not cause pain or discomfort; There is only temporary discomfort, which disappears on its own. Moreover, such a phenomenon does not occur without a reason: it can be a symptom of a certain disease.

Provoking factors

Goosebumps look like small, rounded bumps. They are also called goose bumps. A similar condition occurs when the nerve endings of the spinal cord or brain are irritated as a result of exposure to a certain factor. During this process, the smooth muscles located near the hair follicles contract, creating a crawling sensation.

The development of this condition can be triggered by harmless reasons, including the following:

sexual arousal;
reduced air temperature;
loss of strength, poor health;
sudden changes in emotional state (fear, stress, overexcitation, delight, etc.);
increased body temperature caused by a cold;
high sensitivity of the skin.

The sensation of goosebumps on the face and head, provoked by the above reasons, disappears when the irritating factor is eliminated.

If this phenomenon is accompanied by tingling, pain or other symptoms, it may be caused by one of the following diseases:

If the above symptoms appear, you should seek qualified help.

What to do

Many people wonder why their heads begin to go numb and they get goosebumps. In most cases, this condition occurs in response to human emotions and other external stimuli. After the action of these factors ceases, the goosebumps quickly and completely disappear. This phenomenon is considered normal, so there is no cause for great concern.

To protect nerve cells, people who are overly excited are advised to take products with a mild calming effect (Glycine, motherwort tincture). It would be a good idea to drink tea with mint leaves and lavender. You can also take aromatic baths and listen to relaxing music. In an excited state, it is necessary to control blood pressure: high levels should be brought down with special medications. If the appearance of goosebumps is systematic over a long period of time, this may indicate the presence of certain diseases. If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, increased blood pressure, numbness, redness of the scalp, hearing or vision impairment, you should consult a specialist.

Without making an accurate diagnosis, it is contraindicated to perform any therapeutic actions on your own. For example, head massage should not be done if you have back injuries or thyroid diseases.

Conclusion

If the feeling of crawling sensations occurs with regular frequency, and is also accompanied by additional symptoms described above, you should immediately consult a specialist. Only after certain examinations and an accurate diagnosis is appropriate therapy prescribed. Self-treatment is unacceptable. If the feeling of goosebumps appears rarely and goes away quickly, then there is no cause for concern. Perhaps you should reconsider your lifestyle, diet and eliminate factors that irritate the scalp.

“Goose bumps” are small pimples that are located at the base of the hairline; they arise involuntarily. The reason for their appearance may be a sharp change in ambient temperature or strong emotions, for example, fear, excitement, admiration. Feelings of this kind are most often accompanied by the words “goosebumps.”

“Goosebumps” got their name due to their resemblance to the insects of the same name. There are many of them, and they are distributed over the entire area of the body.
The reflex that causes goosebumps is called the pilomotor reflex.

This reflex can be explained something like this: nerve endings transmit signals about changes in environmental influences. These signals go directly to the spinal cord. After receiving the signals, the brain sends them to the peripheral nerves, from which the signals are sent to the hair follicles. As a result of this phenomenon, the muscles under the hair follicles tense and raise the hairs. Raised hairs trap warm air at the base of the skin, which helps cool the body for a while.

In medicine, goosebumps are called paresthesia. The appearance of goosebumps is the body’s reaction to nervous irritation or a drop in temperature. The goosebumps disappear when the irritating factor is eliminated.

Also, the cause of paresthesia may be the result of the person sitting on his leg or resting his arm. But if a person constantly feels the appearance of goosebumps all over his body, then this is a clear sign that he should consult a dermatologist. The cause of this phenomenon may be excessively dry skin or skin diseases.

Paresthesia only in the lower extremities may indicate poor circulation in the legs and arms. This is quite dangerous, and in such situations you should consult a doctor. Symptoms of this kind can lead to the development of diseases such as atherosclerosis and varicose veins. A phlebologist deals with these symptoms.

A person can get goosebumps not only from an irritating factor or negative emotions. Sometimes this effect can be caused by a person’s strong feelings or a tense emotional background. For example, when watching an intriguing movie, and sometimes even from listening to music.

But goose bumps can occur not only in humans, but also in animals. This reflex is mainly found in mammals such as cats, dogs, chimpanzees and mice. This is their innate reflex, which serves for self-defense. As a result of raised hair, the animal begins to appear more menacing and larger.

The phenomenon of goose bumps in the legs is called “goose bumps”, since the surface has a similar appearance. This condition occurs due to fatigue, after taking a bath, being in the cold for a long time and irritation of the nerve endings. It can be chronic, associated with some disruption of the normal functioning of the body. In this case, an urgent consultation with a neurologist is required.

Patient complaints

When visiting their therapist, patients begin to describe the following complaints:

The goosebumps in the legs constantly move, sometimes even to the spine and head. Sometimes there is a feeling of coldness in the extremities.
The occurrence of tickling, which is more pronounced immediately before bedtime.
The goose bumps running down your legs begin to move to other parts of your body.
Goose bumps periodically appear from the ankle to the knee.
Goosebumps are observed when you touch the surface of your legs with your hand.

Sometimes the feeling of pins and needles in your legs begins to seriously bother you. If a small rash begins to tingle in the place where the limbs are numb, then perhaps in this case you have simply pinched the capillaries. After freeing your legs, everything will return to normal in a few minutes.

Who should I contact?

Sometimes goose bumps in the legs are accompanied by If you have constant complaints associated with frequent unpleasant sensations, for example, tingling, then until this discomfort develops into any complex disease, you should consult a doctor for help to determine the cause. It is better to start with a visit to a therapist, who will establish a preliminary diagnosis and advise which specialists should be contacted.

What does “goose bumps” mean?

Do you have goosebumps on your legs? The reasons lie in the nervous and vascular systems of the body. Experts identify the most common reasons for this feeling:

Inflammation that occurs due to complications of spinal osteochondrosis. In this situation, you cannot do without the help of a neurologist.
Intervertebral hernia, which is accompanied by numbness of the limbs. At this time, the patient may feel goosebumps running down his legs and tingling in his fingertips.
Elevated blood sugar levels negatively affect the condition of blood vessels. Diabetes is a very serious disease that is not easy to cope with.
Increased blood cholesterol levels, which are most often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. When a person drinks a lot of alcohol, fatty foods and leads a sedentary lifestyle, the condition of the walls of his blood vessels becomes much worse: they thicken, and therefore become less elastic.

To avoid complications, you will need to consult a neurologist.

Impaired blood circulation and loss of vascular elasticity are not so difficult to develop if you do not follow the rules of a healthy diet and lead a sedentary lifestyle. Smoking and drinking alcohol are common causes of pins and needles in the legs.

"Goose bumps" and tingling sensations during sleep

This condition does not always signal a disease. Incorrect body position can cause pins and needles and tingling sensations on the legs. For example, standing in the same position for a long time or having a pillow that is too low during sleep has a bad effect on the neck muscles, which causes swelling. Also, the uncomfortable position of the legs causes tingling and numbness due to the fact that you have pinched the blood vessels, and blood circulation has worsened for a while. But still keep in mind that prolonged and persistent pins and needles in the legs and arms are a sign of the presence of blood clots in the arteries.

During pregnancy, swelling and goose bumps are not uncommon. This is due to hormonal changes and changes in metabolic processes in the body of the expectant mother. In this case, specialists give the woman recommendations on consuming foods containing iron.

Osteochondrosis

Tingling, pins and needles and numbness in the legs are in the spine. They occur due to irritation of the nerves. The sensitivity of the legs decreases, dizziness appears and lower back pain is possible. The neurologist prescribes complex treatment with medications to the patient, gives directions for massage, physical therapy and warming up the damaged area of the spine. In severe cases, surgery is possible.

Consequences if left untreated

If you ignore the signal about disruption of the nervous and vascular systems, which manifests itself in the form of goosebumps, complications may arise:

Treatment

Before prescribing treatment, the doctor must find out why goose bumps are running down your legs. The reasons for their occurrence, as we have already said, can be different. After collecting all the tests and conducting a series of laboratory tests, the doctor prescribes the necessary medications, which are selected individually for each patient, and then refers them to a specialist. It is not recommended to begin independent treatment without consulting a neurologist.

Therapy at home

In addition to inpatient observation, treatment can be carried out at home. It is recommended to discuss this with your doctor in advance before proceeding with the procedures in order to eliminate any possible negative consequences.

Methods for treating goose bumps

The sooner you conduct an examination and find out the reason for the appearance of goosebumps in your legs, the faster you can get rid of them and prevent the occurrence of complex diseases. By following a diet, leading a healthy, active lifestyle and giving up bad habits, you will speed up your recovery. There is no need to postpone treatment indefinitely, as this can lead to disastrous consequences.

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Have you ever gotten goosebumps while listening to your favorite songs? If yes, then you are one of the 50% of people who are affected by music in this way. But why does this happen?

We are in website decided to look into the issue of “musical goosebumps”. It turns out that it's not just whether we like the melody that matters, but also how it's played. But let’s not bore you, we’ll tell you everything in more detail.

What's happening?

When the music in your playlist is chosen well, it does not go unnoticed by the body. The heart beats faster, the pupils dilate, body temperature rises, blood rushes to the legs. The cerebellum becomes more active, dopamine is released, and goosebumps are already running across the skin.

Why is this happening?

Researchers have found that music influences ancient reward system in the brain and causes the release of a neurotransmitter involved in the reward system - dopamine. The peak of its release occurs for an instant before climax of the song: our brains are constantly anticipating what will happen next - a good "habit" from an evolutionary point of view. And the longer we wait for the climax, the stronger the release.

As a result, when we (sometimes unnoticed by ourselves) anticipate a change in rhythm, the introduction of another instrument or a solo and these expectations are met, the nucleus accumbens in the brain begins to work more actively, dopamine is released and we get goosebumps. Interestingly, sex, drugs and gambling have a similar effect on people.

Who gets goosebumps more often from music?

As we mentioned at the beginning, not all people are familiar with this reaction. During one study of the phenomenon, it was discovered that people who get goosebumps from music have more powerful emotional processing centers. This means they are able to experience stronger emotions. Also, musicians are more likely to feel goosebumps from songs.

Another study found that “people with goosebumps” are more open to new experiences and have higher levels of creativity and curiosity.

What music gives you the most chills?

The genre of music does not affect whether you feel a chill. Whether it's techno, classical music or rock, structure matters more than style. Our brains like an “element of surprise,” such as a change of instrument or a fade-out of the melody.

What music gives you goosebumps? Tell us in the comments and we’ll try to make our own list of the most impressive songs.

Update: October 2018

Every cell of the human body has a connection with the nervous system - the ancient part of it, which we do not control, and the young cortex, which issues commands from consciousness. The message is carried out using nerve fibers, and they can exist normally if they are not under pressure from the outside and are not damaged from the inside. When such a situation does arise, it manifests itself as a sensation as if goosebumps are running down the skin. Then this symptom is not associated with the experience of any emotions and does not go away after switching to another thought.

Let us examine in more detail what this or that localization of these unpleasant sensations may mean, and what the duration of the “goosebumps” indicates.

Types and mechanism of “goosebumps”

The sensation of tingling and crawling is medically called “paresthesia.” They appear in response to irritation of nerve endings, the brain or spinal cord. The nature of this phenomenon is as follows: the sensitive nerve ending receives several different unrelated signals at once, layering on top of each other. As a result, the nerve does not know how to react correctly to this variety, and “turns on” numbness, burning, “pins and needles” or tingling.

Paresthesia is usually felt below the irritated area of the nerve. They may be accompanied by “goose bumps” - “pimples” in the area of hair growth, which is an analogue of the puffiness of fur or quills in animals.

Paresthesias can be:

temporary, occurring when sitting in an uncomfortable position, freezing, sexual arousal, a feeling of euphoria from listening to music or when negative emotions appear. They are usually described as “pins and needles on your legs” and go away when the irritating factor stops. Not accompanied by cramps, pain or sensory disturbances;
chronic, recurring. They are signs of the disease, and can be accompanied by two types of symptoms:
- indicating damage to the nerve fiber. These are: numbness in the limbs or only in the fingers, tingling sensation, goosebumps. Sometimes local twitching (convulsions) develops here;
- indicating damage to those nerves that are connected to the vessels of this area. This is evidenced by: pale skin, deterioration of temperature and pain sensitivity, cool temperature,...

Transient (temporary) paresthesia is a variant of the norm and does not require medical intervention. If “goosebumps” run without any visible effect on the skin, you definitely need to look for their cause and eliminate it.

What diseases provoke paresthesia?

The causes of goosebumps are varied. Let's list them first:

damage to nerve fibers of various localizations - neuropathy;
high ;
disruption of the nutrition of nerve fibers due to poisoning, including chronic alcohol intoxication - polyneuropathy;
low blood levels of calcium or magnesium;
nerve fiber injury;
damage to nerve fibers by antibodies;
varicose veins;
atherosclerosis of arterial vessels;
insufficient intake of vitamins B1, 6, C;
arthritis;
restless legs syndrome;
tumors of nerve fibers;
tumor in the parietal lobe of the brain;
insufficiency of parathyroid gland function – hypoparathyroidism;
obliterating endarteritis;
taking certain medications;
follicular hyperkeratosis;
entry of the filling mass into the canal of a tooth with a living nerve;
damage to the nerve ending.

If “goose bumps” is the name given to the external manifestation – “goose bumps”, without any other symptoms, then this pathology is called follicular hyperkeratosis.

Here, due to poor nutrition of the skin or constant irritation, the upper layer of the skin thickens excessively, and the mouths of the hair follicles become inflamed. Dermatocosmetologists treat pathology with various local and systemic means.

Goosebumps on the body, arms and legs

This symptom is accompanied by many diseases. Let's consider the main ones in more detail.

Hypovitaminosis B1

Vitamin B1 is needed for the normal functioning of the nervous system. It is involved in the production of acetylcholine - a substance that allows a nerve impulse to reach the muscle, intestines, sweat gland, heart - and transmit its command to it. Its insufficient intake from food or acceleration of its breakdown leads to:

feeling of pins and needles on the legs and arms;
irritability;
headache;
memory impairment;
increased heart rate;
pain in the heart;
swelling;
shortness of breath;
sometimes even paralysis and cardiovascular failure.

Such symptoms require prompt diagnosis and treatment: administration of synthetic vitamin thiamine and diet correction.

Hypoparathyroidism

This is a reduced function of the parathyroid glands, in which the level of calcium in the blood decreases. It manifests itself not only as goose bumps in the limbs, but also:

painful contractions of the muscles of the limbs, body and face: the arm is brought towards the body, it is “bent” at the wrist and elbow joints, the corners of the mouth are lowered, the eyelids are lowered by half, the body is arched back;
swallowing is paroxysmally impaired;
there is a stabbing pain in the abdomen;
there may be vomiting, diarrhea;
fainting occurs;
twilight vision is impaired;
"pawns ears;
there are pains and interruptions in the heart;
hair becomes thinner, the number of hair shafts falling out increases;
the skin is peeling;
a large number of teeth are affected by caries;
nails become dull;
with prolonged absence of therapy develops.

Decreased calcium levels

Here the same symptoms develop as with hypoparathyroidism, but they are not as pronounced and occur more easily. Often, the pathology is manifested only by painful spasms of the muscles of the limbs and face, which immediately follow goosebumps, increased heart rate, trembling and recurrent vomiting. With an extremely low level of this electrolyte in the blood, difficulty breathing may develop until it stops, and painful arching of the entire body.

Low blood magnesium levels

This condition manifests itself:

weakness;
lack of appetite;
nausea, vomiting;
trembling of the body or individual muscles;
Convulsions may occur in which the entire body contracts or arches. This is most common in children.

Taking medications

The appearance of goose bumps can be caused by taking drugs such as: Ofloxacin, Protionamide, Isonazid, Cycloserine, drugs against epilepsy and blood pressure lowering drugs.

Arrhythmias

In the case of the development of attack-like (paroxysmal) rhythm disturbances, a person may notice:

“goosebumps” running over the body;
chills at normal body temperature.

This state lasts from ten minutes or more; most often develops at night.

Brain stroke

Paralysis or partial immobility of the limbs on one side may be preceded by a feeling of numbness and crawling, sometimes on the opposite side. There is also a headache, there may be short- or long-term loss of consciousness, focal symptoms are observed: facial asymmetry, different widths of the palpebral fissures, inability to speak or understand speech.

Damage to the parietal lobe of the brain

A tumor or encephalitis that develops in the lobe responsible for sensitivity is accompanied by other symptoms: the inability to perform complex actions, failure to recognize objects if you close your eyes and feel them with your hands, loss of the ability to write. There may also be loss of half of the visual field and loss of awareness of one's own body diagram.

Guillain-Barre syndrome

This condition occurs after a viral infection (mainly colds and herpes), or intestinal infection caused by the Campylobacter bacterium or enteroviruses.

Here, in the period from 5 to 21 days after the illness, antibodies are formed to certain areas of the spinal nerve roots. This is manifested by the appearance of pins and needles on the legs, the range of movements gradually decreases, and sensitivity is impaired. The process may appear immediately on your hands. It may involve a certain volume, but may spread towards the chest. The last symptom is very dangerous and requires urgent hospitalization in the intensive care unit, as it can progress to respiratory arrest.

Head injury

A brain contusion can lead to the appearance of pins and needles on both one and two sides. After this, loss of sensation may develop.

Shingles

The disease is caused by the same virus as chickenpox; occurs in those who have already had it. It manifests itself as the appearance of goosebumps in the projection of any nerve, but more often - one of the intercostal nerves. Goosebumps precede the appearance of redness here, on which bubbles with transparent contents soon appear. The affected area burns and hurts.

Multiple sclerosis

This is an autoimmune pathology when one’s own antibodies begin to attack the membrane of most nerve fibers, as a result of which the latter become “naked” and begin to destroy themselves. There is no clear sequence or algorithm for damage to fibers, so it is difficult to recognize the disease.

Most often it begins with one eye, the sensation of a foreign body in it, and the appearance of blurred contours of the objects in question. This condition lasts about a week, then goes away on its own, but not completely. Subsequently, the symptom will recur. Gradually, it leads to disruption of coordinated eye movements and a change in the normal reaction of the pupils to light. Usually after this, goosebumps and pain appear on the face, which is the basis for making a diagnosis of “” or “Trigeminal neuralgia”. Later, loss of coordination, changes in handwriting, and transient trembling of objects develop.

Also, the initial manifestations of the disease include goosebumps, burning, numbness or tightening of the skin that occurs on any part of the body. It goes away on its own and often does not serve as a reason to contact a neurologist or therapist.

Polyneuropathy

This disease is characterized by damage to the peripheral nervous system due to poisoning (including alcohol surrogates), metabolic disorders (mainly due to diabetes mellitus). It is dangerous because the disconnection of nerves, starting from distant parts of the body (fingers and toes), spreads closer and closer to the respiratory muscles, and can also involve the nerves that command the contraction of the muscles responsible for breathing.

Polyneuropathy manifests itself as a deterioration in the motor activity of the legs and arms, starting with the fingers, the appearance of goosebumps and numbness in these areas, and the gradual “turning off” of sensitivity in the areas of socks and gloves.

Goosebumps on the face and hands

If goosebumps crawl on the skin of your face and hands, this may be one of the following pathologies.

Migraine

At first, goosebumps appear on the face (especially around the mouth) and hands, then a headache develops mainly in one half of the head. In this case, paresthesia should be regarded as a migraine aura - a condition that precedes an attack of pain.

Tumor or inflammation of the frontal lobe of the brain

A change in personality (a person becomes “not the same as usual”) along with goosebumps in the lips and fingers may indicate damage to the frontal lobe. Only a neurologist can refute such a diagnosis, sometimes only on the basis of an MRI of the brain.

Goosebumps on the scalp

If you have goosebumps on the back of your head, it could be:

Greater occipital nerve neuropathy. At the same time, goosebumps, numbness and tingling are felt in the area of the back of the head to the crown; here there is increased or decreased sensitivity. You can find pain points in the back of the head.
Neuropathy of the cervical plexus with compression of its sensory nerves. Here in the area of the back of the head, neck, shoulder girdle and behind the ear, pain and goosebumps are felt.
. In this case, the tingling sensation is felt for 1-2 hours, then disappears, leaving no focal changes.
Bell's palsy. At first, goosebumps are felt on one side of the face, after which weakness of the muscles on this side appears, and then they completely cease to provide movement to one side of the mouth and facial muscles.

Goosebumps on your hands

If you notice goosebumps crawling on your arm, please note: this may be due to the following reasons.

Anterior scalene syndrome

When this muscle is overstrained, which is caused by compression of the lower trunk of the brachial plexus and the subclavian artery, pain and pins and needles are noted in the arm - from the shoulder to the little finger and ring finger. When turning the head, the pain radiates to the back of the head and chest. There may be numbness and chilliness in the hand, and the skin becomes pale or more bluish.

Brachial plexus syndrome

It is characterized by deterioration of movement in the hand, goosebumps and decreased sensitivity in the part of the hand that is located on the little finger side.

Raynaud's disease

Manifested by coldness and paleness of the fingers. Goosebumps crawl over them, the fingers first turn blue and begin to hurt, then their skin turns red, and the pain subsides. Often not only the fingers, but also the toes are affected.

Osteochondrosis, trauma, spondylolisthesis or tumor of the cervical spinal cord

These diseases are characterized not only by the appearance of goose bumps in the hands, but also by pain in the muscles of the hands, a gradual decrease in strength in their muscles, and a deterioration in temperature and pain sensitivity in the hands. If a pathological process (tumor, edema or vertebrae) compresses the vessels leading to the brain, hearing or vision impairment will be noted.

Myositis of the cervical muscles

Goosebumps in the arms are accompanied by pain in the neck. These symptoms are worse in certain positions of the neck. .

Costoclavicular syndrome

This is the name for compression of the vessels and nerves of the brachial plexus, which occurs in a vertical position if the shoulder girdle is pulled back and down (for example, when carrying a heavy backpack). In this case, pain when standing at attention, accompanied by goosebumps, develops along the inside of the hand and forearm.

Musculocutaneous nerve neuropathy

This nerve gives commands to many muscles of the shoulder, including the biceps, reaching the forearm and dividing into anterior and posterior branches. If the nerve is pinched at the level of the elbow fold, pain occurs in this place, which radiates to the side of the forearm and is accompanied by a burning sensation and goosebumps. The pain intensifies with flexion and extension of the elbow, and rotation of the forearm in and out.

Compression of the median nerve in the axillary fossa

The pathology occurs mainly when carrying heavy objects resting on the armpit, as well as when spouses sleep together, when the head of one of them is under the arm of the other.

Here goosebumps run across the palm; at first this is not accompanied by pain or dysfunction. If a similar situation with compression is repeated, the work of the flexor muscles of the palm and those muscles that are responsible for flexing the thumb and index fingers worsens. The palm loses its sensitivity; the muscles that form the eminence of the thumb are hypotrophied.

Intermetacarpal tunnel syndrome

This is the name of the condition when the nerve is pinched by the heads of the metacarpal bones. Symptoms: numbness and pins and needles in the area of the surfaces of the fingers facing each other, which intensify with flexion and extension of the fingers.

Pinched nerve between the heads of the triceps muscle

The causes of the condition are injury to the back of the arm, fracture of the humerus.

Symptoms: deterioration or inability to straighten the hand; if you press on the back of the forearm, pain and pins and needles appear near the thumb.

Compression of the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve

This occurs due to the habit of resting your elbow on the edge of the table. Pain occurs on the inside of the hand. If you press on the inside of the wrist, the pain intensifies and a pins and needles sensation appears.

Goosebumps on my feet

The symptom of goosebumps “running” down the leg is caused by various conditions. Let's look at the main ones.

Lumbar plexus neuropathy

It appears due to compression of the plexus by altered upper lumbar vertebrae, hematomas, abscesses, phlegmons, and tumors in this area.

Symptoms: pain and pins and needles - in the lower abdomen, in the pelvic area, on the thigh. They intensify when the extended leg is raised upward.

Varicose veins

The legs, especially when standing for a long time and at the end of the working day, itch, swell, and feel heaviness. Dilated veins and purple vascular networks are visually determined.

Restless legs syndrome

This is the name of a condition caused by various reasons, when a burning, tingling, feeling of bursting or squeezing is felt in the legs, due to which the lower limbs perform a frequent reflex movement of “throwing off”.

To clarify and eliminate the cause of such sensations, contact a therapist and neurologist.

Bernhardt-Roth disease

It manifests itself:

goosebumps, burning, numbness, tingling in the area from the hip joint along the anterolateral surface of the thigh to the knee;
pain and pins and needles intensify when walking, disappear if you sit or lie with your legs bent;
if you touch the skin in this area, it will hurt, you will feel a feeling of heat, a prick;
sensitivity here is increased;
There may be both dry skin and increased sweating in this area.

After lumbar puncture

Injury to the nerve roots during lumbar puncture can lead to pain, loss of sensation in the legs, and weakness in their muscles.

Operations on the spinal cord, spinal nerves, spine

If the nerve roots were injured during the intervention, the following occurs:

goosebumps in the legs;
weakness of the leg muscles;
decreased sensitivity in the legs.

Raynaud's disease

It manifests itself as pain and coldness of the fingers, then the fingers turn blue, which is accompanied by increased pain. Then the vascular spasm goes away, the fingers turn red, and the pain and goosebumps go away.

Femoral nerve neuropathy

It can be caused by a fracture of the pelvic bones with bleeding into the muscles surrounding this nerve. It may occur if the nerve was injured during puncture of the femoral artery, or if it was compressed by lymph nodes or a hematoma localized in the area of the inguinal fold.

Symptoms:

pain – in the groin area;
spreads to the lumbar region, to the thigh and lower leg along their anterior internal surface;
Here goosebumps are detected and sensitivity is reduced;
flexion-extension of the hip and knee may be performed in too small a volume;
climbing stairs is especially difficult.

Clamping of the saphenous nerve

Pins and needles, pain and loss of sensitivity are determined along the inside of the leg from the knee to the big toe.

Rabies

The disease occurs as a result of the bite of an infected animal, which introduces the rabies virus into the wound. Pathology manifests itself as the appearance of goosebumps in the bitten leg. Subsequently, fear of light, water and sound develops.

Goosebumps on the tongue

This is typical for:

rubbing with dentures;
changes in bite resulting from the removal of one or several teeth;
galvanization, when an electric current occurs due to the fact that the crowns are made of different metals;
getting filling material into the canal;
hypovitaminosis B12;
damage to the sensory fiber of the glossopharyngeal nerve;
inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain;
peptic ulcer of the upper digestive system;
diseases of the ENT organs: sinusitis, rhinitis.

Goosebumps in the back area

Goosebumps “run” down the back when there is a pathology of the spine, such as spondylosis. If the vertebrae in the cervical region are deformed, then goosebumps and pain will be felt in the neck, crown and upper back; they intensify with certain movements. If similar symptoms develop in the thoracic region, we are most likely talking about spondylosis or osteochondrosis of the thoracic region. Finally, in pathologies when the nerves coming from the lumbosacral region are pinched, goosebumps will be felt in the lumbar region.

Algorithm for analyzing the state when “goosebumps” appear

Before you panic, remember what caused the paresthesia. It is also important to assess your condition as objectively as possible and notice additional symptoms:

Then the goosebumps appeared	Where are they felt?	Additional symptoms	What could it be	Which doctor should I contact? How to confirm
After a spinal injury	In the limb area	Numbness, impaired sensitivity and movement in the limbs. With a cervical injury, there may be dizziness and loss of coordination. No goosebumps	Fracture, fracture-dislocation of vertebrae	Neuropathologist X-ray or computed tomography of the spine in the injured area
For no reason, but more often - if a person suffers from thrombosis, arrhythmias, hypertension	In the area of one half of the body	Sudden onset of poor sensitivity and inability to move the arm and leg on one side	Stroke	Neuropathologist Examination by an ambulance doctor, a neurologist, computed tomography of the brain performed under the supervision of a resuscitator
For no apparent reason	In the area of the limbs, but not on one side of the arm or leg, but grabbing either the foot (hand), or the foot and lower leg (hand and forearm), or the entire limb	Numbness, pallor of the skin, decreased local temperature, hair loss or decreased growth in the area where the “pins and needles” sensation is felt	Poor arterial patency: obliterating atherosclerosis or obliterating endarteritis. There may also be nerve compression	Vascular surgeon, neurologist Ultrasound with Dopplerography of the arteries of the extremities (both). Examination by a neurologist, checking tendon reflexes, electroneurography
With frequent alcohol consumption	In the area of the extremities (lower, upper or all)	The same		Examination by a neurologist, checking tendon reflexes
After an arm/leg injury	In the area of injury, above and below the point of impact	Feeling of “pins and needles”, decreased or increased sensitivity to cold/heat, muscle weakness of only this limb	Nerve fiber injury	Examination by a neurologist
After working with paints or heavy metals	Legs, arms	“Goosebumps” on the extremities (usually the legs), while sensitivity in the toe area decreases, and the muscles there become weak. Weakness and decreased sensation may also be observed in the hands, in the glove area, and spread along the arms/legs towards the torso	Toxic polyneuropathy
If you have diabetes	In the area of both or four limbs	“Goosebumps” on the legs/arms, decreased sensitivity, muscle weakness	Diabetic polyneuropathy	Endocrinologist together with a neurologist Blood test for sugar (glucose) level, glycated hemoglobin level, electromyo- and electroneurography
For no apparent reason	In the area of the lower/upper or all 4 limbs	Changes in temperature and pain sensitivity, cold skin, muscle weakness	Vitamin deficiency (most likely B1)	Therapist – for adults, pediatrician – for children Examination by a neurologist, determination of the level of vitamins in the blood
During pregnancy	In the leg area	There are signs of pregnancy. There may be night cramps	Lack of magnesium or calcium	Therapist Determination of calcium and magnesium in blood
For no apparent reason	Both on the body and on the limbs	A persistent low fever that does not decrease with antibiotic treatment, but goes away on its own. Often - spots on the skin, there may be a “mesh pattern”. Losing weight. Pain in muscles, joints	Vasculitis	Therapist, rheumatologist Rheumatology tests, LE cells and other tests prescribed by a rheumatologist
Against the background of the same type of work	In a separate area of the limb (less commonly, the body)	Pain in this area, loss of sensitivity, “pins and needles”. Pass through time	Pinching or inflammation of a single nerve fiber	Neuropathologist Examination by a neurologist, determination of sensitivity and tendon reflexes
After a cold, intestinal infection, vaccination, surgery	It starts from the feet, can end there, and can rise, capturing the legs, thighs, hands, and forearms. Breathing, swallowing, and regulation of vascular tone may be impaired	Numbness, loss of sensitivity, muscle weakness, impaired movement of the limbs or their parts, up to paralysis, which can be treated if started in a timely manner. When immobilization of the limbs occurs, the “goosebumps” disappear	Infectious-allergic polyneuropathy (Guillain-Barré or Guillain-Barré-Landry syndrome)	Neuropathologist, sometimes together with infectious disease specialists Examination by a neurologist, determination of sensitivity and tendon reflexes
Either for no reason, or after suffering from acute respiratory viral infection	In any area, but more often - between the ribs	Chickenpox-type blisters are observed in the affected area. This is also accompanied by a burning sensation and pain when breathing		Infectious disease specialist together with a neurologist
For no apparent reason	Hands, face, mouth area	After goosebumps there is a headache, usually in one half of the head	Migraine with aura	Examination by a neurologist
After hypothermia	Separate area of the face	Pain in this area, lacrimation, increased sweating on this side	Trigeminal neuralgia	Examination by a neurologist
After an animal bite	At the site of the bite	Increased sensitivity of this area, sensation of a “twitching” muscle, photophobia, hydrophobia	Rabies	The diagnosis is made based on examination by an infectious disease specialist/radiologist
For no apparent reason	In any area	Accompanied by a completely different set of neurological symptoms: headache, loss of coordination, decreased vision, loss of sensitivity in any areas of the skin of the face, limbs, and torso	Multiple sclerosis, some mitochondrial diseases	MRI of the brain and cervical spinal cord with contrast, electroneurography, laboratory tests that will be prescribed by a neurologist after examination
For no apparent reason	“Goosebumps” appear in paroxysms on any part of the body, the location of which may vary. Most often they are felt in the back of the head	Distorted perception of one's own body parts, failure to recognize objects, inability to perform complex movements, loss of the ability to count and solve arithmetic problems. There may be loss of visual field	Damage (usually by tumor) to the parietal lobe of the brain	Neuropathologist MRI of the brain
After hypothermia of the head, overload of the neck muscles. Maybe for no apparent reason	In the back of the head	type “drilling”, “shooting”, occurs in attacks. During the interictal period, a dull pain in the back of the head may remain. You can find points on the back of the head, pressure on which increases pain and goosebumps	Occipital neuralgia	Examination by a neurologist

If you have goosebumps:

run around the local area, especially in the limbs,
this is not accompanied by disturbances of consciousness, vision, breathing, swallowing,
does not rise to the respiratory tract,

it can be any of the neuropathies of numerous nerves. This diagnosis is made by a neurologist based on a routine examination of the patient. We will not list all the diagnoses in the table, especially since their treatment is the same.

The following important information regarding paresthesia should also be noted:

the lower (closer to the toes) the area where the goose bumps are located, the closer to the tailbone the pathology is located;
a large area of goosebumps running from a large (hip or shoulder) joint to the fingers indicates a pathology of the spine, while the reverse movement (from the fingers upward) indicates nerve damage;
if sensitivity is impaired, pain appears and goosebumps appear in a small area between the hand (foot) and shoulder (thigh), most likely a small nerve fiber is damaged (compressed);
pain that occurs along with goosebumps
Goosebumps and sensory disturbances are especially dangerous in patients with diabetes, as well as after an intestinal or cold illness;
anxiety and an urgent visit to a neurologist should be caused by conditions when, along with goosebumps, it is discovered that the affected area does not distinguish what kind of - sharp or blunt - object has touched it, and also does not distinguish between hot and cold water;
You need to visit a neurologist or vascular surgeon if the skin where the goosebumps run has turned pale, cold, and has little pale hair growing on it.

What can cause goosebumps in children

Goosebumps in children can be caused by:

Guillain-Barre syndrome;
intoxication (due to or poisoning) polyneuropathy;
encephalitis affecting the parietal region;
scalene muscle syndrome due to an accessory rib;
neuropathies due to muscle spasms;
vasculitis;
arthritis;
taking certain medications;
spondylosis;
lack of B vitamins;
hypocalcemia or hypomagnesemia.