Burning, prickly, itchy skin

[tuckerace]

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.

[ReneeEllen0508]

Hi. My itching started when I moved to a farm and started drinking Pasturised milk. I started to get eczema on the backs of my legs. I stopped drinking the milk but the itching didnt stop. One of my boobs started itching really bad and I have just had a baby so i thought it may of been thrush. I treated it but it kept itching. Then it started on the insides of my arms and as well as the itching and burning I got little bumbs. then it spread to my chest and other breast. Ive itched my breast so much ive actully bruised and broken the capillary veins on my breast and now have these hideious 'hicky' like bruises. Im getting so sick of this itching and it gets increasinly worse at night to the point where im getting around 2-3 hours of sleep if that. Which is not easy to run on when ive got a 18 month old, a new born and a man child to run around after. Please if anyone has any advice I will lap it up!

Help!

[yen0389]

hi am 24 and around my 15years old i use too go to the pool everyday in the summer and after  my on the side elbows use to get really hot itchy constantly but it would leave and come back in the hot. around 4months ago maybe i went to the pool and it started to  itchy bad felt burning hot. i would put aquaphor and antibiotic it only help for few minutes after itching wouldn't stop i scratched and scratched i bleed the more i have scratch the bigger its gotten since. now is around 2 inches long and i been putting alcohol to it and then cortisone cream i bought it was actually helping stopping a bit controlling somewhat it was better but still but in this three days i been driving long time sun hits right on the same arm get worse sweat heat humidity are being my worse enemy and i also often have low blood pressure and i have many system of  hypoglycemia i got this from reading all of the comments i get itchy on both of my arm but the one that get more sun heat is my left arm and my old car had air but this car doesn't preying to fix it tomorrow and i a mom and it frustrates me to be like this during day im house taxi and night at work retail lot  pressure i have search every possible thing that could be i lost count my little the eczema but i don't like mine before i scratch it look more skin color bit lighter lil tiny bumpy the skin when i scratch is pinkish and inflammation  if i poke it turn white for seconds and back to color pink i hold the crazy fire itching is bad and people ask what wrong with me im terrified thinking is something really serious since in my both my grandparents have died caused of different type of cancer and my mother health is not very good at all low blood pressure everyday . we both get same body system dizziness, fatigue, headaches  cold sweat  chills and shakiness but she doesn't get the that itchy thing. in some what is all. my skin with the tingling sensation burning and itching driving me nuts.  connected with nervous, heat, humidity summer, sweat .i to find a solution to this problem .hope all of you too.

[yen0389]

hi am 24 and around my 15years old i use too go to the pool everyday in the summer and after  my on the side elbows use to get really hot itchy constantly but it would leave and come back in the hot. around 4months ago maybe i went to the pool and it started to  itchy bad felt burning hot. i would put aquaphor and antibiotic it only help for few minutes after itching wouldn't stop i scratched and scratched i bleed the more i have scratch the bigger its gotten since. now is around 2 inches long and i been putting alcohol to it and then cortisone cream i bought it was actually helping stopping a bit controlling somewhat it was better but still but in this three days i been driving long time sun hits right on the same arm get worse sweat heat humidity are being my worse enemy and i also often have low blood pressure and i have many system of  hypoglycemia i got this from reading all of the comments i get itchy on both of my arm but the one that get more sun heat is my left arm and my old car had air but this car doesn't preying to fix it tomorrow and i a mom and it frustrates me to be like this during day im house taxi and night at work retail lot  pressure i have search every possible thing that could be i lost count my little the eczema but i don't like mine before i scratch it look more skin color bit lighter lil tiny bumpy the skin when i scratch is pinkish and inflammation  if i poke it turn white for seconds and back to color pink i hold the crazy fire itching is bad and people ask what wrong with me im terrified thinking is something really serious since in my both my grandparents have died caused of different type of cancer and my mother health is not very good at all low blood pressure everyday . we both get same body system dizziness, fatigue, headaches  cold sweat  chills and shakiness but she doesn't get the that itchy thing. in some what is all. my skin with the tingling sensation burning and itching driving me nuts.  connected with nervous, heat, humidity summer, sweat .i to find a solution to this problem .hope all of you too.

[JasonS69]

Did you ever resolve this? I have similar and doctors said Urticaria, I often get it after going in saunas / steam room. Can get so painful I could scratch my skin off  

[LattySunshine11]

Omg, I thought i was the only one with these sensations, when i try and explain it to people, they look at me like im crazy. its such a relief that im not alone after all. now i know how to explain it and what to tell my doc. WHEW blessed be.

Insane Burniing

[LXJayne]

I've had very similar symptoms and was ultimately diagnosed with fibromyalgia. My initial symptoms and "flares" were different back then and all these odd, multitude of sensations that I had I attrinute to the stress I was under, while wondering what the heck was wrong with me. Dizziness, lack of coordination, arm and leg pain alternating ( burning, swollen feeling in limbs at times), mental slowness and fatigue, etc.

Now that I know what it is and can use my energy wisely, the weird symptoms only show up if I over-exert myself or am overly stressed. Everday fatigue and pain remain. Often feel shaky, weak, and flu- like during flares as well. At times I feel like poison or detergent was injected into my tissue and muscles. Sounds weird, I know.

Hope you find out what's going on. Good luck!

[CJsmiles]

My history is different but the symptoms sound similar. First of all I don't have any anxiety issues and lead a very healthy happy life with very little stress, however I was just diagnosed with hypoglycemia and that's being investigated further for the cause.

Quick med history, I've experienced a lot of physical trauma which caused neurological damage. Three years ago my left foot started getting pin/needles kind of numb, it spread to my other foot, then about a year ago the pins, needles started ascending up the legs. Three months ago I started feeling minor pins and needles in my arms. I have been diagnosed with neuropathy via EMG nerve conduction studies but it looks different than a normal poly neuropathy with axonal loss. My neurologist told me to let him know if there were any changes because it looks like something is developing.

Last year I had three episodes where I became what I call extremely ill. This year I have had 4 episodes in the last 6 weeks, each lasting 2-3 days with extreme symptoms with a slow recovery. This is how it occurs each time.

Flank pain
increased pin/needle/burning entire legs
Dizziness, weird taste in mouth and a weird smell, (like the smell of hot electronics) maybe metallic
Increased frequency in urination, sometimes frank polyuria
Thirst increases, but I don't drink abnormal amounts
pin/needle/itch/raw/burning feeling in arms, body, face, eyes
itch/raw/ burning inside of ears, mouth, lungs (new the last two episodes)
I begin feeling agitated at about this time
muscles begin to hurt extremely bad
As everything continues to increase nausea sets in, shakiness, severe fatigue, weakness and the pain literally become unbearable.
It feels like having the worse flu imaginable with neuropathy of the entire body thrown on top of it.

I have been screened for everything they can think of including mri of neck, brain and abdominal CT. I'm seeing an endocrinologist for the hypoglycemia and trying to stabilize long enough to have the 5 hr glucose tolerance test done so she can see what the other hormones/insulin are doing.

I saw my neurologist who is extremely good yet I felt hopeless afterward. He said that he has seen many patients with the exact same symptoms and nothing is going to show up in blood work or other tests. Medical science doesn't have any test to identify what is happening in these cases. Fibromyalgia is used when they can't identify were pain is coming from, but he said that diagnosis doesn't fit these cases. They don't know what causes is and the only treatment are medications like Gabapentine, sometimes antidepressants for pain, if their is an anxiety issue from the symptoms meds for that. He does not know if it will be better, remain the same or get worse. Fortunately it looks like the medication is working me me at this time. He said it doesn't work for everyone. I have found the only comfort is warm showers which seems to cancel out the pin/needle/burning sensations, IV morphine/valium and fluids when home meds (oxycodone) are unable to control the pain.

At least my primary care doc now knows what I mean by "really sick episodes" since she saw me in her office this week shaking and crying in agony. She and her office staff has seen me go through a ton of really tough incredibly painful stuff but had never seen me in this condition. I had always been to ill to see her during these times, but my husband brought me in this time.

She sent me to the E.R. because I was in way too much agony to go home.  BP and HR has been very increased for the last two months, I'm sure from pain but the other blood work from the ER came out good as I suspected it would. They gave me meds and fluids which helped and sent me home because they didn't know what else to do. The next morning I was in the same miserable shape.

I've had 1 1/2 days of relief and now it feels like I'm beginning another episode as I'm writing this, and I'm terrified. I've taken an extra dose of Gabapentine and valium for the dizziness- (which I don't always have). Once the symptoms have begun any stress, physical activity and heat makes it worse. I hope the extra meds will keep it at bay.

I don't have any answers yet but I'm going to keep searching because I can't live with "only medication can help." My blood sugar levels have been good and I'm on a very good diet to keep it in check. I'll continue to work with the endocrinologist, nutritionist and I'll be consulting with my immunologist. Something is causing this to happen and I know it's not in my head or even stress/depression/ mental illness related because those aren't factors in my life. I respect my neurologist but I'm not accepting his view.

I feel for you and hope through sharing we can eventually find some answers or at least things that help us. I wish you wellness.