What to do about touch hypersensitivity????

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I don't generally experience this to a very high degree, but when I get sick, I tend to. It's awful and I don't know what to do about it since I don't have this very often. When something touches my skin, even my own hand, it's painful in a way similar to what it feels like when you have a sunburn. Of course, I can't just put aloe vera on it. Sitting super still helps, but I can't just be perfectly still until I'm better! Does anyone have any tips for how to cope with this?? It's freaking me out.

It affects me more when I am sick and tired/stressed, too.
I don't know if any of this will help you, or if it will make any sense, but this is how I deal with it.

If someone touches me (Say, feeling for temperature, or for reassurance, shaking hands/hugging, or even by accident), I try to imagine myself being the one trying to touch them, or trying to imagine being them touching me. It draws my attention away from myself. Rather than withdrawing to shut down and escape from negative stimuli, I try to project my mind onto something else, to make it seem like whatever touch is happening isn't happening to me. Or that it didn't really happen.

For example. I used to go limp when people would shake my hand or hug me. I would just withdraw until it went away. Then one day I shook hands with my mother (It's an inside joke, when we do that), and she was rather disturbed by the fact my hand was limp when she shook it. She told me it feels creepy, and that I should always squeeze back in a handshake.

So, now when someone shakes my hand, instead of thinking how unpleasant it is, I focus on how hard I think I should be squeezing back (depending on how hard they squeeze), where I am looking, what kind of expression I have when I shake hands, and anything else that crosses my mind about what I'm doing. And then it's over.

If someone is touching me to be reassuring/affectionate, I think of what I would be expected to do for a friend or loved one if they were upset about something. When I think about what I would feel expected to do in a situation, even if I don't like to do it, I'm focusing less on what's actually happening to me.

Not that it makes the experience any less bearable on an emotional level (LOL), but it does distract me from hyperfocusing on the physical discomfort, or trying to fall asleep to get away from it.

I hope this helps...

I hate random or unexpected touch. Or even expected touch from strangers. If my SO touches me unexpectedly, I jump. Yesterday I had to go for my PT session. The therapist of course had to touch me in various places for an hour. By the time I was done in there, I was so stressed that I wanted to cry. And worse, when a stranger touches me, I feel like their touch is some sticky substance that is clinging to me long after the event. Washing and changing clothing sometimes helps. As for the hypersensitive skin, I get this and there is truly nothing that I have found that helps. Today I am wearing shorts, because the skin on my legs feels sunburned.

There is nothing I can tell you that can help you except to say don't be afraid to tell people not to touch you even if you have to get in their face about it. I hate a**holes who touch me without warning. I also can't believe how people are offended when you pull away from their touch or when you push their hand away. I sometimes even threaten to get the police involved because unwanted touching is assault.

When I was in high school I gotten into several fights with guys for sitting too close to me and once when a guy in gym who thought he could use my back as a foot rest. He said he did not mean anything when he did it but I did not care I am not a piece of s**t who can be manhandled for someone's amusement. Most people in school knew I hated to be touched so he had to be doing it to start trouble with me.

When I worked in a resteraunt there was a waitress who was real touchy feely with everyone including me. I was the only one who got pissed when she did it. I was cutting cellery really fast with a large knife one day right after complaining about her touching me so she snuck up behind me to put her arms around as a joke she ended up causing me to splice my thumb wide open needless to say she was fired. I was teased for getting her fired everyone would say if waitress showed me affection I would get them fired.

I get annoyed by unexpected touch but more annoyed at myself. I would like to not be so sensitive to it. It seems people do this to show affection or make a connection while talking, but it causes the most stress and discomfort for me. My bad reaction seems to push people away.

I guess it depends what works for you.

My issues with touch are not the same as yours, it causes discomfort not pain, and for me it's all about light touches - I deal with this by going to the other end of the spectrum, I wear tight under garments for example or say if boyfriend is hugging lightly I ask him to hug tightly instead. It's not ideal, and may not be beneficial for you, but maybe something like tight clothing covering your skin may be helpful - yes it's touch, but it would limit light touching or the sensation of touching.

I remember when I was in grade school we would see the kids from the disabled classes walk by there was a low function autistic boy who wore a hockey helmet because when people touched him he would beat on his head. People use to ask how can a simple touch make someone that upset that they beat themselves. I think I was the only other person there who understood why I don't feel pain from being touched just an extreme discomfort and anxiety that causes me to be dizzy and angerd. It actually several times caused me to have violent meltdowns causing me to smash my fist into walls tearing up drywall and at the resteraunt I worked at I dented a metal walls several times.

My touch issues bother me the most because I have 5 children. I can't explain it, but when my AS children come at me to hug or kiss me, I cringe inside. I smile, hug them quickly and lightly, and then move back away from them a little. My 5 month old is starting to do this too me also, though she is showing signs of AS. She constantly stratches any and all fabric and skin with her left hand constantly while awake. She also pushes against my legs, or anything they are in contact, with her toes on a regular basis. When I'm feeding her I just take deep breathes and smile and coo at her. I just wish I knew why they make me feel different than my 2 other kids. I feel so guilty.

I don't like being touched suddenly either, another thing I don't like is when people stand nearly on top of you and you have to back away then they come forward again.

Ugh! I hate that too!

I've ended up trapped in a corner backing away from two people who kept moving closer to me. They also kept gesturing with their hands near my face. They were trying to be nice, but I was screaming inside my head

I have fibromyalgia and my skin often hurts. I'm in a cycle right now where I can't wear underwear and even the loosest clothes feel like they are abrading my skin. Even a light touch feels like a deep bruise. I always itch. My only option is over the counter NSAIDS, etc... For me, it is cyclical. I know I just need to wait it out. Occassionally, sun helps. I'm guessing it has something to do with Vitamin D levels but I don't really know. I burn very easily so it is a balancing act. Even a light sunburn ontop of hurty skin is pure agony.

In fibro, there is new evidence about excesses of a pain neurotransmitter in the spinal fluid that causes excessive sensitivity. In 17 years, I have yet to corrolate a specific environmental, emotional, dietary or physical trigger for my pain's peaks and valleys. Supposedly, fibro is more common in AS. I did find some relief with Cymbalta - it did take the edge off, especially in morning pain. I tend to shun most meds but I'm glad I didn't shun this one. Unfortunately, I have no insurance now and it is quite expensive since it isn't in generic form yet. I tend to experience the worst in the way of side effects and I had none on this one. Ask your doctor about it.