The feeling that bugs are crawling on your skin (which is a type of tactile hallucination) is sometimes associated with mental illness. This sensation (formally known as formication) can be rather alarming. However, it often has nothing to do with a person's mental health. Many examples of formication may be caused by a specific women's health matter.
Hormonal Changes
Formication can in fact be a symptom of peri-menopause. This is the early stage of menopause when symptoms start to become apparent. As your ovaries stop producing eggs, your body begins to undergo some hormonal changes, related to your decreased production of key hormones—primarily oestrogen and progesterone. The slowing (and eventual halting) of hormone production can trigger physical, tactile symptoms—which is why you might be experiencing formication.
Quality of Life
Not everyone going through menopause will encounter formication, although it's fairly common. The noticeable start of menopause symptoms doesn't necessarily mean that you need to consult a doctor. However, medical assistance can be required when menopause symptoms start to affect your quality of life. Clearly, a tactile hallucination that can make you compulsively need to scratch your skin does affect your quality of life, so it's wise to schedule an appointment with your GP.
Other Causes
Consulting your GP is a good idea because formication can have other causes, and it's in your best interests to rule these out. You'll be able to rule out some possible causes yourself by determining if they're relevant—such as alcohol or drug withdrawal. This can include recreational drugs or prescription opioids. Other potential causes need to be ruled out by your doctor. Depending on any other potential symptoms, they may wish to test you for skin cancer, allergies, diabetes, and even Lyme disease—as these conditions can cause formication.
Treatment Options
Once it has been determined that your formication is related to peri-menopause, what happens next? You may wish to discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with your doctor, and whether this therapy will offer any benefits in your specific case. At the very least, you may need treatment to alleviate your formication symptoms. This probably won't require prescription medication, and your doctor may instruct you to take an over-the-counter antihistamine as needed. Your symptoms will be monitored, but ideally will fade as your body adapts to your decreased hormone production.
Since formication can have multiple causes, it's smart to consult your doctor. But if you're of an age when menopause can be expected in the not too distant future, your symptoms should have an easy explanation.
For more information, visit a local women's health clinic.
I didn't realise how important health care clinics are until I became unwell. For many months, I avoided going to the doctor. However, one morning, my wife suggested I wish the local health care clinic. The staff there were fantastic. They examined me and ran a number of different tests. I had to return to the clinic several times for follow up appointments. It was much later that the doctor told me that if I hadn't visited the health care clinic, I could have lost my life. I hope that my blog will help you to understand the importance of health care clinics.