Arms itching

I have suffered with my arms itching for years. It really got bad when I turned 60.  I live in Fl and play golf.  The Dermatologist diagnoised Bracheradial Puritus 3 yrs ago.  I had cordisone shots where it itched and it stopped the itch for awhile.  Now it is all over my arm.  He gave me a pill to stop the itching and 20 mg of prednisone to take for a week.  Seriously, frozen ice packs are the ONLY thing that stops the itching.  It is worse when the humitity and heat return to Florida.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It looks like brachioradial pruritis. The main cause of BRP is not known but there is evidence to suggest that BRP may arise in the nervous system. BRP may be attributed to a neuropathy, such as chronic cervical radiculopathy.

No cure has been found. The only thing that seems to help most sufferers is the application of ice to the area until the itch is diminished. Other treatments include cooling lotions like those containing camphor or menthol, capsacain or local anesthetic creams, amitriptyline and gabapentin tablets and electrical cutaneous nerve field stimulation.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.