What can I do about the sensation of invisible bugs crawling under my skin?

Doctor's Answer

Thank you for asking such a fascinating question.

I have seen such cases in my practice. There are patients who would come to the clinic with plastic containers of their skin tissues in them, insisting that the doctor send the tissues for further examination under a microscope. Very often, results from the microscopic examination show that there are no parasites or insects embedded in the skin tissues.

It can be quite a tormenting problem to have and many individuals suffer for many months. They dare not share their concerns with others as the bugs cannot be seen and they fear that others will think that they are crazy. Some patients even resort to getting rid of the parasites and insects in their own ways and that create even more harm to their skin and body. I understand that your sleep is also adversely affected. Hence the importance of seeking early treatment from a professional who can understand what you are experiencing.

You can seek treatment from the National Skin Centre. The other alternative is to seek help from a psychiatrist. Like what you say, the bugs are invisible, so what you experience may be a tactile hallucination. Medicine can be used to suppress the hallucination and correct the accompanying false belief that follows the sensation.

Do take good care of yourself. I wish you a speedy recovery.

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