Extreme upper arm itch

[PMC5]

Have had extreme upper arm itch off and on for over 25 years without any resolve. Tried everything on the market.
Ice is the only thing that calms it down for awhile. Just got on this sight tonight and can see others have similar or the same problem.Been through all kinds of test without results. Going again for MRI next week. It went away for over 10 years after I stopped drinking coffee. An acupuncturist claimed there was something in the coffee bean (nothing to do with caffeine) that was aggravating the nerve endings, possibly from an old neck and head injury from years earlier.
However, it has now come back with vengeance, coming and going in waves, mostly at night. So here we go again trying to find out what is causing it. I noticed it comes at certain times of the year when the allergy season starts. Not sure if it's tied in or not. HELP


This discussion is related to UPPER ARM ITCH-I'M NOT CRAZY EITHER.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Your symptoms are suggestive of brachioradial pruritis.It is an intense itching sensation of the arm usually between the shoulder and elbow of either or both arms. The itch can be so intense that sufferers will scratch their own skin to a bleeding condition.

The cause is not known, although there are a few lines of thought on what causes it.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.

Pls discuss this possibility and these options of treatment with your dermatologist.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted if you have any additional queries.

[PMC5]

Do you think that the allegy season might have anything to do with aggrevating the nerve endings and causing the extreme itching? Seems to be that time of year it's intense. From spring until the very end of it. Then it calms down a bit.The cause is as baffeling as the cure. ICE is the only thing that calms it down but when your working it may be differcult for most to take that action.