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Feeling Cold Sensation All Over Body. Is This A Type Of Vitamin Deficiency?

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Posted on Mon, 4 Mar 2013
Question: im a pretty healthy woman at age 45. for about the past year or so i get this strange chill that runs through the inside of my body. it honestly feels like something cold takes a run through my veins. i don't get cold from this chill, but it is not a pleasant feeling. I think it all started when i had a really bad flu. that is the first time i remember it happening. since then it comes and goes. why am i more concerned now? last night when i was lying in bed to go to sleep, the feeling came and kept me awake for a while. is this some type of vitamin deficiency? i currently take calcium, b-complex, and iron. i would appreciate help with this situation. it occurs more often now, and i don't like the feeling.
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Answered by Dr. Sheeba Stephen (1 hour later)
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.

From the description of your symptoms, I would consider the following possibilities:

- Vitamin deficiencies - especially B12 deficiency
- Diabetes can often present with such vague sensory disturbances
- Thyroid disorders

Another common possibility which has to be considered is Anxiety. In your case, I would consider this as a strong possibility - especially since you don't have any history of medical conditions like diabetes, and since you say that your worry and preoccupation with this problem has increased of late (even though you used to get it on and off before).

It is important to understand that anxiety can present with not only psychological symptoms but also with physical or somatic symptoms. Now, this does NOT mean that 'everything is in your head' and that you are simply imagining the symptoms. Not at all. It has been found that anxiety disorders are associated with certain neuro-chemical imbalance in the brain and this can cause the person's pain and sensory threshold to get lowered and he / she can become 'hypersensitive' to sensory stimuli, and therefore have cold or hot sensations, tingling, etc. As the person starts worrying more about these strange symptoms, the anxiety increases, and then this becomes a vicious cycle.

I would suggest that you see a doctor for a proper physical examination and a few basic blood tests, like blood sugar, thyroid function tests, etc. You can continue taking the multivitamin and mineral supplements. In case, the examination and investigations are normal, then it is very likely that the symptoms are anxiety-related. This can then be handled with a mild dose of anti-anxiety medication or by practicing relaxation therapies.

Wish you all the best.

Regards,
Dr. Sheeba Stephen
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sheeba Stephen

Emergency Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 300 Questions

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Feeling Cold Sensation All Over Body. Is This A Type Of Vitamin Deficiency?

Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.

From the description of your symptoms, I would consider the following possibilities:

- Vitamin deficiencies - especially B12 deficiency
- Diabetes can often present with such vague sensory disturbances
- Thyroid disorders

Another common possibility which has to be considered is Anxiety. In your case, I would consider this as a strong possibility - especially since you don't have any history of medical conditions like diabetes, and since you say that your worry and preoccupation with this problem has increased of late (even though you used to get it on and off before).

It is important to understand that anxiety can present with not only psychological symptoms but also with physical or somatic symptoms. Now, this does NOT mean that 'everything is in your head' and that you are simply imagining the symptoms. Not at all. It has been found that anxiety disorders are associated with certain neuro-chemical imbalance in the brain and this can cause the person's pain and sensory threshold to get lowered and he / she can become 'hypersensitive' to sensory stimuli, and therefore have cold or hot sensations, tingling, etc. As the person starts worrying more about these strange symptoms, the anxiety increases, and then this becomes a vicious cycle.

I would suggest that you see a doctor for a proper physical examination and a few basic blood tests, like blood sugar, thyroid function tests, etc. You can continue taking the multivitamin and mineral supplements. In case, the examination and investigations are normal, then it is very likely that the symptoms are anxiety-related. This can then be handled with a mild dose of anti-anxiety medication or by practicing relaxation therapies.

Wish you all the best.

Regards,
Dr. Sheeba Stephen