Why Does My Brain Feel Like It's Burning? Causes Explained

Why Does My Brain Feel Like It's Burning? Exploring the Causes

An alarming sensation of burning or heat in the brain can be unnerving. But what causes this symptom and should you be concerned? Let's examine the possible reasons behind a burning brain feeling.

Central Nervous System Disorders

Disorders affecting the central nervous system made up of the brain and spinal cord commonly produce burning head sensations. These include:

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers. This damages transmission of signals in the brain and spinal cord.

People with MS may describe head burning, facial flushing, or other odd head sensations labeled dysesthesias. MS brain lesions can disrupt sensory signals causing these abnormal feelings.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease degenerates dopamine-producing neurons deep in the brain. One of the earliest symptoms can be a burning, stinging discomfort moving from the back to the top of the head or neck.

Research indicates this results from degeneration of the C fibers in the trigeminal nerve which relay sensory signals from the face and head.

Fibromyalgia

Widespread body pain and tenderness in muscles and joints are characteristic of fibromyalgia. But half of patients also experience head burning sensations.

Experts think fibromyalgia disrupts pain signaling pathways in the central nervous system. Changes in brain chemistry may lower the threshold for activating nerve pain fibers.

Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia involves chronic headache and burning pain in the back of the head. It's caused by irritation or damage to the occipital nerves originating at the base of the skull.

Pain signals misfiring in the occipital nerves creates feelings of burning, tingling, or electric shocks through the back of the scalp or side of the head.

Migraines

Migraines often produce intense, throbbing head pain. But some people may experience migraines as moderate discomfort with burning sensations in the head or neck instead of throbbing.

Research finds migraine sufferers have overly excitable neurons in areas like the brainstem that control pain signals. This results in nerves firing excessively and chaotically during a migraine.

Seizures

Epileptic seizures generate bursts of electrical activity in the brain leading to convulsions and loss of consciousness in some cases. However, subtle focal seizures can also cause unusual sensations.

Seizures originating in or spreading to the insular cortex of the brain can produce burning head feelings. The insula handles processing of emotions, pain, and body sensations.

Brain Injuries

Trauma from injuries, falls, accidents, or assaults can bruise brain tissue. This type of brain damage is called a contusion.

As the contusion heals, it may press on and irritate surrounding nerves. This can lead to chronic headache with burning, piercing, or stabbing pain inside the head.

Brain Tumors

The abnormal growth of cancerous or non-cancerous tumors takes up space in the brain. As a tumor expands, it can displace and put pressure on nerves and blood vessels.

This added pressure usually causes numbness or tingling but sometimes leads to painful, burning sensations if the tumor compresses trigeminal nerve fibers.

Abscesses and Cysts

A brain abscess is a pocket of infectious pus and a cyst is an abnormal fluid-filled sac. Both abscesses and cysts within the brain create inflammation and swell occupying space.

The added pressure and inflammation around an abscess or cyst can spark headaches accompanied by a hot, burning feeling inside the head.

Stroke

During an ischemic stroke, a blood clot blocks blood and oxygen from reaching parts of the brain. Without oxygen, those areas of brain tissue die.

As the stroke-injured area of the brain goes without oxygen, nearby bordering nerves become irritated. This can make the head feel like it's burning early on after a stroke.

Aneurysms

An aneurysm is a bulging, weak area in a blood vessel wall that can rupture. Most brain aneurysms don't show symptoms until there is a leak or rupture.

But a small percentage of people may feel sudden severe headache with a burning sensation as the aneurysm presses on nerves inside the brain.

Chemical Imbalances

The brain relies on a precise balance of oxygen, glucose, and electrolytes to function properly. When levels of these chemicals become too high or low, it can lead to head burning.

High Carbon Dioxide

Respiratory disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can cause carbon dioxide levels to build up in the blood. This makes the blood overly acidic.

The brain responds by dilating blood vessels in an attempt to release more carbon dioxide. This rapid cerebral blood vessel dilation is sensed as a burning head sensation.

Low Blood Sugar

Not consuming enough glucose drops blood sugar levels. Neuroglycopenia occurs when the brain doesn't get sufficient glucose to meet its high energy demands.

Short-lived hypoglycemia causes weakness, confusion, and feelings of head burning or tingling. Prolonged low blood sugar can result in seizures, coma, or death.

Electrolyte Imbalances

Dehydration, kidney disorders, vomiting, and diarrhea can deplete essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Electrolyte imbalances change the voltage across nerve cell membranes in the brain. This alters nerve signal transmission creating strange head sensations.

Infections

Infections that directly invade the brain or release toxins into the bloodstream may also lead to head burning.

Meningitis

The swelling of membranes covering the brain and spinal cord during meningitis puts pressure on head nerves. This often causes severe, sudden headache with burning pain.

Encephalitis

Encephalitis is brain inflammation from a viral infection. The immune response damages nerve cells and sparks neurological symptoms like head burning and pain.

Neurosyphilis

Untreated syphilis bacteria can invade the brain and spinal cord leading to neurosyphilis. This infection irritates the brain's covering layers triggering burning headaches.

Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety, worry, and chronic stress generate emergency neurochemical responses in the brain. Stress hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine get released.

These neurotransmitters increase activity in areas like the hippocampus, amygdala, and frontal cortex which can be perceived as odd burning head feelings.

Medication Side Effects

Certain prescription medications have neurological side effects resulting in head burning or other strange sensations.

Drugs that dilate blood vessels, alter serotonin, affect nerve impulses, or constrict cranial arteries are most likely to cause these symptoms.

Referred Pain

Referred pain means you feel pain originating from one area in a different secondary location. The mixed nerve signaling results in the brain misinterpreting its origin.

Problems with the eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, or jaw may be felt as focal burning sensations extending into the brow, temples, face, and head.

Bizarre Brain Sensations Treatment

Treatment for burning head feelings involves:

• Identifying and addressing any underlying condition causing the symptoms.
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen to temporarily alleviate discomfort.
• Trying antidepressants or anticonvulsants that calm nerve and pain signaling.
• Using biofeedback, stress reduction, and relaxation techniques.
• Avoiding potential triggers like alcohol, caffeine, or certain foods that may induce head burning.

Consult a doctor promptly if you experience any sudden or severe episodes of head burning to diagnose and manage the cause.

The Takeaway

A burning sensation in the head often results from disorders affecting the central nervous system that disrupt normal sensory signaling and pain processing in the brain. Other possible reasons involve seizures, migraines, infections, injuries, chemical imbalances, referred pain, anxiety, and medication side effects.

Seek medical care if head burning comes on suddenly or reaches an alarming level of intensity. Identifying and properly treating the underlying source of the problem is key to resolving odd burning head feelings.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.