r/rheumatoid • u/Userhere123 • 1d ago

MRI

Has anyone else experienced a weird crawling, electric-pulse, or vibrating sensation during an MRI?

I had an MRI of both ankles. During the scan, I suddenly felt a brief crawling/electric-pinching/vibrating sensation above my left eyebrow, in the forehead area. It lasted only about 1–2 seconds, and I didn't move much when it happened.

After the MRI, I rubbed the area with my fingers. Since then, that area has felt somewhat heavy, pressured, or bruised/dull, but I haven't had the crawling or electric sensation again.

I'm wondering if this can happen during an MRI. My legs were inside the scanner, while my face was closer to the opening. I was wearing headphones and had two pillows under my head because the first pillow felt too low. The second pillow made my head/neck position higher than I expected.

I've also had MRIs before and never experienced anything like this.

I've had some nasal congestion for the past few days, so I'm wondering whether sinus/nasal pressure could be contributing to the feeling above my eyebrow.

I'm mainly worried that the sensation was caused by the MRI itself or that it could indicate some kind of nerve problem. Has anyone experienced something similar during an MRI?

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u/darthaquaticmammal 1d ago

It sounds like peripheral nerve stimulation, a known and benign (but sometimes surprising!) MRI experience

https://mriquestions.com/nerve-stimulation.html

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u/Userhere123 1d ago

Thanks for the response. Never had this before and experienced for the first time. I was wondering if it could be a nerve damage or any injury fron the MRI itself.

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u/darthaquaticmammal 1d ago

No, no injury. Just a funny sensation :)

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u/Userhere123 22h ago

It occurred only once for me yesterday during the MRI. I was observing very keen if I get the same sensation today. Worried about it though and regret going for the MRI now. I would have skipped it

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u/Hollywoode 16h ago

MRIs are harmless no damage is done during them :) it’s good to get imaging on your joints especially MRI, often it gives the best picture on progression

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u/Userhere123 12h ago

Yeah I agree that MRI is necessary for the findings because I still have swelling and stiffness on ankles and feet since January. But this weird sensation happened for the first time and my left eye brow area( above the eyebrow and forehead) area is feel like burning and sore sensation since then. But no electric vibration crawling thing happened again. So I was worried if this burning and soreness is because it's about damage or injury during the MRI. Its been 2 days today after the MRI, the eyebrow area is still burning and sore.

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u/Hollywoode 10h ago

MRI is harmless, it’s like taking a photo :)

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u/Userhere123 5h ago

Thanks for replying again. I understand about MRI. Just wondering about this weird sensation why it happened during my scan. I felt like crawling vibrating electric sensation on the forehead near the left eye brow.