Sensation of Expanding or Swelling

[batgirl]

Does anyone else ever get this feeling like their body, and especially their head, is expanding or swelling? I get it when I'm laying in bed sometimes. I have it quite bad today. It's like my head is getting larger and larger, and I have the feeling of my tongue swelling up or all lumped up and too big for my mouth. Really my whole body feels like it's getting bigger and bigger. It's really strange and hard to explain. It doesn't hurt or anything but it is kind of uncomfortable.

[Claire]

Hello Evie, no cant say I do. I get bad headaches when it feels like my head is going to explode but I think thats just stress. Perhaps you should tell your doc?

[batgirl]

Thanks Claire. Hmm I don't know if it's worth telling the doctor about, it doesn't really feel like a physical problem exactly. I do get migraines but this is completely different. It is a bit bothersome when it happens, but it usually goes away when I've had some rest, so it doesn't seem serious. I was more just curious if anyone else experiences something similiar or knows what it is.

[Tiana]

I don't know if this helps: Sometimes my tongue feels like it's swelling in my mouth to the point I can't swallow and it feels it's obtructing my airway. Those are the times when there's stress I'm not paying attention to, manifesting itsself in physical way, most normally when I'm going through a peroid with little sleep.

Strange foot note - when I was 7 I had Scarlet Fever. It made me feel like my body was swelling and hot, the deflating and cold, back to back. So uncomfortable!

I hope you find relief! Try to make sure you're well rested.
Hugs,
Tiana

[batgirl]

Oh weird about the scarlet fever Tiana... hope it's not that! :p Seriously though what you said about not getting much sleep fits actually, because I am getting very poor sleep right now. So maybe that's it, the cause anyways. Thanks for your input.

[becvan]

I know this feeling! Actually I get in conjunction with this weird dream I get where people go fat and short then tall and slim (there's a thread on it in here somewhere). I start feeling body parts (usually my toes, feet, hands and tongue) swell so that they feel as if they are not attached! Don't know what causes it but I sure identify!

bec

[batgirl]

OMG I HAVE THE SAME DREAM!!!! I shit you not... I get a dream about people being fat and then skinny, etc... that is so weird that you get the same dream. Maybe it's physiologically based. I know my old psychiatrist said certain cryptic dreams of mine that didn't make any sense were likely due to brain damage from the PTSD. I have to check out that thread if I can find it. I assume it's old because I don't recall it.

Yeah I get that feeling of the body parts being detached too... that is a good way to describe it. Thanks bec!

[Marilyn_S]

I have experienced this at times of stress. Sometimes its like my head is moving forward even though I'm lying down or sitting in one place. Its like, wo, head, comeback here! Sometimes when I'm stressed and my heart is beating fast I close my eyes to try to rest and I see pasley designs that are multicolored and grow huge then explode into hundreds of teenie tiny pasleys. My dad used to wear pasley ties. I think that's where this weird visual head stuff comes from. Needless to say, its weird and doesn't feel good.

[kers]

I've read something about feeling like body parts are changing size, I think it was (yet another) form of depersonalization.

Hang on, this article (https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/dspace/bitstream/1794/1617/1/Diss_8_3_6_OCR.pdf) mentions it on the third page.

[batgirl]

Oh thanks so much for that article kers. It was a very interesting read!

[becvan]

Yeah, thanks Kers! That was an interesting read.
Evie I found the old thread on that dream for you : http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread3141.html

Interesting that we get the same sensation and the same dream!

bec

[batgirl]

Thanks for the link bec. I don't have the white background part, but the rest of the dream is very, very similar, and the sensations you describe sound like mine too. Weird...

[nycguy2007]

I get that sensation as well.... i have been experiencing this since I was a small child. It is a very strange feeling... As you said it is as if my head and possibly even my entire body id exoanding....no pain, just a weird feeling of swelling...I have mentioned to doctors that had never heard of anything like this, and seemed confused...

[batgirl]

Welcome to the forum nycguy, and thanks for your comments. Interesting to see a few people having this! From kers' article it seems its likely a form of depersonalization.

[Sammee]

I have had that feeling since I was a kid! Every once in a while I would experience it usually while in bed and I have a memory of experiencing it while seeing a giant finger with a ruby like ring. It was strange I never knew what that feeling was. Thanks for posting, cool too see that others experienced this.

[void]

I have also experienced this form of depersonalization. I am so glad you brought it up as I had felt like a freak about this issue for many years.:hello:

Void

[becvan]

Yes it's a huge relief to find out your not the only one isn't it? It's been awhile since this thread was in action so I will update.

I still get the sensations and dreams once in awhile but they aren't as scary or unnerving anymore. Knowing that is just a form of depersonalization and that I'm not the only one has lessoned how freaky it is. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone.

Hopefully you will all find it has the same effect on you. :Hug_emoticon:

bec

[shari]

Weird body sensations are just part of PTSD. My therapist tells me to honor them. I like that, it is better than freaking out about them.
For me, I get the sensation that there are literally holes in my head or frozen parts that do not work. It is disturbing.
She tells me to pay attention to the sensations and put my hands on the location they are occuring. It does help. If I place my hands on my head when it is feeling holey or floaty and just keep them there, eventually the feeling of warmth from my hands is noted and that helps ground me.
I think with PTSD you become so used to feeling outside your body that the sensations of being outside your body become prevelant. Paying attention to those times, what made you feel that way, and taking steps to alleviate those feelings all help.