Why do I feel a weird,cringey , semi-numb jittery feeling when I hold a dish sponge?

[Chopstex]

This mostly happens when I'm washing the dishes. The sensations are much more intense when my nails touch the sponge - and as a reflex, I often have to pucker my lips or weirdly move them in order to get rid of it.

I randomly spoke to my friends and family about it as if we were cut from the same cloth(thought they experience it as well) and they looked at me as if I was crazy.

Couldn't find much on google, and I'm really curious about this - any insights?

[Rainatorii]

Use a dish rag?? Lol

[Chopstex in reply to Rainatorii]

Thanks Rainatorii , but I'm looking for medical explanations - not kitchen alternatives.

[MissSaoPaulo]

Is this something you've noticed in pregnancy?

Anyway, your post reminded me of an article I read ages ago about people with a phobia of holes. A quick Google later- it's called 'Trypophobia'. Have a look at this piece on it:

futurity.org/holes-disgust-...

Does that sound like what you're feeling?

[Hidden in reply to MissSaoPaulo]

Oh I hate holes missdaopaulo always makes me feel a worm or maggot will crawl out it’s freaks me out so weird. I’ve not heard about touching sponges making you feel weird but if you don’t like it don’t use them don’t know any medical reason for it. Lol

[Hidden]

I’ve found i’ve been a lot more sensitive to certain sensory ‘feedback’ whilst pregnant; I wonder if it’s something similar for you (I.e. the feel of the sponge). My sense of smell is ridiculous (not helpful with nausea), loud noises are sometimes harder to tolerate and I find myself turning the radio down in the car quite often, the sight of certain things can make me feel queasy. It’s weird.

I met a lady recently who said a certain shade of blue had made her feel nauseas when she was pregnant. I guess I’ve just put it all down to hormones so far.

I’ve had fairly bad morning sickness (still have it at 16 weeks) and have wondered too if it’s connected to that in anyway. What’s your experience been like? Having read about hyperemesis gravidarum, there was also info to suggest the women who suffer with that experience hypersensitivities to sensory input.

None of my thoughts are science based of course, merely based on my own observations and piecing together info i’ve read to make sense of my own experience.

[Naughtydog112]

I have the exact same feeling. Though I have autism and an increase in sensitivity. Touching sponge makes me cringe or grind my teeth and makes my body feel all off. I don't know myself yet what it is I know a few that cannot handle other materials. 1 good example. My mums body cringes similar to me when someone splits a tissue into 2 pieces and rubs them together making a weird rub that my mum cannot stand, heck similar reactions so wish I knew.