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Wasabi scalp-hurting

Dorfl

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Jun 19, 2005
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Eating sushi, I've noticed a strange thing about wasabi. If I use too much, my scalp starts hurting, like being jabbed by a lot of tiny needles. Others have described the same sensation as well. I've never had the same thing happen with any other type of spice though.

Does anyone know why that is? Does some component of wasabi somehow irritate the scalp-hurty nerve, or would you get the same effect using enough of any spice, but wasabi is easier to overdose, or what?
 
Dorfl said:
Sorry, I meant the excorio vulnero nerve. :p
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Six sensory nerve branches of either the trigeminal nerve or the cervical nerve supply the scalp.

  • The supratrochlear nerve is a branch of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. This nerve supplies the scalp in the medial plane at the frontal region up to the vertex.
  • The supraorbital nerve is also a branch of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. This nerve supplies the scalp at the front, lateral to the supratrochlear nerve distribution, up to the vertex.
  • The zygomaticotemporal nerve is a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve and supplies the scalp over the temple region.
  • The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve and supplies the skin over the temporal region of the scalp.
  • The lesser occipital nerve is a branch of the cervical plexus (C2), which supplies the scalp over the lateral occipital region.
  • The greater occipital nerve is a branch of the posterior ramus of the second cervical nerve. This nerve supplies the scalp in the median plane at the occipital region up to the vertex.

Cite: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/834808-overview

:D

Please properly cite referenced material...see Rule 4 in your Membership Agreement. Cite added.
Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Locknar
 
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~enigma~ said:
Six sensory nerve branches of either the trigeminal nerve or the cervical nerve supply the scalp.

  • The supratrochlear nerve is a branch of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. This nerve supplies the scalp in the medial plane at the frontal region up to the vertex.
  • The supraorbital nerve is also a branch of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. This nerve supplies the scalp at the front, lateral to the supratrochlear nerve distribution, up to the vertex.
  • The zygomaticotemporal nerve is a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve and supplies the scalp over the temple region.
  • The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve and supplies the skin over the temporal region of the scalp.
  • The lesser occipital nerve is a branch of the cervical plexus (C2), which supplies the scalp over the lateral occipital region.
  • The greater occipital nerve is a branch of the posterior ramus of the second cervical nerve. This nerve supplies the scalp in the median plane at the occipital region up to the vertex.

:D
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I still prefer scalp-hurty nerve ;)

But really, is there any way the wasabi could irritate any of these nerves, thus explaining why my scalp prickles?

Could it have anything to do with the photic reflex? I sneeze when I get sun in my eyes too.
 
Dorfl said:
I still prefer scalp-hurty nerve ;)

But really, is there any way the wasabi could irritate any of these nerves, thus explaining why my scalp prickles?

Could it have anything to do with the photic reflex? I sneeze when I get sun in my eyes too.
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Eating wasabi (guess snorting a line of it would also) causes a temporary burning sensation in the nose, and there is a fairly common belief that this produces a decongestant effect. This conclusion is purely anecdotal.

The chemical in wasabi that causes the nasal burning sensation is allyl isothiocyanate, it is also found in mustard and horseradish.

Nasal thermoreceptors send signals to the brain via the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is known to convey afferent somatosensory information from the nose including cooling, warming, burning, stinging, itching, tickling, pain, and the perception of humidity. Allyl isothiocyanate directly stimulates these trigeminal nerve fibers.


ETA - Apparently you will have the same "scalp-hurty" if you eat (or snort) enough mustard or horseradish.

ETA2 - Bet you are sorry you asked :)
 
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Lay off the wasabi then, anyhow you are missing some of the delicate flavors of the sushi you are eating.
 
~enigma~ said:
Eating wasabi (guess snorting a line of it would also) causes a temporary burning sensation in the nose, and there is a fairly common belief that this produces a decongestant effect. This conclusion is purely anecdotal.

The chemical in wasabi that causes the nasal burning sensation is allyl isothiocyanate, it is also found in mustard and horseradish.

Nasal thermoreceptors send signals to the brain via the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is known to convey afferent somatosensory information from the nose including cooling, warming, burning, stinging, itching, tickling, pain, and the perception of humidity. Ally lisothiocyanate directly stimulates these trigeminal nerve fibers.


ETA - Apparently you will have the same "scalp-hurty" if you eat (or snort) enough mustard or horseradish.
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So it's some sort of bleed-over in the trigeminal nerve that causes the pain?
 
~enigma~ said:
Another medical term?

There is no "bleed-over". The nerve is being stimulated.
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I'm not sure I understand. Is the nerve just functioning as an on/off-transmitter? If so, I understand that stimulating it might cause sensations of heat and hurting and so on. But if it has more states than that, wouldn't it require some sort of bleed-over between different types of signals for a "nose-hot"-signal to turn into a "scalp-hurts"-signal?
 
Dorfl said:
I'm not sure I understand. Is the nerve just functioning as an on/off-transmitter? If so, I understand that stimulating it might cause sensations of heat and hurting and so on. But if it has more states than that, wouldn't it require some sort of bleed-over between different types of signals for a "nose-hot"-signal to turn into a "scalp-hurts"-signal?
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From post 9...please read and reread until you understand and I will bold the relevant words for you.

Nasal thermoreceptors send signals to the brain via the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is known to convey afferent somatosensory information from the nose including cooling, warming, burning, stinging, itching, tickling, pain, and the perception of humidity. Ally lisothiocyanate directly stimulates these trigeminal nerve fibers.
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Foolmewunz, the study you linked to is about cyclophosphamide induced effects. The chemical you are looking at in wasabi is allyl isothiocyanate.
 
The Wasabi tribe is scalp hunting again?

Aww, we just can't move people out of the stone age no matter how hard we try. ;)
 
~enigma~ said:
From post 9...please read and reread until you understand and I will bold the relevant words for you.



Foolmewunz, the study you linked to is about cyclophosphamide induced effects. The chemical you are looking at in wasabi is allyl isothiocyanate.
Click to expand...


Bwahaha! That's what I get for posting late at night and doing quick google searches. I have no idea why Google returned that link.

So - never mind.
 
~enigma~ said:
Was the same general idea though.
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Well, it seems to refer to the compound as "mustard - something or other" and mustard and horseradish are often compared to wasabi, so I presume that's the connection; e.g. that whatever it is that causes the eyes to tear and nose run is the same thing that's causing the itchy scalp.

(Idle speculation, really... but I did learn in double-checking that most "tubed" wasabi is actually horseradish, mustard and coloring. A whole lot of people I know here are going to be shocked. I know there's a real different taste to good restaurant wasabi, but I always thought it was just that they had higher quality. Seems there's not such great product control over here. In the states there would be labeling requirements, I'm sure.)
 
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