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?   ;-)