Itchy joints

[myproblem]

Has anyone else ever noticed that the joints which are most sore itch deep inside? I first noticed it in my hands, that a joint would seem itchy, but scratching didn't help. After a while I realized that it was a precursor to, or concurrent to my joints being inflamed. Just wondering how common this is, and if anyone knows the name for it. Also, out of curiosity, if you have experienced this, what autoimmune disease do you have.

[ABH1976]

I have found that a combination of both Aspercreme and lidocaine cream, which I believe is at 5%, and both of which can be bought at Amazon.com, when you combine together work to relieve both the itching and the pain. For me, the pain and itching are often in my farms of all place I have found that a combination of both Aspercreme and lidocaine cream, which I believe is at 5%, and both of which can be bought at Amazon.com, when you combine together work to relieve both the itching and the pain. For me, the pain and itching are often in my  thumbs of all places, which can be quite debilitating and painful. So far, this is a combination that works well for me not only on these joints, but also on others. I would also Encourage others on this site to look into the magnesium products made by seven minerals, which is again sold on Amazon. These two have help me tremendously.

[djhs49]

I was diagnosed with Lupus last fall. I am also a Chronic Lyme disease survivor. Was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disorder almost 10 years ago. It has been a gradual decline. I try very hard to eat right, exercise when I feel well enough, take my meds and herbal supplements and vitamins. I also use essential oils. Have learned to live with the pain, but the itching is intolerable at times. It varies all over my body. Sometimes cortizone cream or a particular oil helps relieve it. Other times not so much. I know that it is Lupus related but I have yet to hit on a solution to prevent it.

[T777bowling]

I have sometimes severe joint pain in my hands, elbows & hips. When I flare really badly, I get a bone-deep itching sensation in my wrists & fingers. Dx with Inflammatory Bowel Disease which is autoimmune. My mother & sister both suffer from psoriasis & psoriatic arthritis so it worries me for that reason. It's miserable at it's worst. Hope you find answers.

[ljvinhb]

I also have IBD, RA, and eczema/psoriasis patches. All related, auto immune, but why the doctors don’t believe these symptoms confuses me

[Angeltoes]

I also have acquired intensly itchy joints in the fingers, I have several autoimmune conditions, type 1 diabetes, arthritis, neuropathy, raynauds and excema. I have found relief from moisturising the painful joints

[Omniinc]

Sometimes the swelling, itching and heat in joints can be gout.  Have the doctor order a test for uric acid levels.  If it is high stay away from seafood and wine or liquor and sometimes rich cheeses.  Mine only happens occasionally but the first time was a painful surprise.  These gout symptoms can occur in arthritic joints but is not really related.  It is about what you eat.  Why it occurs in some people and not others is a mystery.  At least to me.

[jjmcc]

SCLE diagnosis 1 month ago. Prednisone 40, now down to 5 mg and joint itching is intense. Elbow, wrist, fingers.  Trying pain rubs, helps for a little. Bathing and rubbing areas while in warm water helps some. Any other ideas?
Bet higher dose will be recommended.

[Vickie535]

I have itchy joints.......but not in my fingers. Its in my shoulders neck hip joints knees....  I have been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis years ago. But now all of a sudden my joints are itching and the main place I am feeling it is in my neck area.  Its not the skin.  I have always had dry itchy skin and the best thing I found years ago was to use dove soap. If I do not use it I will itch to death.     I also have used the Voltaren Gel but just for pain relief and started using it again once they started itching inside.  I think that is what they are doing its itching?  But you cant scratch it.  

[Ivybuba]

All of a sudden, my thumb is locking up to where I absolutely can't bend it without a loud violent pop, sore and itching like crazy on another part of the thumb joint. I do not know what to do about this deep joint itch. Ivy.

[myproblem]

It wouldn't hurt to be re-tested to RA, but you may also have sero-negative RA, meaning it doesn't show up in your blood. You can also get you "SED Rate" checked during a flare. There are lots of types of autoimmune arthritis, and not all are easy to diagnose. I started this thread in 2008, and now in 2014 I am no closer to an answer. I have had success with using steroid cream or Voltaren Gel to decrease the pain and itching.

[lmnbo_17]

I'm 33 and have had this trouble for about 8 years now. Mine is in my thumb and toe joints, and in my ring finger. The swelling, heat, and ITCHING is miserable. Mine doesn't seem to be connected to diet, and I don't have the skin troubles like some others have mentioned, but my joints will be swollen, pink, and warm to the touch when they flare up. I didn't test positive for RA (at the time) but have no other idea what might be causing the trouble. My grandma had RA and would talk about her joints being hot and itchy but I'm wondering if I need to get retested for RA. Any ideas?

[Beadyeye]

Hi, cino,
I, too, have maddeningly itchy joints in my feet and sometimes in my knuckles. I have scratched them until they blistered, scratched the blisters until they broke and hurt, then medicated them and bandaged them because the pain was tolerable, whereas the itching was not. I also have fibromyalgia and, having read the responses of others here, I think we both should start keeping a food diary, annoying as that is. All my cousins have some sort or another of autoimmune disorder (I have no siblings, but these are double cousins - my mom's sister married my dad's brother.) Do you have a lot of relatives with autoimmune disorders as well?
      I wonder, too, if it could be from overuse. I cut a bunch of vines off a fence yesterday and now both my shoulder joints are itching like fury.

[gar007]

Hi,
I am having this problem for 3-4 years, suddenly any of my joints starts itching(internal), which later on results in redness and warm swelling and stiffness..and then it disappears in a few days..
this has happened to my knees, ankle joints,hip joints,elbows and once in my right jaw..
My age is only 24, plzz suggest what this might be.. i personally doubt it to b an autoimmune arthritis..
please help!

[Cheesecake69]

I'm about the same age as you and this just started happening on my knuckles. Did you figure it out ever?

[JustLearning]

I get severe itching in my joints (knees, elbows, ankles, fingers) not the skin so much but what feels like right in the joint. i am positive it has nothing to do with my diet and it does occurs just before an outbreak of my Cutaneous Sarcoidosis. Which is also an autoimmune disease. I do think it is connected but what do you do about it? just weather the storm until it passes?

Although great to know I am not so crazy as my Doctor also gave me the "ummm yeh" when I tried to explain, but I would also like so relief.

[kaokokung]

And here I thought I was just a freak... when I told my GP that my joints itched inside, I got the "uh... okay..." kind of response. Having read this, I think it may be the sugar thing. I have been MISERABLE for the last couple of days, every joint in my body itches like mad, including my hands, shoulders and spine! I'm one who fell off the healthy eating bandwagon as well, so I'll have to toss the chocolate I think. Anything to stop this itching...

[Blessed020455]

This is December with very short day light here. I don't know if I am affected by the lack of sunlight and coldness (plus the stress of the Christmas season), my itchy joint and skin are acting up. My face feels buring and cracking. When I googled itchy joint, it popped up autoimmune disease. Wow. this is so right on.

Whether it is stresses from food, weather, emotion..., our bodies are so sensitive. I hate this. I go for massage once a week, and I find it helps. Thanks for this forum.

[itchjoint]

I periodically have joints in my hands and toes itch uncontrollably, swell, and then get blister like and pop.  THis *****! I can't move my hands when it happens, and nothing will stop the itching.  I have been to numerous doctors, and nobody knows what it is.. What is it? anyone know?

[evadestruction]

my boyfriend has severe itchy toes on the knuckle part. He has to scratch until they bleed to get the itch to stop. He has tried various cortisone ointments prescribed by his dermatologist but nothing seems to help.

[xraymojm7]

Hey  My joints started itching and hurting a lot.  I was eating a very good diet, no sugars, refined carbs etc.  well I fell off the wagon last week and this weekend I have been hurting like crazy and my joints not only have pain but are Itchy on the inside and overall I ache and feel miserable. it is so weird.  Im glad to hear that other folks are experiencing the same thing.  there is not much on the internet about joint pain with joint itching together.   I am going back to no sugar and taking some pain relievers.  It would be nice to find out exactly what this is all about.  

[rls87]

I be been getting itchy joints and started popping my fingers alot. My pointing fingers get swollen really bad. Could this be some kind of athritis ?

[Happy_Healthy]

This discussion has been VERY helpful!  (I love the internet)

I have been itching off and on for the past few days.  Like someone mentioned above, I consumed a lot of sugar the day before.  In previous months, I've not consumed that much sugar.  I had been heating very healthy raw foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. If I has a craving for a desert, I would bake a yam or eat grapes.  But, this past week, I purchased some Whoppers (chocolate candy), Milk Duds and grape soda that was on sale.  And, oh man, have my joints been itching!

You know, I might also mention that over a year ago, I met with a "Naturalist" for a consultation.  He mention that chocolate (coco beans) have worms.  I know that it sounds ridiculous, but I believe him.  And, I have been considering doing a detox regiment and "de-worming".  

Anyway, I just wanted share my experiences.  My solution to these itching problems have been to apply shea butter to my hands until the itching sensation subsides, throw away the processed sugar and later next month I will detox.

Cheers!

[cino]

hi...yes i get itchy joints on my fingers and toes. It drives me absolutely crazy. I scratch until i get blisters and then scratch the blisters. It takes me several days for them to calm down when i get a bout. I'm not sure what causes them, perhaps something i ate? If you find out what helps, let me know, thanks.  I don't an have autoimmune disease, but do have fibromyalgia.

[LindaB1423]

Wow, I just went to google itchy joints in hands and Med help came up and right into autoimmune diseases.I never even related it to my Lupus/connective tissue diseases. I do know as a fact that any milk products really effect me greatly. Everyone is different and will be affected differently but I have found, to make things easy or confusing-- Is that every week is different also.Some things would bother me once in a while and then not at all. I think our body is very confused. Just think, It doesn't even know what's foreign and bad or what to leave alone. I have given up on foods for Lupus. Im open to correction. And would very much appreciate any help in return. And I do hope this helped just even one person. Thanks for your time. Hands are hurting.  Linda Montana

[karajo]

Hi,
I am interested in knowing exactly what you eat and don't eat.  There was something on the Mixed Connective Tissue forum about the Lupus Diet.  Now I've been reading about broccoli and cauliflower helping Lupus patients.  I thought those were the "night shades" we were supposed to avoid.  But it also has something to do with cutting out the salt and of corse the ever wicked sugar.  I'm open to the healthy information about Lupus.
Thanks and God bless you,
KaraJo

[single_payer_health_insurance]

I think I have cured my problem! The stinkin' itchy joints and cracked hands turned out to be a latex allergy!!!!!!!!!!!! When I ate sweets, raw garlic or tropical fruits it reacted with the latex (cleaning gloves) causing my hands to itch and crack  the next morning.

Crikey. When the problem first started 20 years ago the first thing I did was go to have an allergy test done which incorrectly found I was allergic to nothing.

I don't know if that will help any of you, but I would suggest thowing every piece of latex in your house in the trash.

[single_payer_health_insurance]

For me it is no doubt it is food related, but it is just so hard to control what I eat! We eat bland foods usually, only "spiced" with tamari. A friend came over two days ago with a "healthy" sounding dish, raw garlic and crushed sunflower seeds and my hands cracked and itched the next morning. I forgot that raw garlic and spicy foods bring it on!
Other things that bring it on: acid, like ascorbic acid (vitamin C) that companies add to foods.
It seems to take 2 days for me to get over the effects, sigh! I wish I knew a way I could eat a wider variety of foods, or a way of recovering faster when I mess up.

[myproblem]

You described what I feel, but I never thought about it being diet related. The problem is that I don't pay a whole lot of attention to what I eat. I get cracked skin too, but not all the time. Any of my joints can feel this way. Even my knees hips or feet. I wonder if I can pay enough attention to what I eat to see if it helps.