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Invisible Bugs crawling on skin? Strange sensation...

I posted this info before, but it was a reply to someone else's similar post...

I am a 23 year old healthy male. I recently had a full physical and the results were that I am in above average health. I have no diseases, do not use drugs, but drink on occasion.

Anyways, just started noticing these strange symptoms, within the past few weeks. Nothing "brought it on" so to speak that I can tell of. It's been going on longer, but less noticeable, now since I do not talk sleeping meds any more, it's all that I can notice...

Symptoms are strange sensations on my skin. The sensation is it feels like there are "invisible bugs" crawling on, and/or biting my skin. No actual bites, rashes, bugs, sores, or anything of the nature is ever visible. Occurs more at night, while laying down than any other time. The sensation occurs throughout my entire body, no area is exempt from this sensation, and it seems to be completely random, at times I'll feel it on my arm, then my face, then leg, then arm again, etc, no pattern. The sensation "goes away" once I touch the area (either itch it, brush at it as if there WAS a bug I am brushing off, slap it, or touch it in any way...)

I've heard that various forms of dry skin, or minor allergic reactions to soaps could produce such a problem... I have not changed body soaps, shampoos, or laundry detergent types in quite a while (well before such symptoms) I do not have dry skin, or any type of rash.

Ruled out dry skin

I've read about "Morgellons" (years ago, before it was a mainstream idea) and don't think that is what I have... I have no lesions, sores, boils, wounds, or anything of the sort, and no fibers protruding from anything.

Ruling out Morgellons.

I had read about the possibility of it being bed bugs (from reading sites like this online) so I tore my bedroom apart looking for signs of an infestation, and saw NOTHING. My mattress is brand new, the apartment I live in is also pretty close to brand new. Never the less, not a thing was found, searched mattress, box spring, walls near bed, everything.

Ruled out bed bugs.

The only other thing I've seen it could be is Restless Leg Syndrome. NOT sure about that, but I did hear that that sensation in the legs is a symptom of that, and that in some cases, the skin crawling sensation can occur all over the body, not just the legs, and still be considered RLS.

Undecided about RLS possibility.

The only other things I have going on that MAY be related, is an upper back pain/numbness... unknown cause. Been going on for years though. No diagnosis.

So basically I'm out of ideas, and about to go insane. It's terrible at night not being able to sleep because of that feeling, and not being able to sleep with my girlfriend because I keep her awake with my constant moving around and itching...
1036 Responses
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Avatar universal
If you have tiny black and white dots everywhere or on your clothes & skin. It’s super bed bugs, i shower with a sulfur soap and ACV and then put Vaseline all over my body and you will see what comes out of your skin, it amazing. And wash my hair with a shampo and alcohol mix. That seems to work. Praying for everyone!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Amythstar epidermy gives a membership which has a larvae kit list that really WORKED. It costs $40 the same as an office visit.
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Avatar universal
Amythstar epidermy gives a membership which has a larvae kit list that really WORKED. It costs $40 the same as an office visit.
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Avatar universal
Amythstar has a membership which gives you a proven list. It is REALLY good and it WORKED. It It cost $40 the same an doctors visit indefinitely.
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Avatar universal
Cold showers, hand sanitizer, hair dryer, vacuum with hepa filter are you're best friends lol. Dont let rain water accumulate and evaporate anywhere near you or anything you want to keep. Don't hold on to anything that has been out in the rain and use hair dryer to dry yourself and clothes off when you get home on a rainy day. Clean with hand sanitizer mixed with water in a spray bottle, or a uv light, or steam cleaner, or even hair dryer. hot showers make it worse. vaccuum yourself (sounds weird but try it and you'll see what I mean)  Stay away from dusty environments. Don't ever think its all in your head. It can get way worse trust me. I let it get out of control and it almost killed me. Then awhile later it got in my mouth and I lost all my teeth and it has made me look pretty bad. Its everywhere all over everything and for some reason we are the lucky ones that it attacks. Or maybe we are the ones that it cant infect and everyone else is doomed..... It can cause so many really bad health problems. It is constantly trying to cover more and more of you with a thicker and thicker layer of it so its a numbers game: keep the numbers down and the symptoms become fewer and less noticeable. Let it build up and the symptoms  will get wore and you'll get more of them. And the ways that it affects you will get worse and worse,  pain gets worse and worse, starts changing the way you look and you're ability to function. And it will really start to **** your life up completely. It pretty much will make you weak, exhausted, ugly, looking dirty, smelling bad, You're nose will always be running really bad, breath really bad from teeth decaying no matter what and that will hurt alot until they all fall out even if you have the best oral hygiene and see a dentist daily it wont stop. Skin starts getting bad with sores pimples then looks necrotic. swelling in legs, hands, face. And you start to lose cognitive ability and motivation. You just lay there and watch it get worse.

So Please dont let yourself go through what I did. The more of it you have on you the faster it accumulates. I know of more than a few people that were suffering so bad they had no desire to live anymore and chose to end their life. You wont ever experience anything like what I've described if you just stay on top of it, the less you have on you or around you the easier it is to fight it. Be clean, be healthy, practice good hygiene,  and stay away from things and places that look really gross and dirty or decaying
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Please consider mites, there are 245,000 tagged adn so many still unknown. What makes my scalp crawl are collombola, considered mites, but they are special kind also called hexapods. They are 1-3 mm and their babies are even smaller, called snow fleas. They were either maliciously put on my head and/ or my home. The medical community is not doing what they are supposed to do, they would sooner label people as crazy and put them on some anti-psychotic. The science community ahs to accept that they are parasitic and make their home on humans, under their skin before any solutions can be found. Till then I suggest you join skin mite groups on FB. Mites are also responsible for Morgellons.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Try streching  your legs b4 bed and ibprophine or motrin that helps if its rls.
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Motrin is a lifesaver for me, but be sure to take with food each time
Avatar universal
Get a microscope that includes a light and examine your skin that is accessible to you the next time you feel the itching.  You figure it out. Sounds like Morgellon’s to me...
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
it turns out morgellons may be a fungal infection called Valley Fever.  i have it and it is not good.  get yourself a mag app and look at the things coming out of you.  you will probably never see 2 things the same.  tons of garlic in caplet or gel will help like nothing else.  clove oil works with constant application daily.  drink it too.  make your diet include numerous antioxidants.  dark fruit, olive oil, garlic, turmeric, salmon, cloves... if you do not fight, it will take over, and prognosis is not good.  assuming it is the Valley Fever.  get tested, soon.
Avatar universal
Try taking an enzyme supplement. I have had the same symptoms for the past few months & believe it is a very early stage of Morgellons. If it is, you need to cut out most sugar from your diet & processed foods. I am taking something called Candex, grapefruit seed extract, oregano oil & a parasite detox vitamin from my functional doc by a co. called Food Research. Praying your issue has been resolved & you don't need the advice.
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1 Comments
This is a gut issue, treating the skin from outside is just a temporary solution. You need to change your diet. My best advise is to start intermittent fasting where you fast for 16hrs and eat for 8hrs. this gives your digestive track a break and time to digest. Once digestion is complete the body starts to heal itself.  Stay away from sugar of all kind and eat a lot of veg and salads. no junk food and no foods that will spike your sugar levels.

Good luck
Avatar universal
I’ve finally figured out my issue!  Ive had this annoying issue for over 10 tens.  It seems to get worst and more difficult to get any sleep.  Ive tried everything.  The best quick solution so that I can stop the crawling feelings at night is to spray myself with rubbing alcohol.  That usually allows enough time for me to fall asleep.  Sulfur soaps helps too but only for a few weeks.  After going to the doctor for a allergy test I’ve found out that I’m allergic to dustmite! They are everywhere and impossible to get rid of.  The dr told me to go to costco to get Aller-tec ($20 for 365 pills) to help with the itching. I’ve also bought dustmite proof mattress covering, pillow covers, and duvet covers. That seems to help the most.  Please go to the dr to get yourself tested.  I will be happy to answer any question.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Its a mold infestation in ur crib that's causing u to have these symptoms bruh... 100% positive.!
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1 Comments
Stgawwwd. I had da same problem. And it's mold all in my basement and Everytime we go down there stuff fall on us. We inhale it,it comes out out our nose & etc smh crazy
Avatar universal
Your problem & the way you described it is EXACTLY what my husband said/had!! He suffered with this for over 2 years. He was so frustrated, angry & depressed he contempled hurting himself :(  He tried everything you can possibly think of to "get rid of the bugs". He finally got the answer, it's not anything you've ruled out & not bugs on you... His smart wonderful Dermatologist immediately fixed the issue... He stopped using any and all products that include dyes, perfumes, etc. Laundry soap, dish soap, do not use bleach, Deodarant, wash EVERYTHING that will come into contact with your skin with "free laundry soap". I immediately went out and replaced his regular products with the perfume, dye, paraben free products and within 2 days the "bugs on his skin feeling"... GONE!! The only time he has the "bugs" back is if he uses anything that may have not been washed with the "free" products. He's not had the issue for 2 years! I can't even begin to tell you the things we tried to get rid of the issue. Good luck.
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2 Comments
what are these products where can I get them? because I have tried everything and not better. this my email ***@****
what are these products where can I get them? because I have tried everything and not better. this my email ***@****
Avatar universal
If you haven't yet ask your Dr to check you for systemic candida and the types  sounds cRaZy but it's becoming a US epidemic. Drs don't normally test for this. Because it's throughout your body. Like mine which I studied for 3 yrs and went to over 20 Dr visits and specialist finally a phsychiatrist did the test. It even explained my eradic behavior and overturned my bipolar diagnosis. I'm not cRaZy this is real. It is treatable   left untreated it is deadly. God bless you don't give up be assertive GET the test.
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1 Comments
How do they test for this?
Avatar universal
Pinworms or threadworms
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Avatar universal
Its threadworms! Or pinworms!
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Avatar universal
My husband went through "there are invisible bugs on me". He tried everything to get rid of the "bugs"!!! Bleach, bug spray, Dr's  on & on. Finally we found a wonderful Dermatologist who told him she knew exactly what was wrong and beeeelieve me he thought she was full of ***t!! But we did exactly as she said and within 2 days.... Gone. No itching, no "bugs"! The Dr told him to immediately stop using anything like soap, shampoo, laundry soap, dish soap, no bleaches, etc with perfumes, dyes, paraben just use these items that are free of anything. We had to wash EVERYTHING that would touch his skin. 1 year later still no issue. You MUST stop using these items that cause the "bugs crawling on me" crap.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
ok, I have lived through this same exact same problem, especially at night while watching TV... I spent hours on the internet trying to find a solution... not much info anywhere... while searching one day on a very obscure blog i saw that someone posted that this problem is not a bug on the outside, but a microscopic fungus on your skin that you feel only when you are not moving and in a very still, relaxed state.... i was very sceptical..... the solution was way too simple.... draw a bath and pour bleach in the water mix well, and soak in the bath... so what could happen, simple and inexpensive potential solution so I gave it a try and it actually worked, I had to repeat a few months later, but it worked... try it and see
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3 Comments
Look up scabies or demodex mites.
I feel a moving sensation in my body whenever I put on clothes, especially when I wear T shirts. The movement is super irritating. These movements are aggregated when I'm in a cold environment. Particular when I'm in a relaxed state. Lately I feel them under my feet. I have tried several means. I am confused at the moment because this is taking a better part of me..
Pinworms or threadworms
Avatar universal
I am even more confused now. Not sure these creatures are inside the guts or in my beds or in my pants.
It has been more than a year now. I feel they are some living, hopping and invisible demons waiting for me at home and when they  take or inject  their stuff I get allergy, itching and  I start getting disorientated so I cannot concentrate on any work. My whole body feels flushed with lactic acid and I can do any training. My lips, hand, feet and skin gets swollen and  I start feeling  many swollen ridges in my head. They go everywhere: nose, eyes, ears, my pants - everywhere:)
This is a nightmare...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
For those with an unexplained sensation of bugs crawling on them... especially at night, please consider getting your iron levels checked with your PCM.  Iron-deficiency anemia is a growing problem due to poor nutrition, and one symptom can be restless leg syndrome (often experienced at nighttime and includes a lot of the symptoms described by others above).  If you eat mostly carbohydrates in your diet, and not a lot of eggs, meat, or green leafy veggies... you could be at higher risk for this type of anemia.  If you are not able to see a doctor, consider taking a supplement with added iron.  Also, try to improve your iron intake with iron fortified foods, green leafy veggies, and lean meats.  You might want to increase your fiber and water, because constipation is common as your body gets used to the increase in iron.  It's still best to get lab tests, especially if you're symptoms don't improve after increasing your iron for about a month.   As others have suggested, you could also have a food allergy, or even some sort of gallbladder or liver issues.  If you're also experiencing abdominal tenderness, or yellowing of the eyes or skin, or fevers, you'd better get to the ER stat.  And of course, you'll need to be fairly confident that you've ruled out a bug infestation!
Here are a few articles describing how low iron can lead to your symptoms:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352512617301650
https://thenpmom.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/iron-deficiency-anemia-the-most-common-anemia/
https://www.myactiveiron.co.uk/2017/08/09/6-weird-signs-iron-levels-low/
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Avatar universal
I'm a female, 32 years old, healthy overall.
I started feeling this ever since like a year later I got a dog (been with my dog for 2 years), and what I JUST noticed right now is that I felt this right after I had contact with my dog, and my dog JUST had contact with some poo... don't know if it's its own, or cat poo (since evil cats come and poo in my yard to provoke my doggie).

I don't let my dog sleep in my bed regularly but let her get in my bed  last night after weeks of not doing so thinking that those episodes had to do with my dog, and during that time of not letting her in I didn't have any episode, but last night didn't have any problem whatsoever either... except right now that my dog went outside, and I noticed foul odor when she came inside. I know she probably rubbed herself on the grass (which she likes to do) but sometimes she rubs herself to *more* than just grass.
She came inside. I pet her head (clean, not-"soiled"-head), and now I'm chilling in bed (before I go and wash her) and starting to feel the creeps again!!! (she's in her bed now)


does this ring a bell to anyone???

btw, I dont get any bites, just the "walking" sensation all over my body.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
It can be mites. There are different types of mites. You get  this weird and creepy sensation of bugs crawling on your body - random places and your skin being itchy. They are not visible in the eyes. Good luck.
Avatar universal
yes my name tammie tate find me at woodhaven in foresat park  86 street near bank
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Avatar universal
Suggestion to get over this. Design two very simple healthy diets sharing none of the same foods. Stick to each diet, for two weeks. By the end of the two weeks your itching, biting sensations should be gone.
In these diets, avoid everything that causes anyone digestion issues. Research this.
Thus you hopefully can prove the bugs are not real (if its the case), and that you are experiencing an inappropriate (ancient?) physical reaction. Please try. Best wishes.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
To quickly get to my point; if you had a dental sealant used up to a year before your symptoms you could be experiencing an allergic reaction.  Since your body cannot remove the sealant your nervous system slowly goes haywire and creates the bug crawling sensations or even the sores that won't heal.  This is especially likely for those with an allergy to sulfa.  The solution is simply to have the sealant removed and let your body heal.  Your dentist will think you're crazy but, it's the only thing that will work if this situation fits you.
Avatar universal
I had the same pin prick, bugs crawling feeling on skin for years and found the answer. Diet.
I stopped eating apples and the majority of this went away. Also when I eat gluten 7 to 10 days later I get itching, freaky crawling, pin pricks.
I have had nothing of this sort for over two years by avoiding common foods causing irritation or indigestion.
In other words, the feelings are weird but are probably related to poor digestion, and consequent immune system reaction.

One more tip. If you have slow or poor digestion, eat a little high GI white rice with most meals. It saved my health.
Helpful - 5
Avatar universal
Hi Haywoodusmc, I'm not a medical professional, but I have heard that liver problems can cause skin itching. Maybe you could get your liver tested. Otherwise, I wonder if it could be a peripheral nervous system issue. I'm truly sorry, as I have had issues with nerves that I am trying to figure out. I hope you have found an answer that you needed since your post in 2009!
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