Brachioradial Pruritus

[RosemaryH]

I would like to hear from members who are experienceing itching on their forearms. I have experienced this twice now and it lasts usually for a month. There is no noticiable rash , rather a stinging sensation followed by intense itcing. Scratching does offer some relief, but causes ugly sores and scabs. I also have brown discolorations in the affected area. My internet research seems to identify it as Brachioradial Pruritus, which DR's identify as originating from nerve interference in the spinal cord and or prolonged exposure to sun.  I am a middle aged woman who resides in Florida and who spends quite a bit of time ourdoors.If anyone has experienced similar symptoms, I would appreciate hearing from them, especially if they have found relief from condition. Thanks

[peterb]

  Rosemary

A big welcome to the Forum,  I have never heard of this before, so done a search and came up with http://www.dermnetnz.org/index.html.  I dont know if anyone else as had these symtoms, but wait for a few more members to reply, you never know.

Well dont forget you are always welcome to post here, plenty of topics to get your teeth into.  Here is hoping you find the answers you'll looking for.  All the best.

 

[sleeves]

Hi Rosemary,

I'm new to the forum, just joined today.  I just came back from another new doctor (dermatologist) who has diagnosed me with brachioradial pruritus.  I was elated to finally have a diagnosis and immediately got on the internet to get whatever information I could.  I have had this for about the last 3-4 years and only during the summer months.  This year has been the worst ever.  I can tell you that the Dr. prescribed a cream to use 4 times a day for relief from the itching called Zonalon as well as Doxepin 10 mg to take at bedtime (due to drowsiness side affects).  If this is to work I should see results in 5-7 days.  Let me know if your still coming to the forum and I'll tell more.

[peterb]

 :hi:Sleeves

A warm welcome to the Forum.  I dont think Rosemary pops in anymore.  But the link above is handy for you.  Let us know what else your Derm said about your condition.  Hope they are correct about the 5-7 days.

 

[GuzziHeroV50]

Welcome to the forum Rosemary

[sleeves]

I've already been there.   Still doing some searching...and waiting........

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Sleeves!

 

[lauriecca]

Amazing...it's all beginning to make sense. I was diagnosed with C5-C6 degenertaive disc disease about 7 months ago. Managing ok. But today I went to see my doc and tried hard to explain the DEEP itching in my forearms. I say "in" not "on" because it always seems too deep to reach with scratching. It wakes me up at night. My own home treatment has been ice cold, wet towels to my forearms.

My doc said he was totally puzzled. No rash, only some little scabs where I scratched so hard I bled. He said he was going to consult a dermatologist about this weird symptom.

So I started to do my own looking and I was shocked to see that maybe the cervical issue is related to my itching.

I can't wait to send him information on this.

Laurie
 

[peterb]

 :hi:lauriecca

A big welcome to the SC forum, glad to have you on board.

 

[sleeves]

Hi Lauriecca,

I can't remember the last time I slept through the night WITHOUT SCRATCHING.  I go back to my derm in two weeks.  Prednisone helped subdue the itching, but of course it's nothing I want to stay on long term.  Let me know what your doc says and I'll be sure to keep everyone posted as well.

[lauriecca]

I'll keep you posted "sleeves".

He was extremely puzzled and it was so hard to explain an itch that is so deep and has no rash and scratching doesn't help. I feel like I'm not crazy after all.

Is yours the same way? Do you have cervical spine problems?

Laurie

[kcluvzmle]

Sheesh how did I miss this thread? Iv been coming here about a month or two I guess. I cant stay on long tonight but Ill come back tomorrow. Darn, too bad we lost Rosemary! Anyway, back in April or so my GP gave the dx of pruritus, it was on my arms only... then finally got in with dermo on Aug 14 and the current dx fromn him is lichen simplex chronicus. If you can figure how to use this dang machine, i mena, wonderful computer, you might be able to go back and read my previous posts, I dunno. Anyway, I gotta come back tomorrow.!!! I have much more to say ont his AND Im relieved to find at least a few others with similiar situation.  KC

[Mrs. Heather Bee]

 Welcome to the forum, sleeves and Laurie.  I'm sorry to hear about  the intense itch.  My head itches almost continuously (I have seborrahic dermititis), and I have woken up scratching at my head.  

I hope your treatments work for you!! (I haven't found one that works for me yet)

[kcluvzmle]

me again...ok...I definitely do NOT have any spine px or that. I do have arthritus tho and I cant help but think theres some connection that way too. Anyway, I havent found a whole lot of info on all this but I am really wondering about the whole thing with the central nervous system. Ive got hints of that from stuff I ve read on the web. NOT from my docs! The GP told me I have anxiety and that is CAUSING the dermatitus (if you ask me, its the other way around). And the derm told me its self-induced... that one kills me. Ill grant you self-perpetuating but self induced ...? Not!!! However, I tend to think they are both painfully lacking in ther "people skills" and they do know but dont explain, that its with the nercous system. or something like that.
Anyway..... another thing Im curious to hear from others is this... my eruptions or sores seem to be symetrical, to some extent. i.e. sore on right wrist has mate on left wrist, and so on. Its like I feel like I look like a road map for acupuncture "points", ya know? does this ring a bell with anyone? Seems kinda weird to me, but also makes perfect sense in relation to the nervous system concept. hmmm. Think Ill go start a new post to ask folks about acupunture.
KCn  

[Garth Wood]

Hello.

I too am experiencing itching (rather intense) on my right forearm.  It's powerful enough to awaken me at night.  I'm seeing a dermatologist soon (Monday Nov. 10th), but my own research is pointing me towards BRP.  My GP and my chiropractor both feel that the problem may be developing arthritis in the C5-C7 region of the cervical (neck) portion of the spine -- the nerves there may be compressed or pinched somehow, causing the itching sensation.  So far, nothing I've tried seems to help much, with the exception of 20% benzocaine cream (Lanacane Extra Strength).  Weaker topicals are effectively useless, and applying almost anything else simply seems to heighten the itch sensation.  Hydrocortisone et al. are completely ineffective (not surprising, I guess, if the problem really is BRP -- after all, there's nothing to "treat" at the skin, since the itching sensation is more of a reference pain from a nerve in the neck).  Unfortunately, the 20% benzocaine only lasts for a few minutes, and then it's back to the itching sensation.

My biggest concern is the psychology of this condition -- if it truly is due to developing arthritis, I'm afraid that there's absolutely zero anyone's going to be able to do about it, which means I'm stuck with the condition until I die.  Since I'm only 45 and my family is notoriously long-lived, it's depressing me big time --  a "life sentence" decades long.  I'm already a poor sleeper, but after this I'm terrified I'll never sleep well again, nor know a moment's respite from the itching.

Sorry, I'm more venting than anything else.  I'm annoyed that the 21st century medical community appears to be stuck back in the "let's bleed him and stick leeches on him and see what happens" level of sophistication on this one.


Garth

[GuzziHeroV50]

Feel free to vent but dont expect to stay gloomy for long .  There are plenty of and and even :roll:s here waiting for owners

I cant help with your condition as Im a lowly Seborrhoic Dermatitis sufferer (on a scale of one to 10 of badness, Im the one who is left behind to put the scores on the scoreboard) but welcome to the forum

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Garth!

Well I can relate to the scratching coz I have had chronic eczema since I was a child.  A lot of us here have skin conditions that there is no cure for so we do understand how you feel about that as well.  We all seem to come to terms with the permanance of our conditions in different ways.

I really hope the derm is able to treat your skin and that the outcome is not as bad as you fear.  Please let us know how you get on at the derm.

 

[Garth Wood]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, folks.  I have my highs and lows over this, and right now I'm pretty low.

I *also* have chronic eczema, but it flares up in different places.  For the last 20 or so years, believe it or not, it's settled into the canals of my outer ears.  (I've long since started to think of this as God's practical joke.)  I've effectively treated this with a cream known as Kenacomb, which is a combination of antipruritic, antifungal and antibacterial ingredients plus a mild corticosteroid.  For this purpose, it works!  If you're interested in trying it, and you're offered the (somewhat cheaper) generic form, don't use the generic.  The "brand name" form is in a water-soluble cream, whereas the generics seem to all use some form of petroleum base.  The petroleum base is messy, difficult to wash away when you need to, and most importantly of all, less effective (for me, anyways).  Something about the water-based cream just seems to "soak in" and get to work better and faster.

Here in Canada, Kenacomb's made by Westwood-Squibb, and for the purposes I've described above, I can't say enough good things about it.  I've also used it on flare-ups elsewhere on my body.  In case you can't get it, a compounding pharmacist might be able to reproduce it in your favourite skin cream/lotion.

Per each gram of cream, the formula (as stated on the tube) is:

Triamcinolone acetonide,  1.0 mg
Nystatin,  100,000 units
Neomycin base (as sulfate),   2.5 mg
Gramicidin,  0.25 mg


Hope this info is of use to someone here.


Garth

[Gobe]

I'm sure that some of our members will be interested in hearing about the cream you mentioned.  I'm glad it works so well for you - if only there were one miracle cream that worked for everyone!

Some more hugs for you coz you sound in need of some TLC!

 

[Garth Wood]

Gobe: again, thanks.


Garth

P.S.: Is that a Scottish flag I detect in your avatar image?   ;-)

[peterb]

  Garth

A warm welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy your time here, a great bunch of people here.

[Fishs]

 

  Hi there Garth

 Welcome along to the forum.

feel free to rant and ask questions .. Hope you enjoy your stay here ..

fish

[Gobe]

Gobe: again, thanks.


Garth

P.S.: Is that a Scottish flag I detect in your avatar image?   ;-)

Aye!  

[kcluvzmle]

Hi & welcome, Garth...

Ive been dealing with my ...affliction for 8 or 9 months now, Im 47. At first we thought it was BP (i saw a GP) then later (August) I was officially dx'd by derm & biopsy to have Lichen Simplex.

Anyway, well good luck with appt tomorrow, hope you get some answers. And, it was actually my GP who put me on Doxepin which has helped me a lot. Otherwise, little else ever helped except Aloe Vero Gel w Lidocaine, very temporary of course.

Ill check back in tomorrow... tired now! zzzz.....

KC

[CKINCS]

I was told by my dr. a couple of days ago that I have brachioradial pruritis.  Interesting thing is that my sister (7 yrs. older) and my mother have both suffered with this condition on and off for a number of years.  The dr. prescribed Zonalon cream, but I haven't filled it because an internet search revealed it is not very effective.  Has anyone tried elavil?  I read that it worked in at least one case - not sure even what it is.  What about accupuncture?  I'm willing to try anything at this point.  I have no known cervical spine problems.  I was wondering if I could have done nerve damage while carrying my kids with my right arm.  Not sure.  I have had relief during the day with 3 ibuprofen tablets, but the itching wakes me up at night so ibuprofen doesn't cut it at that time.  Right now I'm using ice on the area and I'm waiting for the Benedryl to kick in.  My sister uses a double dose of Benedryl and even that has become ineffective in stopping the itch.  Please respond with effective remedies.  Thank you!

[peterb]

  CKINCS

Welcome along to the forum.  I suffer from Psoriasis and when mine is very itchy, I find that Piriton works for me, and also plenty of moisturiser.  Have a look around the boards there is other info on your condition, and later others will offer some advice.

[peterb]

Here are some good links for you

PRESS HERE FOR LINK

And here is another interesting article -----------

Grenz Rays

Grenz rays have been used by dermatologists since the 1920's. At one time, it was an important treatment tool, but with all the recent medical advances it is rarely used today. It is used to calm down inflammation of the skin and will not cause damage as seen with prolonged use of cortisone creams. It is occasionally very helpful for conditions that fail to fully respond to other treatments. Grenz treatments are not a replacement for other treatments but are added to them to get a more complete result.

Grenz rays are a form of black light. Similar to ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays, these are all composed of photons, which are packets of electro-magnetic energy traveling at the speed of light. Grenz rays are produced at low kilovoltages giving them a very low penetration power. Half their energy is absorbed within the first half millimeter of tissue, which means that they do not penetrate beneath the skin.

Due to its very limited level of penetration, Grenz rays are classified as ultrasoft radiation. They do not carry the risks of other forms of radiation when proper radiation safety measures are followed. Grenz ray treatments should not be confused with the "superficial radiation therapy" or "superficial X-Ray" which were used for everything from acne to eczema back 30 to 40 years ago, and are still used in the treatment of malignant skin cancers today.

The usual course of Grenz treatment consists of weekly or bi-weekly treatments over three or four sessions. Treatments giving over 200 Rads will cause a mild sunburn reaction at the site. A persistent dark, tan may linger for several months afterwards. Hair loss does not occur. Subsequent treatments may be repeated two or three times yearly, if needed.

Uses of Grenz therapy include treatment of the last lingering spots of mycosis fungoides, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, psoriasis, Haily-Haily disease, lichen simplex chronicus, hand eczema, and anogenital itching including pruritus ani.  

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/grenz_rays.html

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell CKINCS!

 

[Garth Wood]

CKINCS:

Hi there.  Hope being here helps.

Elavil is a brand name for Amitriptyline, which is a tricyclic anti-depressant normally taken in pill form.  Another antidepressant that is sometimes prescribed is gabapentin, also in pill form.  The theory behind taking these is that they depress the activity of the central nervous system sufficiently to stop (or at least moderate) the nerve impulses from the damaged nerves which give rise to the itching sensation in the first place.  This assumes that the origin of the symptoms truly is nerve damage in the C5 to C7 area of the cervical spinal column (lower part of your neck).  Not everyone agrees that this is the etiology of BRP.

I've been to the dermatologist, who basically said "There's nothing we can do for you."  I'm getting *tired* of hearing med professionals say that.  I've now got a referral to a neurologist.  Three months down the road.  Yippeee.  Meanwhile, I'm going to assume that it's nerve damage complications arising from cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve in the neck).  One of the most conservative (and reasonably effective!) treatments for this is neck traction, so I'm going to start a manipulation regimen with my chiropractor and get him to also prescribe a home-use neck traction device, to see if I can get some relief that way.  He's already taken X-rays of my cervical spine, and I'm talking to him about what he can see at 1:00 P.M. today.

I'd rather manage this myself than wait for some medical pudknocker.  It's ******* ( Ed Bot! ) me off.


Garth

P.S.:  I've received temporary relief by using Lanacaine extra strength, which has as its two active ingredients 20% benzocaine (a topical anesthetic) and 3% resorcinol (a phenol derivative).  I have to be careful to use this stuff only when the itching is really bad, because the resorcinol in particular can cause allergic reactions, and it's also possible to "overdose" on resorcinol.  If your skin starts to ache when you put resorcinol on, you've probably got phenol poisoning -- you can short-circuit it by using isopropyl alcohol ("rubbing alcohol") on the skin where it aches.  Isopropryl alcohol knocks out phenol poisoning.

P.P.S.: There is some evidence that acupuncture can help with BRP as well.  That's my next step if I can't deal with the cervical issues myself.  There are several acupuncturists here in Edmonton who have training in both Western and non-Western medical traditions.

[Garth Wood]

Well, just to reply to myself:  

Been to the chiropractor, who now has the films of my cervical spine.  There is mild degeneration between C5 and C7 (essentially age-related), but no abnormal growths or actual pinching of the nerves through the exit foramina, no fractures, no destructive lesions.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

I've been surfing the NIH abstracts database for BRP-related studies.  There are three that might be of interest to others suffering from BRP:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9737043&dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12664013&dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12789170&dopt=Abstract

Interestingly enough, one of the article abstracts notes that "specific manipulation" of the cervical portion of the spine offered substantial relief (and in a couple of cases, complete resolution) of the symptoms of BRP.  Can you say "Go forth and find yourselves a well-trained chiropractor"?  Mine has also recommended at-home traction twice a day and glucosamine supplements.

You can bet I'm not waiting around for the neurologist.  Three months is too long to be sitting on my thumbs while the itching threatens to drive me bananas.  I'll report back on my own progress as it occurs (or doesn't, I guess).  I'm gonna hit the local medical library for details on the specific cervical manipulation that was used in the one reported study.  Hope this info helps others.


Garth

[Garth Wood]

An update:

The dermatologist I saw suddenly realized that I wouldn't be able to see a neurologist for almost three months, and filled a prescription for me for gabapentin (also known by the trade name Neurontin).  It helps reduce the itching sensation almost to nil, but I've only been on it for a day and a half, and I'm pretty "doped out."  I sure hope I don't have to take this stuff all the time if the condition turns out to be chronic...  It also gives me the munchies, and one of the listed side-effects is "water gain."  Great.  Lessee now, intense itching or turning into a blimp?  Hmmmm...

Neck traction also appears to be helping, in two ways -- the itching seems to be less afterwards, and it's making it easier for my chiropractor to do neck adjustments (everything's "looser").  I'm awaiting the neurologist visit with some trepidation, since in a very small number of cases, BRP's actually caused by tumors in the neck.  *That* would be just my luck!

Anyways, sleeping more comfortably now.  Again, hope this info helps others.


Garth

[morgan]

oh my god i can't believe i found this.  I came onto this site with hopes that i would find out what was wrong with me.  I've told my doctors about this but they can't see anything. I've tried all types of creams and lotions even precriptions ant nothing works.  Gold Bond lotion is the only thing that comes close.  It is making me insane.  It started about 3 years ago and would happen occassionally.  It has gotten worse this year.  The first half of the year it was on my left arm for about six months then it moved to my right arm.  Feels like there are some type of insects chewing at my skin from the inside yuck but its torture.  it hurts to scratch and doesn' relieve anything, just causes the itch to increase and the arm to hurt.  I've started to get the little red blister like marks that seem to follow a line down my arm, and the small purple bruising like marks.  My arms hurt to touch during these episodes.  Icing my arm is the only thing that seems to help.  I've suspected that it was being cause by pinched nerves because it seem like nerve sensation.  I do have back problems herniated disc L5 but i also have cervical problems my neck curves in the wrong direction and i was advise a couple of years ago that i was getting sperring on C 5. I haven't seen my latest x rays taken by my chiro but maybe it is arthritis on C5. Anyhow i'm so glad i found this site please let me know if anyone gets an answer to this.  Until then try ice compresses on your arms it does help.  Also Gold Bond Lotion.

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Morgan!

 

[peterb]

  Morgan

A big welcome to Skincell.

[Garth Wood]

Morgan:

Welcome.  And get your GP or family doc to get you on gabapentin (AKA "Neurontin") RIGHT NOW -- it's "quieted" my itching sensations to virtually nil.  The dosage I'm receiving is 300 mg, 3 times per day, spaced eight hours apart.  It's working (though it's only a temporary fix).  Start 'em on Friday night if you can -- I was really dopey for the first few days, but my body's adapting to it now (and the itching sensation's a mere shadow of its former self, thank God).

Good luck.


Garth

P.S.:  I stated in an earlier post that gabapentin was an antidepressant.  This is wrong -- it's actually a new class of drug which appears to inhibit certain nerve impulses (particularly the ones associated with itching sensations).  It's "on-label" use is as a preventative for partial epileptic seizures, and it has about a dozen "off-label" uses.

[Monika]

Hi Morgan, welcome

[CKINCS]

Hi all,

Garth, thanks for all of your research and postings!  I am still suffering terribly with this itchy burning crap and it's driving me batty.  I will call my derm tomorrow.  Any knowledge of long-term effects of Gabapentin?  So the doped out feeling was only temporary?  I couldn't tolerate that permanently.  Thanks,

CKINCS

[Garth Wood]

CKINCS:

Well, if I'm anything to go by (and most people go by me pretty quickly if they can help it   ), I'd say somewhere between two to four days.  The first day was the worst -- I didn't trust myself to drive or do anything with sharp objects.  Day Two was still fairly "disconnected" (felt like someone had inflated my head and separated it from my shoulders by about 6 inches), and by Day Three, things were starting to get back to normal.  I did a lot of napping the first few days (which was fine -- I'd been losing sleep from the itching, so I was just catching up).

Gabapentin has surprisingly few drug interactions noted, but booze intensified the "dopey" effect, and it also seemed to speed up my liver's processing of the gabapentin (while at my brother-in-law's, I had several beers and the itching sensation started to return prior to the time for my next dose).  So I'd say "avoid alcohol if you can" while on gabapentin.  I have noted that the equivalent of a single beer doesn't seem to bring the itchiness back -- probably not enough liver involvement with that little alcohol.

As for long-term effects, there's little info that I can find -- it's been studied in small clinical trials since the mid 80s, but has only been available for general prescribing for the past five years or so.  As always, there's lawsuits over the stuff in the States, but I don't pay much attention to those -- too much noise swamping the data, if you get my drift.

Oh yeah, one other thing: gabapentin competes for receptor sites with magnesium and its salts, so if you take Rolaids, Milk of Magnesia or other OTC meds with magnesium in it, you're interfering with gabapentin's ability to "do its thing."  Make sure you read the label on any OTC med before trying it -- if it's got magnesium, it's probably gonna interfere with the gabapentin.  Tums oughta be OK (uses calcium carbonate [chalk!] as its active ingredient, rather than a magnesium salt), but I'm not sure about vitamin/mineral supplements containing magnesium -- I'd probably try taking the supplement several hours after (or before) a dose of gabapentin.  Folic acid and Vitamin B6 also seem to interfere with gabapentin's activity to some extent.  Talk to your pharmacist about the interactions -- she/he may have some advice for you.

Hope this helps.


Garth

[Garth Wood]

A friend of mine who is a medical librarian just received the full text of an article on cervical manipulations which were implicated in the relief of BRP.  She's mailing it to me (snail mail, unfortunately) even as I type this.  I should have the full text within the next few days, and even though I'm not allowed to reproduce it (copyright issues), I'll abstract the relevant info and post it here.

'Til then,

Garth

[Val]

Eeek!! How have I missed this topic.

Firstly, welcome to  RosemaryH, Sleeves, lauriecca, Garth Wood, Ckincs and morgan.
 
Sorry I'm so late in welcoming you all.

This deep itching that a lot of you are experiencing on you arms, and that it seems to be connected with the cervical spine. Well I get that in my legs, and I have arthritis (3 types) of many joints but also in my lower spine.

I also have pustular psoriasis which itches like mad, but the itch in the legs is nothing like that itch at all. When the legs decide to play up the itch is really deep inside, one of you said like a crawling insect deep within (sorry I can't remember who said that now), which explains it perfectly. My GP and Rhuemy told me that this was caused by the spinal damage. I was put on a very low dose of Amitriptyline to be taken at night only, plus some pain gel, which I also use at night. I must say that these 2 things have both helped greatly with this deep, night-time itch.

When I was first told it was due to the arthritis I thought they were nuts, or that I was. Now reading your stories maybe not.  It sounds as if it's the cervical spine it affects the arms and if it's the lower spine it affects the legs.

[CKINCS]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone.

Ckincs

[Garth Wood]

Well, I promised that I'd report back when I got some more info.  So, here goes:

First, the article I was trying to hunt down about cervical spine manipulations sometimes helping people with BRP arrived.  The information in it was decoded by myself and my chiropractor, who realized that the spinal adjustment (which was described in a way typical of how an osteopath would do it) was identical to the kind of adjustment he routinely does on clients' necks.  So, he'd already been doing the adjustment on me, but it didn't seem to be having any dramatic effect on me.  Of course, I stopped going to him for a couple of weeks while awaiting my meeting with the neurologist.  I'll be starting back up again now -- I wanted the neuro's opinion on whether it was safe to have this adjustment continued.  He indicated that it shouldn't be a problem.

Second, I've discovered that BRP is one of a group of skin itching disorders which go under the more general banner (sometimes) of "neurodermatosis."  Why "sometimes"?  Well, because the MDs who diagnose a person as having a neurodermatosis (rather than BRP specifically) believe the itch to be strongly involved with the patient's emotional state, and there's some evidence for that.  MDs who give a more specific diagnosis (and BRP really isn't a diagnosis so much as a "label" -- it translates as "itchy forearm"!) tend to believe that there's a physical/biological explanation for the disorder.  But in the end, they may be talking about the same thing, and the cause of BRP or neurodermatosis may be multi-factored.  Emotional state, physical injury to or irritation of the skin (which starts an itch/scratch cycle that quickly becomes pathological), injury or compromise to the peripheral nervous system (the nerve fibers branching out from your spinal cord to your arm) and/or excessive exposure to sunlight on the forearm may all be contributing factors.  Quite the witches' brew, hmm?

Third, I popped for the expense of having an MRI of my cervical spine done back on December 1st.  Not unsurprisingly, it does show that the cervical disc between C5 and C6 (nerve root of C6) was bulging slightly and may possibly be impinging on the nerve root, contributing (at least) to the itching sensations and the lancinating pain in my right forearm.  However, in a chat with the neurologist (a really nice guy, and quite candid, too), he was unconvinced that the amount of bulge and impingement was sufficient to be causing any kind of radiating itch sensation, at least by itself.  He raised one possibility that I hadn't run into before and therefore hadn't considered -- he said it was also possible that I may have had a viral infection in the nerve root or the peripheral nerves which triggered the sensation of itching.  This is nothing more than a guess -- he freely admitted that this couldn't be confirmed without extensive (and mostly unnecessary) testing.  He was pretty upbeat about my continuing on with the gabapentin (Neurontin) treatment for the time being, as he believed it to be a relatively benign and effective drug for the symptomatic treatment of neuropathic itching.

As for the physical therapy, I'm continuing with the neck traction, although I may have to switch from using an over-the-door device to another type soon, since excessive over-the-door use (which involves a chin strap) has been linked to developing problems with the temporomandibular (jaw) joint.  So far, it appears to be helping somewhat -- the intensity of the pain and itch has lessened considerably.

If I'm still on the gabapentin, how do I know that the diminished itching/pain's not due to the action of the gabapentin?  Easy.  I stopped using gabapentin for several days to get a "bead" on how my arm was coming along.  It seems to be better -- though I'm still getting "breakthrough" episodes from time to time.  At present, I've switched to taking gabapentin once a day, approx. 90 minutes before bedtime, because gabapentin takes 60 to 90 minutes to be absorbed (this happens in the small bowel, not the stomach, so it's not as fast as some other oral medicines).  This worked really well for about two weeks, but I've now noticed that I probably need to adjust the dosage and timing again.  So I'm going to go to a twice-a-day regimen starting today, first dose of 300mg at around 5 P.M. and second around 9:30 P.M.  Hopefully, this will give me enough of a loading (and a long enough lead time) that I won't be awakened at night with any breakthroughs.

I don't want to go back to gabapentin full-time, because it makes me "foggy," and I don't want to increase my dosage, so I'm hoping this modification will work well.  Don't get me wrong -- without the gabapentin, I might have gone truly deeply mad from the itching, and I'm glad I live in a world where it's available, but I'm a big believer in using no more pharmaceuticals than is absolutely necessary, and I'm not afraid to stop or adjust dosages (usually with a doctor's or pharmacist's advice) to suit this ultimate end.

Anyway, that's about it for now.  If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to try and answer them.  If not, have a good Christmas, everyone, and I'll try to report on progress occasionally.


Garth

[morgan]

hi everyone,

I haven't been here for a while so i thought i'd drop by and let you know what i've been doing about this condition.  Since my original post I went to my chiropractor with this information.  He had never heard about this condition but said it made sense that this would be the cause of my itch.  My x-rays show a thinning of the disc between C5 and C6 along with some spurring, but the big culprit is that my neck curves in the wrong direction which causes this problem inC 5 and C6.  A -20% curve, which he said is one of the worst necks he's seen in his 25years in practice.
He's been telling me this is a problem for years but because I had no pay coming from my neck i've concentrated on my lower back problem L5.  I have a traction device i have been advise to use for years (but stopped awhile ago) at least 20 minutes a day.
I lay down and put my head in it and strap in my forehead and neck.  The neck section pumps ups with the attached hand pump.
I have been doing this twice a day in the morning and evenings, 20 minutes each, religiously.  Also getting chiro adjustment once a week.  And a massage weekly.  Since i've started to do this i haven't had a serious episode.  I may occasionally get a little itch but it stops there.   Knowing what the cause is and doing something about it really helps.  I know my healing is really up to me, I've made a commitment to it and I want to thank you all for helping find out what this itching was and where it was coming from.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

PS:  the apparatus I'm referring to is called Posture Pump Neck Exerciser (Professional Model). I got mine from my chiro. but you may find it cheaper online.  Go to google and search posture pump there is alot of info there on it.  Garth this may be you answer.  Its helped me alot and had i used it on a regular basis when I was advised to I would not have had this problem now.

[morgan]

More on the Posture Pump.  The model i use is cervical only there is a Full spine model which is more expensive but may help those with lower back problems as well.  I paid $150.00 years ago for mine.  Ebay has a few for auction so you may be able to pick this up for much less on ebay.  

[Garth Wood]

Morgan:

Thanks!  I've been investigating various pump-action models that apply traction by trapping the sides of your head, rather than the over-the-door chin-strap type I'm using now.  That sounds like one of the ones I've been researching, and yes, they're considerably more expensive now than they used to be.  However, it's possible to get my GP to write me a prescription for this machine (or whatever others I finally settle on), so I can get insurance to pay for most of the pop.  Heck, I've paid into insurance schemes for 25 years -- it's about time to see some payback!  ;-)

I'm also glad it's helping you.  My condition's a bit more enigmatic, and I'm assuming it's multi-factorial, so I'm working on several fronts at once.  My GP's kindly prescribed 100 mg capsules of the Canadian generic form of gabapentin (Apo-gabapentin, made by Apotex Pharmaceuticals), which allows me to finesse my dosage more during the day.  Chiro and massage is going to be standard, and here in Edmonton we have several MDs trained in Western medicine who are also acupuncturists, so I can communicate what's wrong to them in Western medical terms and they can do the appropriate Eastern interpretations.  They're my next stop after Christmas.  I'm continuing with the traction for now, as well.

Merry Christmas, everyone.  I hope all this info has assisted.  In the New Year, I'm going to be building a website devoted to this condition because I've learned a lot about it (and related issues) in the last two months, and there's no other place on the Web that I can find that has all of this info in one location.  I'll post the link when I've got the website built.


Garth

[Garth Wood]

Hi all.

Well, since Christmas I've been working on getting my dosage of gabapentin lowered, and have stabilized (for the moment) on 200mg twice daily and 300mg just before bed at night.  This seems to allow me to work normally during the day and sleep well at night, with a minimum of daytime "fogginess."  I've also started acupuncture treatments (two so far -- my third is tomorrow morning), and I'm cautiously optimistic about the results, though there's nothing dramatic to report as yet.

I'm also in the midst of building my own website on BRP, and have most of the text written.  Now I'm just plowing through the research available to make sure I've covered most of the bases, and I'm not propagating any out-and-out bulls**t.  The final step is to give it a coherent logical structure -- I hope to have it up and running by the end of February 2004.

The fresh information I've found in the last two months confirms what I'd already learned earlier -- BRP's definitely a weird condition and there's lots of controversy about what causes it.  "Can't we all just get along?"  Apparently not.  

Enough.  Just a brief update.  Hope everyone monitoring this thread is doing well, and here's crossing my fingers for spontaneous resolution of symptoms for all of us.


Garth

[kneecapper]

Hi Garth,

I must admit that I have found this thread to be very interesting. I do not have your condition but I am familiar with the itch and know what it is like to just want to keep on scratching. The derm has diagnosed mine as prurigo nodularis. It has a very different etiology than your own.

Also, I have neck problems and I have some arthritis in the neck (it has not gotten any worse over a period of 5 years). At the same time I suffer from fibromyalgia and I have responded very well to the gabapentrin (Neurontin) which keeps the fibromyalgia and the neuralgia at bay. Neurontin is very expensive in this country but I am kept going with the starter packs from the doctor. I take 600 mg per day - 300 mg in the morning and another 300 mg in the evening. I raise and lower the dose as necessary and with my doctor's permission.

Anyway the thread itself has been really quite interesting.

Maggie
(Sydney, Australia)

[Diane7272]

Hi:
I'm new to the site.  I just found it.  I have had BR for approx 5 years with some periods of remission.  After 4 dermatologists, 2 allergists and my own 3 Dr.'s, I found this diagnosis on the internet.  i HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING!!  All oover the counter topicals along with prescription topicals, steroids and one of the derms had me on Atarax at 400 mg a day.  Could not function and it really wasn't working all that well.  Since  I have taken this info to my GP he  gave me the elavil.  I also have been going to a chiropractor and having acupuncture without much success.  Today has been a bad day for me and I get so frustrated which I think makes it worse.  The only way I can sleep through the night is 2 mg. Ativan.  I hate to be a druggy, but when you go through this you will try anything.  Dr. said next is Neurotin.  Has anybody tried it?  
Thanks for any advice you can give.

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Diane!

 

[Garth Wood]

Diane:

Yes, I use Neurontin.  It's the trademark name for gabapentin, which is an anti-seizure drug first made by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in the U.S.  If you're like me, you'll be started at a dose of 300mg 3 times per day.  I asked my doctor to prescribe in 100mg pills so that I could vary the dose.  On some days, I can take as little as 100mg twice a day plus the 300mg dose at night (for some reason, the itching sensation's always more "profound" at night, so you need to tweak the dosage a little).

Gabapentin's a remarkably safe drug with very few side-effects and almost no interactions with other drugs.  You should avoid taking magnesium supplements or magnesium-based antacids within two hours either side of a gabapentin dose, as magnesium blocks its action.  So Tums, but no Rolaids (assuming you live in an area of the planet that sells these brand names).  Anyways, read the labels.  You can take gabapentin with or without food, but some people have reported that taking it during or close to meals with a high fat content seems to lessen gabapentin's effectiveness.

The first few days, you're very drowsy.  This may not be such a bad thing -- if you were like me, you needed the sleep.  Most people adjust to their doses after several days to several weeks.  I find a couple of strong cups of coffee in the morning almost completely negates the "dopey" effects of gabapentin, without changing how it suppresses the itching sensations.  For me, gabapentin's been a God-send.  I'd talk to your doctor about switching you over -- Elavil (the trademark name of a tricyclic antidepressant drug) has way more side-effects than gabapentin does.  

As for brachioradial pruritus, well, I've been promising to set up a website with everything I've learned over the last five months (which is quite a bit, actually).  The actual cause is unknown, but there's a bunch of theories (and it's very possible that all of these theories, alone or in combination, are correct for at least some of the people who suffer from BRP).  These theories are:

1. BRP is sunlight-induced.  This theory is largely discredited now, simply because BRP has shown up in people who have little or no exposure to sunlight (night-shift workers who sleep during the day, people who live in far northern climates or in areas where there's lots of rain and little sunlight, etc.).  I would be one of those people.  Also, for many people, BRP is not seasonal.  Mine showed up in October of 2003 and is still going strong, and I live in the Northern Hemisphere.

2. BRP is psychological in origin.  While no-one seems to buy this in isolation, it's suggestive that for some folks, BRP is triggered by stressful conditions, and is alleviated by antidepressants such as Elavil.  It may be that BRP gets "help" from a person's emotional state.

3. BRP is caused by a viral infection.  Central or peripheral nervous system viral infections seem to normally cause some form of a palsy in the people who are suffering from them, but as one neurologist said to me, it's not outside the realm of possibility that a peripheral nervous system viral infection could pass unnoticed except for paresthesia (changed sensation) in a limb or extremity.  Extreme itching certainly qualifies as a "changed sensation."  If it is a viral infection, only time will help.  If your BRP keeps coming back, it's unlikely that an infection is the cause.

4. BRP is caused by a pinched, compressed or otherwise compromised cervical nerve root (most likely at C6).  An MRI can help determine this, or in some cases, a plain ol' X-ray (if you can see bony spurs or growths at C6 on the films).  Sometimes the soft pads between the joints of the neck portion of the spine bulge out, and one can be compressing the nerve root.  If this is the case, it's possible that neck traction and/or chiropractic manipulation of the neck can help.  Neither treatment actually worked for me (acupuncture was largely a bust, too, although it was fascinating).  Unsurprisingly, my MRI showed no "smoking gun," in the words of my neurologist.

5. (This one's a leap of logic): BRP is a neurological outcome of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) or injury to the brachial plexus, which is the network of nerves that exit from your neck and upper thoracic spine and head on down your arms.  While TOS is somewhat difficult to diagnose properly (like BRP, TOS is controversial and seems to come in various "flavours"), if your BRP symptoms also include some kind of itching or burning sensation in your wrist, or if your arm or hand seems to go to sleep in the evening (or threatens to), it's possible that some of the nerve fibers in the network branching out through your neck are being pinched somehow, and this is causing the changes in sensations.  Your doc should at least be alerted to the possibility of TOS or a brachial plexus injury of some type.  Apparently, it's possible to damage the brachial plexus simply by sleeping incorrectly on your side, which can stretch or compromise the nerve network in your neck.  This damage is largely reversible by exercise and range-of-motion exercises, by the way.  TOS can also be brought on by certain types of repetitive work, such as overhead work (arms raised above your head) that's done by an electrician or plasterer, people who stock shelves, etc.  Working long hours at a computer can also bring on TOS (because people tend to hunch forward, tuck in their arms and drop their head when working at a keyboard, which can also narrow the thoracic outlet).

In my own experience, I've ruled out possible causes 1 through 4, so I'm working on the theory that my BRP (and other symptoms) is largely due to 5 above.  I've already had some success with exercises specifically designed to strengthen my neck muscles, and I'm dieting to lose weight (weight gain can cause TOS).  I'm hopeful, but cautious -- it's been a slow road eliminating the other possibilities (and rather expensive, too -- anybody wanna buy a neck traction device?).

Anyway, good luck.  Hope this info helps -- it's a distillation of stuff I've been gathering for months now.  If the Elavil doesn't work for you, you should give the gabapentin a try.  I'd rather live in a world where I didn't need it, but since I need it, I'm glad it's available.


Garth

[xcubbies]

Hello, Garth,

Just this morning stumbled upon the skincell.org site.  I too have/am experiencing the deep itching on my forearms.  I had a bout of it when I was working in Belize '94-'97, and then it reemerged last October after I returned from Liberia. (I work for a UN agency.)  In January I was diagnosed with longterm Bilharzia and a few other parasites and was treated for them in February.  I was warned that it would get worse before it got better because of the treatment. Now, about six weeks later I'm beginning to think that the parasites may not have been the source of the deep itching in my forearms.
Anyone else out there have a tropical/Third World link with these symptons? Roy

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Xcubbies!

 

[getreal52]

I'm new, and so glad to find this forum.  I've had this condition for about 10 years, and mine is definitely made worse by exposure to the sun.  I started having it when I had to drive a lot, and it was only in the left arm, the one in the car window.  It only happened in hot weather, still does.  It slowly spread to both arms.  I've gone from Aloe with Lidocaine to Maximum Strength Lanacane to relieve the itch.  Sometimes at night, the shooting pains are so bad I have to resort to ice paks to calm the nerves so that I can sleep.

I had a neck injury in a car accident about a year before this condition started, plus I was a chronic sunbather, so I don't know if mine is caused by cervical impairment or sun damage.   It's definitely aggravated by exposure to the sun.

I am researching and experimenting with natural and herbal remedies, and I've found that MSM works well to control the itching.  Since this supplement is used for arthritis pain as well as depression, it would make sense.  I'm also experimenting with doing neck stretches several times a day.

My BP has caused me to change careers, going from my horticulture degree, which I love, back into office work to keep myself out of the sun.

I was beginning to think I was imagining the whole thing!  I'm so glad to learn I'm not alone.

[sandylb]

 I've been reading threads regarding BRP and now I know what I've had for the last 7-8 years.  I've also had psoriasis for 35 years and I knew it was not that, but thought, maybe related?  So many skin diseases are related somehow.  Anyway, I now have a name for the maddening itch on my arms. 

I went to my dermo last year and she prescribed hydroxizine (sp?) but gave me no explanation for what was causing the itch.  Hydroxizine works for me after the itch starts (or if I can catch it when I first feel it coming on).  I take a pill and in about 30-45 minutes I begin to get relief.  It makes it stop itching for a few hours.  You can take these pills every 4 hours if you need to, but they make you sleepy.  When I'm taking them, I get lots of extra sleep! 

I get my episodes mostly in the fall and spring, but have gotten them all times of the year.  I usually have periods of remission, but it always comes back.  Any time my arms feel like they are going to itch, I get so sad, as I'm afraid it is coming back.  It always does.  I've put ice on it as well, and that works somewhat.  I get the itching on my forearms, and it jumps back and forth from my left arm to my right.  I also get it around my elbows and have had it on my upper arms and shoulders.  It jumps around at will!  I've rarely had the itching on both arms at once.  Usually only one at a time (thank goodness for small favors).

 As for my psoriasis, I've had it 35 years and have found nothing that works consistently except cortisone shots in the lesions, and not all dermos will do that.  The one I go to now, will not.  I don't know what caused my BRP, but suspect arthritis in my neck and lower spine.  Could be the sun as well, 'cause I've been in the sun a lot in my life, due to that also helps the psoriasis.  (Can't win for losing!!)  Oh well.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[ginger57]

I am so sorry to find this site. i thought I was a liitle cuckoo. So itchy an no apparent cause. It makes so much sense now I have neck/back problems. Will continue to read and hopefully get information that I can then pass on to my Doc
Ginger

[ocdgirl2000]

     AHA!!! so this is what I've had all this time! And I'm a nurse "you would think" I would have done something about it by now!!! but I've had this thing for at least 10 years on and off and mostly ON these days!The funny thing about it is that I have been trying to hide it like it's a disease or something.I thought I had impetigo and skin infections so I didn't want anyone to think I was infectious!LOL Yes I'm a sun worshipper and if the sun is really strong and I get a good tan it actually heals it up.Afterwards I suffer when the tan starts to dissappear.I have started using the tanning beds and I think they don't do much but heal the open scratch marks.I too have used all the lanacaines in every form and the aloe form is the most soothing.I also use the 12 hour cortisone cream which helps a little.I tried the clearasil salicylic acid cream and I think that makes it worse!.I have had a history of neck problems for as long as I can remember and now my neck is very limited in range of motion so I am sure there is plenty of osteo going on in the entire cervical region if not in the entire spine! P.S.  I have the affected regions on my shoulders(backs of the shoulder regions) and the forearms and on the flank areas of my back as well as the center area of my back which I think has another name but is in the same family as BRP.Well now.It's good to know it has a name and it's got some better treatments out there as well!I think I will be trying the capsaicin cream 5 times a day to see what happens I'm not a big fan of taking medications especially if they make me tired.I will also be modifying the way I sleep since my sleep posture is all wrong and I use way too many pillows!Anyway it's great to meet all of you...my name is Lynne and I'm from Maryland, age 52!

[sandylb]

Hey Lynne,
     My middle name is Lynn and I am 61.  I wrote last year about my BRP and am still having episodes of it.  Last time was a few months ago and it was on my left arm around the inside of my elbow.  This time it is in the same place, except on my right arm.  It is so maddening.  I still take hydroxyzine, and it still makes me sleepy.  But it does work.  I need to ask my doctor if there is something that is the same as hydroxyzine but non-drowsy.  But if you can manage to take them at bedtime, it's not so bad, 'cause you're going to sleep anyway.  The creams don't do much for me, as the itch is under the skin in the nerves, and creams don't seem to be able to reach it.  This year it doesn't seem to be as bad as it was last year.  It's always different, you can't predict it.  I have had it on my shoulders, but never on my back.  I also sleep with more than one pillow and will try not doing that to see if it helps.  But if the neck is already damaged, it's probably too late for that.  Anyway, thanks for your suggestions.  It is great to have people with the same problems to bounce ideas off of and learn about new things to try. 

[hollyaimeemum]

  
 hya lynne i am a 35 year old female from uk just been diagnosed with bp,  ive been itching since i came back from holiday in july on both arms and am relieved it has now been treated  unsure how i got it as i do not really sit out in the sun especially as i have two young children how long does this last,  do you have it for life . does the medication have to get stronger as your body gets used to it, can it wear off     i hope so as it drives me mad     
                       thanks niki

[sandylb]

Hi Niki,
      I don't know how long it lasts or if it ever goes away.  I have had it for almost 10 years, off and on.  The good part is, it only happens a couple of times a year (in my case anyway).  The bad part is sometimes it can last on and off for a couple of months at a time.  I seem to get it mostly in the fall and the spring, which makes me think it could be related to allergies.  But I don't know that for a fact.  So I can't really answer your question.  I also don't know about the medication.  If it only occurs a few times a year and you're not taking the meds all the time, maybe your body won't get used to it, and you won't have to increase the strength.  One can only hope.  I know it drives you mad.  Sometimes I just want to scream.  Good luck. 

Sandy

[sandylb]

Hey Niki,
     I had another thought after I wrote the reply above.  Last spring, I had a really easy time of it.  It didn't seem to bother me as much as usual.  I usually get it again around August or September and it bothers me off and on until November.  Here it is November, and I've only had one episode that I had to take my antihistimine.  So, I'm thinking, maybe it is trying to either get better, or go away!!  That would be nice if it is true.  I can't say, because I have no experience to go on.  But I'll keep my fingers crossed, and hope that maybe it is going away.  I'm sure it is different for different people.  Has anyone else had it to go away after a period of time?   

Sandy

[hollyaimeemum]

hi sandy
 thanks for getting back to me , it is so nice to talk to someone else  with the same problem i thought i was going mad , im now hoping it will ease off , ive only been taking the tablets two days hydroxyzine twice of a night ( sooo nicee to get a full nights sleep haha ) and  i take hydrochloride twice of a day  and i feel nearly human again , its so embarassing  when it starts , i was on the train coming home from work  when it started, you can`t help but scratch .  not  good for people next to you ha ha thanks  sandy speak to you soon  niki

[davepaint]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Dave, I'm a 38 yo light-complected male and I've been lurking on this site for the past year.  I've been suffering from itching on my arms for about seven years now; it got really bad last year and I had a three month stretch of virtual sleeplessness, which brought me to this site.  I've read a lot of your posts, done some research (and trial and error) on my own and have managed to find some relief from the hell that this disorder can induce.

I have a few thoughts I'd like to share about my particular experience in the hopes it may help some of you as well.

Firstly, there seem to be a lot of people on this forum suffering from different forms of itching.  My particular disorder involves seasonal itching (late summer/early fall) with no visible lesions which mainly seems to occur at night, between the hours of 11PM and 4AM.  As I said before I've suffered with this for about seven years now.  When it began I was about 30, living in Boston, MA and was in my twelfth year of operating a house painting business, doing a lot of exterior painting in the summer months.  I never used sunscreen.  The itching started on my shoulders and would occasionally occur on my neck and upper arms.  The quality of pain was pinpoints of a burning sensation combined with itch.  It was extremely localized, sharp and specific.  The itching was sporadic and could usually be allayed by applying ice to the affected regions.  I would occasionally lose sleep, but the problem did not seem "chronic" at the time.  As I had pretty severe seasonal allergies which coincided with the itching, I assumed it was somehow related and didn't really give it much thought.

About three years ago I moved to southern California.  In the late fall of my first year here I was rear-ended in a car accident and sustained some minor injury to my neck.  It didn't seem serious and I never sought medical treatment.  The next summer however, the itching came on  early (late June), spread further down to my forearms and seemed much more intense.  This was last year.  I never would have made the connection of the neck injury and the itching if I had not found this forum.

There is much discussion about the origin of BRP.  Is it nerve damage from the sun?  Is it from cervical spine damage/degeneration?  I believe it is both.   I  also believe some people have a genetic predisposition to this disorder (my father suffered from itchy arms for about ten years whereupon the condition desisted-a fact from which I personally derive much hope) and that the environmental factors of injury and sun damage are exacerbating agents, as has clearly been the case in my example.

A facet of the condition which seems to confound most scientists is its seasonal nature  and the fact that it only comes on at night.  In my research I learned that some people have found relief from acupuncture and in my desperation last year I decided to give it a shot (it did seem to decrease the symptoms.) But before I had my first treatment I did a lot of research on the practice of acupuncture.  Now I don't c onsider myself too "new-agey", but I'm open to different ideas and I came across an interesting coincidence.  It seems that in Eastern medicine the channels of energy, or "meridians," that course through the body have cycles of activity and the meridians that move down the arms are most active between the hours of 11PM and 4AM; the same hours that my suffering is most acute!  This kind of blew my mind.  My acupuncturist   was like: "Of course.The planet has its cycles.  Your body is a part of the planet; its going to be affected by this and have its cycles too."   
I find it strange strange that I can get sun exposure for most of the year (and it's generally pretty strong here in SoCal) without reacting, but for the late summer months.  I know that the sun is strongest during these months, but I wonder if there is also some connection to deeper "rhythms" that occur this time of year.

So, combining Eastern and Western philosophies, it seems to me that what I am (and many of you are) suffering from is a seasonally/nocturnally affected neural disorder that is genetic in origin and exacerbated by physical and environmental conditions (injury and sun).  It's no wonder most doctors are so confounded by this disorder!

As I said earlier, I did find some relief last year from acupuncture, but it got pretty expensive and I had to cut back.  As the "season of the itch" is upon me again, I've been considering going back to the needles, as well as getting some chiropractic treatment for my neck injury. 
HOWEVER, in the meantime I've found that by using SPF 80 sunscreen on my arms and neck, in conjunction with wearing a long-sleeved shirt (when I've got a clean one handy) has done a LOT to keep the itch/pain under control.  And this is why I wanted to write this post... 
Try using a very high SPF sunscreen and long sleeve shirts!  The itching/burning isn't completely gone (my genes are my genes...) and it does sometimes flare up as the nighttime approaches if I've been outside a lot, but I have been sleeping  soundly at least two out of three nights; so much better than before!  I'm hoping that some more acupuncture and a little chiropractic care will really kick the remaining discomfort into submission until my body decides it's done with putting me through this torture...

I hope this helps.

[savedbygrace08]

Hi Dave,

I've suffered for the past 4 years from this intense forearm itching and have tried just about everything you can think of, over-the-counter and prescription.  At the beginning of this week, my seasonal itching started up again (starts in September and continues for about 6 months) and out came my scissors.  That's what I have to use to touch the surface of this insane itch.  FYI:  I say seasonal to differentiate from BRP, which I originally thought I had.  Of course if that was the case, it wouldn't start at the same time every year. 
To be brief, for the past two days, I've juice carrots and cucumbers for breakfast.  I'd decided to start juicing for health, and read somewhere that carrot and cucumber juice (freshly juiced) are both very good for your skin.  I have not itched in two days. 
Good nutrition plays a such a huge role in everyday health and I will continue to experiment for other areas that need improvement in my life. 

Let me know what you think!

P.S.  Sunlight IMPROVES my skin and I don't ever use sunscreen.  Check our Mercola.com for information on the need for sun exposure (not to the extent that you get burned)

[davepaint]

Saved,

Great news!  I agree that proper nutrition is key to ALL aspects of health.  I juice frequently and will try the cucumber/carrot mix you describe. 


I've been seeing a chiropractor since my last post.  I've had about six treatments and I'm quite happy to report the itching has further subsided... and this is usually the worst time of year for me.   I'm not convinced that just because someone's symptoms are seasonal that it's not BRP.  As I said in my previous post, there seem to be cycles of activity that the body goes through and the seasonal nature of this syndrome could be demonstrative of this.  In the end, who really knows?

Anyway, my chiropractor told me that my neck was completely locked up.  The first treatment felt great, but it didn't bring the itching down much further than where it had been (which was relatively low from my sunscreen/long sleeve use... I'm assuming).  I was discouraged and hesitant to continue because I know some chiropractors will milk a "soft tissue" injury for all it's worth... and my insurance doesn't cover chiropractic.    After a few treatments however, the itching practically disappeared.  I occasionally have a slight irritation on my arms the night after an adjustment, but nothing major.  I plan on returning monthly to keep things in line until next season...

I still put the SPF 70 on but have gone back to wearing short sleeves and it feels great (it's been pretty hot here in SoCal lately!)

I strongly urge anyone whose symptoms resemble mine to give chiropractic care a try.  Do your research and find a reputable doctor.  Be patient with it; your muscles will be pulling the bones back into the unhealthy positions they are used to, but hopefully after a few weeks you'll experience some relief.

I really hope this helps someone.
Good luck to you all.

[sandylb]

Hi everyone,
I haven't written for awhile because...miracle of miracles...my itching has stopped.  When I wrote the last time, it was fall of 2006.  I had one more episode in the spring of 2007, but for about a year and a half now, I haven't had any episodes.  I'm so hoping that it's gone forever.  I don't know if it is, and my fingers remain crossed, but maybe whatever it was has run it's course.  All together I had it for about 9-10 years.  So maybe after suffering all that time, it's finally and completely gone.  Do I dare to dream?  If anything changes, I'll get back to you. 

Good luck to all of you.  There are some really good suggestions in this thread to help.  I know what helped me get through it was the hydroxyzine, but the chiroprator suggestion and the juicing all sound like viable suggestions.  Whatever works for you is exactly what you should do.  I wish all of you well, and hope I don't have to come back.  LOL

Sandy

[Maria1972]

I would like to hear from members who are experienceing itching on their forearms. I have experienced this twice now and it lasts usually for a month. There is no noticiable rash , rather a stinging sensation followed by intense itcing. Scratching does offer some relief, but causes ugly sores and scabs. I also have brown discolorations in the affected area. My internet research seems to identify it as Brachioradial Pruritus, which DR's identify as originating from nerve interference in the spinal cord and or prolonged exposure to sun.  I am a middle aged woman who resides in Florida and who spends quite a bit of time ourdoors.If anyone has experienced similar symptoms, I would appreciate hearing from them, especially if they have found relief from condition. Thanks

[Maria1972]

Hi there, I am a 36 yr old nurse with long term back problems, i have degenerative disc disese, i have had 3 microdisectomies and i have 9 disc herniation between my neck and lower back. I started itching on my left arm 15 months ago and was informed by a Dermatologist it was firstly Contact dermatitis and 2ndly a condition called Nodular prurigo but then did my own research and i founf when i visited my Osteopath and had manipulation of my upper ribs and neck, it affected the itch. Once when i has my neck manipulated the itch started on my rt hand 1/2 an hour later. So i started myself on Lyrica and the intensity of the itch reduced down to about 2/10ths and i started to get some sleep, for the last year it was just at night but now os starting during the day, i carry instant ice packs with me everywhere and now am doing fertility treatment so have had to come off Lyrica so the last 3 days and night i've not had any sleep. I know for sure it is related to my back problems but am dreading what it will be like if the fertility treatment works for 9 month of no sleep. Any suggestions please?
Maria