SEVERE UPPER ARM ITCHING

I HAVE SEVERE UPPER ARM ITCHING ESPECIALLY AT NITE. I HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED MANY TOPICAL CREMES AND ORAL MEDICATIONS BUT NONE SEEM TO HELP. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURING FOR SEVERAL YEARS - WORSE IN SUMMER TIME. HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS SKIN STREP OR SUN POISONING. THE ONLY RELIEF IS HOLDING ICE TO IT TO NUMB. HELP!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it sounds like brachioradial pruritis. Brachioradial pruritis is an intense itching sensation of the arm and the itch can be so intense that sufferers will scratch their own skin to a bleeding condition.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.

Pls discuss this possibility and these options of treatment with your dermatologist
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[auntgg1967]

Hello there - I have had the same thing going on for over 3 years now.  I did finally find a dermatologist that prescribed Lyrica and believe it or not it helped! Mine normally flares up in the fall for some reason - so each fall I just go to her and get another prescription - it takes about a week or so and it starts subsiding...just a suggestion to try..I know I am completely miserable every time I feel it coming on.  Good luck.