Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Burning, prickly, itchy skin

My husband age 59 has been experiencing burning, prickly itchy skin at random times but mostly during the evening.  He has the sensation of pins and needles pricking his skin from the inside out.  This mostly occurs on his arms or legs or back, but not concurrently. First it was his legs then it moved to his back and currently the problem is on his arms. The sensation will be symetrical, i.e. both arms. The prickling turns into severe itching with sensations of pin pricking pain. Once the itching starts it is very hard to control.  He has used ice, benedryl, anti itch creams and Zyrtec. His allergy tests by blood were negative. Skin can become dry and rough although no visable rash.
81 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I believe what we all have is likely caused by Cheyletiella or Neocheyletiella mites.  Likely from a rabbit, dog, or cat.  I have struggled with these for three years now.  Family thinks I'm making mountains out of molehills, and that i am overly sensitive.  I've done so much research, i probably know more than most people would ever want to know about parasitic mites.  It all started when my stepson's mother got an indoor pet rabbit as an "emotional support animal".  I see the same white sand on my family members, my eyes feel like there is sand constantly being sprinkled in them, my skin is insanely dry, despite copious amounts of moisturizing, i feel them moving around my scalp an pinpricks all over, mostly my scalp, ears, nose, and lower legs and feet.  I purchased a microscope to look at the "sand" and dry skin, and have found they are tiny light orange mites.  The orange mites are hard to find as they are buried in loads of skin flakes, but after spraying myself and my dog with topical ivermectin (intended for cattle and sheep), you will find them.  The ivermectin causes them to move which you can definately feel as it basically makes them unable to stop moving and thus eventually die.  They eat keratin, which is in skin, hair and nails.  I am now giving my dog oral iver mectin every week and she has much less itching and her extreme "dandruff" is receding.  Her nails were crumbly, split and weak, but with treatment are much healthier and stronger and look more normal under the microscope.  I also notice less sand in my eyes and ears, less pin prics and less itchiness myself.  I have been treating her for 3 weeks so far, but it can take months of treatment to get rid of them.  My biggest problem now is the constant re-infestation from my 12 year old stepson, who carries the mites into our house every week from his mother's apartment.  The rabbit lives in his bedroom, sleeps under or on his bed at his mother's.  She is in denial and threatened to not allow him to come stay with us when i alerted her to the possibility that her rabbit is probobly an asymptomatic carrier of these mites.  There is A LOT of misinformation about these mites on the internet and with veterinarians.   I have yet to find a vet that knows anything about these mites, been to three, but can't afford any more.  This is one of the best articles i have found on the subject.  Look up "what's eating you? Cheyletiella Mites" by HH Reynolds.  There is a free pdf available from the Semantic Scholar website.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have suver needle pokeing feeling and live in california but my mom thinks it is just dry skin but mosturizers don't work but it might be the lotion find one that works for you
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It has the same symptoms as scabies..but plz realize scabies can effect anyone it has nothing to due with cleanliness.  Unfortunately it is spread by human contact.  Usually hugging someone that is infested or if u have been in the hospital or nursing home. There are creams with permetherin that u apply head to toe and leave on 8 to 24 hours.  All people need to be treated in the family home even if they are asymptomatic. Also bedding and clothes needs to be washed in hot water.Anything that can not be washed ie stuff animals can be put in plastic bags tied shut and leave for at least 72 hours.  In a week its advised for a second treatment of lotion due to any eggs left by mite hatch in that time and the first treatment only kills live mites not their eggs.  I hope this helps or at least you can elimnate the diagnosis of scabies.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It sounds like Hells Itch to me, which is a reaction from the sun.  I figured this out by having a severe reaction to a tanning bed a while back.  It is very intense and will drive you insane!!  You cannot just not scratch, but when you do, it goes away for about 2 seconds, then comes back even worse!  If he is exposing his problem areas to the sun or if he works outside, I would consider this.  You can get OTC medicated menthol lotion (should be able to find some at any given pharmacy, but I got mine from Walmart).  This is the only thing I have found to work, and it works instantly!!  You just might have to reapply every now and then.  Sarna is a good one to get.  And if you go to Walmart, there is an Equate version that is even better.  Hope he figures out what is going on, because that mess is no joke.  Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Grovers disease. My husband had it. Found out his Lisinopril was the culprit and took him off it... Gone. Look it up. It will describe it to a tee
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR ALL OF YOU TO TRY OUT....

Bear with me, I know this is a long post..

I just wanted to let anyone know that might read this that I've been dealing with similar symptoms for almost a year now and think I have stumbled onto something that helps. The burning/skin sensations can definitely make you feel like you are living through hell. My symptoms range from prickly skin sensations that jump around all over my body to full on burning sensations all over my skin, basically everywhere on my body...for which the best description is a sunburned feeling. The burning would come on midday and progressively get worse throughout the night, and strangely I would feel almost no burning after I went to bed and woke up the next morning. However, my symptoms progressed further and eventually there were a lot of days where it was constant, from morning until night.

****I think (fingers crossed) I have stumbled onto some breakthroughs for me. First, I had figured out early on (thankfully) that dairy was a big trigger for my symptoms. To the point that if I accidentally had some dairy without knowing, I could pinpoint that it had to have been in a certain food because the symptoms came on, and sure enough when I checked labels..it was. I'm not talking just simply no milk, cheese, butter, etc...you have to pay attention to labels of any prepackaged foods or foods you didn't prepare. You would be surprised at how many things dairy are in (like progresso italian bread crumbs??). All packaged store foods have a label that list allergens and will say if something contains dairy, or in some cases you have to read all the ingredients carefully because it might be listed in the ingredients as whey, or casein, etc. By cutting out dairy completely, that significantly reduced my symptoms.

Cutting out dairy helped a TON, but I was still having the same symptoms that again progressed in spite of no dairy. I'll point out that I also deal with gastritis and came across some information that talked about how people with compromised stomachs can develop histamine intolerance. I suspect that might be what is happening for me. I did some further digging into natural ways to remedy this and found out about quercetin, which is a natural antihistamine supplement. A lot of people take this for stomach issues as well and I have read about it countless times and decided to give it a try. I started taking 1 capsule three times a day (morning before a meal, midday before dinner and before bed). **I don't know if the brand matters, but if any of you are curious, I got the Now brand that is combined quercetin with bromelain. And the size is 400mg per capsule.

Again, fingers crossed that I don't jinx this by writing about it, but my symptoms have significantly improved since I started doing this. Please use caution when doing this, because I did read some information that high doses long term can cause kidney problems but I believe it was much higher than the amount I was taking. I have since cut back to only one capsule in the morning usually and still seem to be doing ok. Maybe talk to a doctor before you do this (although they will probably advise against anything that there isn't a ton of research on). I am taking my chances tho because it has helped.  

I sincerely hope this will help even just one person on here, because I know how much this can affect your life. It really breaks you physically and mentally when you deal with a chronic issue like this, I have been there. My heart goes out to all of you that you figure out something that helps. Keep reading forums and never give up trying new remedies you come across. Best of luck to all of you.

I guess I will also add that I stopped wearing eye makeup around the same time I started the quercetin. My eyelids were burning and stinging a lot and I was having a lot of eyelashes fall out, so I decided to try not wearing makeup and it took those eye symptoms away significantly. I think the odds are better that it's the quercetin that's helping the rest of my skin, but I suppose I should point out that it could be either thing since I started both things around the same time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Leaky gut! Leaky gut is when you damage the lining of your stomach wall and cells don't respond allowing partical to filter into you blood stream. Picture it like a cafe filter if a hole gets within the filter all the cafe grinded pieces will come through and you cofe wont be drinkable. Your stomach acid burns the food and the food is filter from its vitamins. Partical enter your blood stream and you get allergies.
What damages your stomach cells? Bad bacteria. Where does it come from old dough, flour, bread, pizza... Business put that powder to avoid it aging but we ready don't have enough study to know ALL the bacteria that exist and could survive aging flour dough etc....MOLD. which damages your stomach cells and cause allergies. Probiotic contains good bacteria that fight bad bacteria allowing the cells to rebuild. Yogurt has good bacteria..hope this info is helpful. Try it...a stronger stomach doesn't hurt. BEST TO YOUR HEALTH! And let those chain fast food places know their food hurts.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had the exact same thing for almost 3 years. They at first said it was dry skin which it wasn't. Then they went to internal shingles, gave me meds that didn't work. Now they think it's autoimmune, but have no remedy.
I am tired of living this way
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Zyrtec isn’t the cure, but it makes this go away.  I take Zyrtec emy skin is on firevery night before bed.  Well i don’t know what’s causing it, but ZYRTEC does work for me.  I am getting more allergy testing done today and i had to go off Zyrtec for 5 days.  What a freaking nightmare.  I cannot wait to take it tonight! My skin is on fire right now.  The itch is unbearable
Avatar universal
did you ever get this diagnosed?  im suffering vwith the same thing.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
have you tried westcort
Helpful - 0
6673402 tn?1404331137
I've had this for 35 years.   ICE is the only remedy that gives immediate relief and it comes in waves and this definitely helps.  Mine flares in the fall; is worse at night and arrives on my upper arms & neck.    I am off all gluten, all grains and all sugar which does feel good.    I will experiment with the B-12.     I think there's a relationship between this and elevated liver enzymes - and for some reason it's always been seasonal.   I also suspect a hypo-thyroid connection and/or estrogen allergy of some type.    I am incredibly grateful for the internet - 10 years ago I started finding and following blogs on brachial pruritus and it's comforting to know I am NOT crazy ... as I've been to no less than 25 doctors who just don't have answers nor attempt to further investigate.     Wishing you all the best!    XOXOX
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thought my itchy burning skin feelings were brought on by the central heating comming on each year but turns out it is winter hay fever brought on by tree moulds!  Had it for years and finally went to docs a few years back as eyes, tongue, ears and throat itching started as well and I was going insane. Doc sussed it straight away and anti histamines do the trick. Hope this helps   t
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thought my itchy burning skin feelings were brought on by the central heating comming on each year but turns out it is winter hay fever brought on by tree moulds!  Had it for years and finally went to docs a few years back as eyes, tongue, ears and throat itching started as well and I was going insane. Doc sussed it straight away and anti histamines do the trick. Hope this helps   t
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i have almost exactly the same symptoms, I have been dx with Lupus, but I am not sure if thats what it is as I am on meds for that.  I usually take vitamin d supplements, and during the summer I was fine, it stopped.  Now as fall starts, the itching has. I am increasing my d3 supplement today and praying it is helpful
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
I do ....and it comes up in blisters
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i read the same thing that the vitamin b-12 is the answer. for most, i have the sensation of tiny pins poking me and i feel so warm my face is hot and neck as we speak and my hands stays hot as well... its a bad thing, i know i have neurothomy but i am not a diabetic as i know. i have fibromyalgia and that makes many things happen, but i went for about 4 weeks broke out on feet legs and up a little past my knees and it looked like i had the measles some spots was bigger, i went to dr. tried creme, almost used the whole tube over a weekend plus benadryl man i tell you, after you get so much of an antihistamine you can't sleep, it hyped me up and i was wide awake and it was miserable, i also have breaking out on arms and i just am miserable but i do have trouble with my vitamin b-12 and D being low and had to take shots, so its hard, i still don't know what my breaking out is but i do know that when i go outside after or during grass being mowed i have trouble with the breaking out some, just not as bad as the other time.. so i try to stay away from it.. so good luck i would love to stop feeling so hot, i also have rosasha and that makes me feel even hotter... and itchy, good luck .... may God bless you and i pray to see the issues to go away ....  One Hot lady
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been having similar symptoms since January 2015; but my prickly, itchy skin has been around my neck! I usually notice it first thing in a morning and it feels like prickles from the inside coming out; it itches and I try really hard not to scratch because if I do it comes up like a burn right around my neck, it looks like a collar and becomes very sore and affects the skin behind my ears and my eyelids which become very red and swollen. My skin becomes very scaley and dry and even more itchy.
I have tried creams, tablets etc but t.hey don't seem to help at all.
I have stopped using anything other than water for washing my face but I still can't seem to eradicate the problem.
I do use an aloe jel on my skin when the prickly skin starts and this does keep it under control to a degree but I really do have to stay on top of it or it gets out of control!
I have no idea what's causing it; I wonder whether it's my bedding as it always seems to be worse in a morning! I've changed my pillows to some which are anti allergy but to no avail!
I would be interested if anyone else experiences this problem with their neck too, as it appears that most people have it on other areas of their body.
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
look up Dermagraphism
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
possibly from all the aerial spraying they are doing, do you get trails in the sky ?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the same exact thing where once I start scratching...it gets worse and worse.  Last night was the worst.  It actually started in the afternoon when i had went outside on my lunch break and became hot and then it started and intensified to the point I had to leave work....I have popped Benadryl hourly...Nothing is working....I woke up this morning and I have scratch marks and bruising all over my back and arms where I have scratched so hard.  I am actually sore all over my body. There are also very large (looks like) burr holes on top of my shoulder and under my breast where my bra sits and another one on my torso....wierd....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi I am 14 and I was out side cleaning my pool for the water from last year, which was green and smelled bad. I took a shower and I was itch so I looked at my arms to see what it was I have like a red dot and when I rubbed my arm I feel like I had pin and needle in my arms just shape pains that hurt really bad .I don't now what this is I have put pinxav on it put it just made a mess and made the pin feeling worse. Plz help
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Finally, some one out there who knows what I've been dealing with for the past 2 years!!  I will spread the word.  Thank you so much...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The symptoms you have been experiencing are very similar to mine. Dr. visits resulted in, "immune system problem" as reason, followed by periodic
steroid injections (some brief relief) along with topical steroid creams (relief
may be from the moisture effect from the cream).  Still, the symptoms return and fluctuate with intensity.  The use of very warm running water provides a sensation of scratching without the abrasion of the skin; this may provide an
effect such as over stimulation of the nerve endings with temporary relief.
Also, the use of mentholated creams/gels create the same sensation of
over-stimulation that provides temporary relief.  Thank you for your comments.  Hopefully, we can all arrive at the root cause and solution for all.
togetherwestand
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have suffered from horrible attacks of a burning skin sensation for about 10 years.  I have been evaluated by a dermatologist, primary care physician, allergist and neurologist and none of them has any idea what the problem is or how to treat it.  The condition almost disappears in cold weather but comes on with a vengeance in hot, humid weather.  I have found 2 remedies.  The first is to take a very hot bath. The second is to coat myself with a mentholated cream/gel like Icy Hot.  I think the menthol over stimulates the nerves and "distracts" them from whatever systemic reaction is causing the burning.  The down side of the menthol is that it makes me feel frigid, which is highly unpleasant.  I've started experimenting with mixing the menthol with a neutral agent such as aloe vera gel to reduce the intensity while maintaining a cooling effect.  Good luck to all who suffer from this terrible problem.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Dermatology Community

Top Dermatology Answerers
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn to identify and prevent bites from summer’s most common pests.
Doctors argue for legislation to curb this dangerous teen trend in the latest Missouri Medicine report.
10 ways to keep your skin healthy all winter long
How to get rid of lumpy fat on your arms, hips, thighs and bottom
Diet “do’s” and “don’ts” for healthy, radiant skin.
Images of rashes caused by common skin conditions