About 2 years ago, in a thread titled, "Physiology Question (Electric
Sensation)," I described an electric sensation that I can turn on and
off. I have been trying to learn what my body is doing to create it.

Today, I had an Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Velocity
Requisition (NCV). The purpose of the EMG and NCV today was to
determine why I am suffering from muscle pain in my arms and legs, but
I saw this as an opportunity to explore "The Electricity," the electric
sensation that I produce. Before the exam, I asked my doctor if he
would tell me when the exam is complete, so we could check.  He agreed
after I explained to him what I wanted to check.

Now, an EMG and NCV are not particularly enjoyable, though they aren't
really horrible, either. But, if my doctor believed that indulging me
in my request would motivate me to endure having an electric needle
stuck into my leg and arm and having an electric zapper discharged
repeatedly into me, he was correct.

Finally, as the electric needle was still in my left shoulder, the
doctor asked me if I would like to make my attempt with the needle in
my shoulder, or just use the external electrodes? I asked that he leave
the needle in my shoulder. A more optimal test might have used needles
in other places, but I didn't want to impose on the doctor any further,
and, besides, that needle stings.

I began at a low level discharge, then ramped up as hard as I could
push myself. I tried to include my left shoulder in the sensation, but
it is not easy for me to reach that spot. When my legs began shaking
rapidly, I noticed the doctor look at them. I was concerned that he was
concerned. I tried to be careful, because I usually begin thrashing
around wildly when I am discharging as hard as I can.

I was able to watch the screen of the monitoring equipment. I could see
that the equipment was measuring muscle movement, which wasn't too
surprising. The line did not show very much amplitude. It looked like
the signal from someone humming softly into a microphone.

After about 5 seconds, I stopped, and told the doctor that was as hard
as I could push. He removed the needle from my shoulder and pressed a
cloth against my skin to stop my bleeding. He said that I was certainly
stimulating muscle movement, but it was not caused by my peripheral
nerves, and did not seem to be related to my complaints of muscle pain.
He said it looked like I was generating the signal from my brain and
brain stem, though he did not know how I was able to do it. He
suggested that it was similar to what people do with biofeedback, in
that the technique allows people to control many aspects of their body
that aren't normally under conscious control.

I greatly appreciate the doctor humoring me in my efforts to learn more
about the electric sensation.

Don't let Quack abuse you.

But very interesting stuff,
I admit.

That reminds me of the clicking I can make in my ears. It doesn't
require wiggling. I didn't think of having the doctor tell me what I
was moving the last time I saw him. Anyone have any ideas?

Yeah, there are a few things that could make a clicking sound in a
person's ears.

One could be your eustachian tubes making and breaking contact, sort of
like the insides of a sticky straw opening and closing. Muscle movement
inside your head could put enough pressure on your tubes to cause this.

Perhaps the joints of your jaw pop a little when you move them?

The ear also makes sounds, which can be detected by sensitive
equipment. You neural circuitry automatically filters out this sound. I
don't understand very well how this works, but perhaps it would be
related to the clicking you hear?

"Barry ~
Is Paris still burning?"
~ Folly

"The ear also makes sounds,
Which can be detected by sensitive equipment.
You neural circuitry automatically filters
Out this sound.

I don't understand very well how this works,
But perhaps it would be related
To the clicking you hear?"
~ P

"... that low ~ level hum
Of the laboratory, once past the Ozone Zone."
~ Twittering

"Silver spoons, perhaps, tapping a familar tune
After Tea, before a full moon
Makes you swoon ~ ?
~ Saint Flavious Rederick Silver Ear

That sounds reasonable, and slightly familiar. I might have gotten that
answer from someone else in the past.

Nope. But closing my wide opened mouth makes a different sound in my
left ear, and nothing in my right. It might be time for the ear drops
again.

No, I'm definitely flexing and releasing something. Once, when my ears
were extremely clogged, I couldn't do it, but even with a pretty bad
ear wax problem (it's just minor to moderate at the moment) I can make
the click.

I can also do a shiver thing that gives me goosebumps.