Menopause Zaps: Electric Shock Sensations Explained

Key takeaways

• "Menopause zaps" are those sudden little shocks some women feel in perimenopause: a brief jolt under the skin or a buzz in the head, often in the moments before a hot flash.
• They're widely reported but barely studied, so no one can tell you the exact cause yet. The leading theory is that shifting estrogen affects how nerves and brain chemicals send signals.
• Other common causes look the same, especially stopping or skipping an antidepressant, low vitamin B12 and nerve problems, so they're worth ruling out.
• Tracking when zaps happen, steadier sleep and blood sugar, and treating hot flashes can help.
• Sudden numbness, weakness, trouble speaking or a drooping face is an emergency. Call 911.

If you've ever felt a sudden zap, like static electricity just under your skin or a quick buzz in your head, and then it was gone, you're not imagining it. When I put together my list of perimenopause symptoms on The Tamsen Show, I called this one part of the "bonus round," the symptoms that are odd but not uncommon: burning mouth, itchy ears and electric shock sensations.

So many women feel this and never hear anyone name it. Here's what we know, what we don't, and when to get it checked.

What are menopause zaps?

Women describe them as:

• A sudden jolt or "zap," like a small static shock
• A buzzing or snapping feeling in the head, sometimes called "brain zaps"
• A quick electric tingle in the arms, legs, face or chest
• A wave of prickly, electric feeling that comes right before a hot flash

They usually last a second or two and can happen a few times a day or only once in a while. They're startling, but on their own they're usually not dangerous.

What causes electric shock sensations in perimenopause?

I want to be honest with you: there's very little research on this symptom. Here's what experts think is going on.

Shifting hormones and nerve signaling. Estrogen and progesterone help regulate the brain chemicals our nerves use to talk to each other. On The Tamsen Show, Dr. Mary Claire Haver explained that nerves communicate through neurotransmitters that send electrical signals back and forth, and that when estradiol levels become erratic and then drop, and progesterone drops too, brain chemicals like GABA, serotonin and norepinephrine fluctuate as well.

The hot flash connection. Many women notice a zap or a prickly rush seconds before a hot flash. Hot flashes start in the brain's temperature control center, so it makes sense that the same nervous system surge could be felt as a jolt. If your zaps line up with hot flashes, that's a useful clue to share with your doctor.

Stress, anxiety and poor sleep. Perimenopause anxiety and broken sleep put the nervous system on high alert, and many women notice more zaps when they're exhausted or stressed.

Are brain zaps a menopause symptom or something else?

This is the most important question, because other things cause the same feeling:

• Antidepressants. "Brain zaps" are a well-known effect of reducing or stopping some antidepressants, according to the NHS, which describes an electric-shock feeling in the head. The Royal College of Psychiatrists also lists these "zaps," and says they can start after missing a single dose. Many midlife women take an SSRI or SNRI, sometimes for hot flashes. If your zaps started after a dose change or a missed pill, tell your prescriber, and don't stop the medication suddenly.
• Low vitamin B12. A B12 deficiency can cause nerve symptoms like tingling. It's more common with age and with some medications, such as metformin and acid reducers.
• Nerve problems. Peripheral neuropathy, often from diabetes or a pinched nerve in the neck or back, can cause pain and tingling, and sometimes sharp, lightning-like pain.
• Neurological conditions. Less often, conditions like multiple sclerosis can cause tingling, numbness or pain.

How do you stop menopause zaps?

There's no treatment approved just for zaps, but these steps help many women, and they're good for the rest of your midlife health too:

• Track them. Note the time, where you felt it, and what was happening: a hot flash, a missed meal, a late night, a medication change. Patterns make your doctor visit far more useful.
• Treat your hot flashes. If zaps come with hot flashes, treating the flashes may calm both. Talk with your clinician about hormone therapy and non-hormonal options.
• Protect your sleep. A steady bedtime and wake time, a cool room and less evening alcohol all help settle the nervous system.
• Keep blood sugar steady with regular meals that include protein and fiber, and stay hydrated.
• Calm your stress response with whatever works for you: walking, breathwork, yoga or simply a few slow breaths when you feel one coming.
• Ask about labs, including B12, blood sugar and thyroid, before reaching for supplements. Check any supplement with your doctor first.

When to see a doctor about electric shock sensations

Book an appointment if zaps are frequent, getting worse, interfering with sleep or daily life, or started after you changed or stopped a medication. Also see a doctor if you have:

• Ongoing numbness, tingling, burning or weakness, especially in your hands or feet
• Shocks that run down your spine or into your limbs when you bend your neck
• Vision changes, balance problems or trouble walking
• Zaps along with fainting, a racing heart or chest pain

Call 911 for sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, a drooping face, trouble speaking or understanding speech, or a sudden severe headache. Those can be signs of a stroke.

You're not imagining this, and you don't have to just live with it. Bring your notes, ask your questions, and keep asking until you get answers.

Sources

• Hot Flashes, The Menopause Society
• Perimenopause, The Menopause Society
• Antidepressants, NHS
• Stopping antidepressants, Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Consumers, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
• Peripheral Neuropathy, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH)
• Numbness and tingling, MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)

Keep learning

Listen: Perimenopause 101: The Symptoms, Tests & Fixes No One Tells You About (Episode 82) and Dr. Mary Claire Haver: The Perimenopause Symptoms No One Warned You About (Episode 28).

Related articles:

• 7 Surprising Symptoms of Menopause I WISH I Knew Sooner
• The Menopause Symptom I Never Knew Existed: Andrea Donsky on Phantom Smells
• The Anxiety Nobody Told Us Was Hormonal: Perimenopause Panic and Mental Health