Constantly Biting my Lips, Can't Stop

[Mashka]

I have seen this happening more when I am stressed, but in general, it never stops. At any given moment during a day, I'm biting my lips, insides and outsides. I've even had people ask me to stop moving so much (I use my hands sometimes too) during movies because it distracts them. It started about 3 years ago. Also, I was reading somwhere, probably wikipedia, that many PTSD patients suffer from unexplained general pain. I have had pain in every one of my joints, even down to the individual joints in my fingers, for about 6 years now. This may be something genetic, also. It starts as a tingling sensation in my ankles, elbows, fingers (major joints), especially lower back and neck, and in order for me to make it [temporarily] go away, I have to sort of bend whichever bone is hurting in the opposite direction, I have to make the bones hurt in order for the tingling to go away. My doctor told me I needed more exercise, but I am average weight for my age and height, and I know people much heavier and way more out of shape than me that don't have any of these things. Any thoughts?

 

[Halo]

As for the biting of the lip when you are anxious, I think that we all (or at least a lot of us) have a nervous habit that we engage in and yours happens to be biting your lip. I think that just becoming aware of what you are doing during stressful/anxious times is a good start.

I don't think that age, height or weight have anything to do with the pain that you are describing. If your doctor said that you need to do more exercise then I would listen to his advice. The exercise is not to lose weight but to help with your physical problems.

 

[Jazzey]

Exercising is necessary for everyone Mashka. It's not intended only for people who struggle with being overweight. It does alot of good things for us; reduces the amount of adrenaline in our muscles (which could help with the tingling), it helps our heart function more efficiently, it helps us bring much needed oxygen to all of those muscles of ours.

I have a lot of neck and back problems - but they dissipate when I'm good about getting my 30 minutes of exercise a day. Enough to get my heart rate up a little. Something as simple as a walk where I walk a little faster.

But we all need to exercise...even when we're not up for it. :yuck:

 

[forgetmenot]

hi Maska i agree exercise is needed by all my daughter goes swimming for 1/2 hr and her moods change from being sad to happy as she feels she is doing something good for herself let alone exercise increases seratonin levels in the brain as well so try swimming or other activities that you enjoy dancing even take care of you mary

 

[amastie]

As for biting your lip, are you causing it to bleed? Is it troublesome for you? If not, then maybe you don't need to worry about it. If you feel it is a problem for you, then I'd certainly discuss it with your doctor or therapist about how to substitute it perhaps for a more acceptable acting out of anxiety if that's what it is. I know that there are methods to help people to stop doing compulsive things, such as wearing a rubher band whiich is not tight, around your wrist, and snapping it every time you start to do your compulsive activity - as a way to help stop doing it.

By all means, try exercise to see if it helps with the tingling and pain, but if after a couple of weeks it doesn't, see your doctor and ask if it might help to see a specialist to know what could be causing it.

 

[Mashka]

As for biting your lip, are you causing it to bleed? Is it troublesome for you? If not, then maybe you don't need to worry about it. If you feel it is a problem for you, then I'd certainly discuss it with your doctor or therapist about how to substitute it perhaps for a more acceptable acting out of anxiety if that's what it is. I know that there are methods to help people to stop doing compulsive things, such as wearing a rubher band whiich is not tight, around your wrist, and snapping it every time you start to do your compulsive activity - as a way to help stop doing it.

By all means, try exercise to see if it helps with the tingling and pain, but if after a couple of weeks it doesn't, see your doctor and ask if it might help to see a specialist to know what could be causing it.

Thanks for the reply amastie. Yes, I bite my lips until they bleed, and I scarred them a while ago. I will talk to my doctor and get more exercise and stop being such a lazy bum:jiggy:

 

[white page]

Hi Maska

Yes, I bite my lips until they bleed, and I scarred them a while ago

Just to reassure you , lips are very difficult to scar permenately ,
the skin is renewed all the time , so the marks will probably eventually disappear