If you’ve noticed that your skin feels extra sensitive when you’re ill, you’re not alone – and there are several reasons why this might happen. Sometimes when you’re unwell, you have a fever.
When your body gets hot, it can make your skin feel uncomfortably warm (similar to how you might feel if you got sunburn). This could potentially make it feel more sensitive. Remember that a fever is a sign your body is fighting the infection, and while it might make you feel miserable, it isn’t necessarily harmful.
Another reason for the increased sensitivity could be that your body is also aching from the illness, which makes it feel different to touch. You might also be dehydrated, leaving your skin more irritable and uncomfortable, and possibly more sensitive. Some people have claimed that the trigger to your immune system when you’re unwell can lead to heightened sensitivity, but the exact mechanism behind this isn’t fully understood.
Usually, this type of skin sensitivity is only temporary, and isn’t a cause for concern. Taking simple medication to combat the fever can help, such as paracetamol. Most of the time it needs rest and time and will improve as the illness resolves.
There is a specific type of long-term nerve pain that leads someone to be extremely sensitive to touch, called allodynia. This is a symptom rather than a disease in itself and can have many different causes. The most common causes of allodynia include diabetes, shingles, fibromyalgia, and migraine headaches – not usually just a simple cold.
Read more:
- Why is human skin so fragile?
- Why do we have moles on our skin?
- Why is my wife always complaining that the house is too cold?
- Should I really starve a fever and feed a cold?
Asked by: Kendra Park, via email
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