unbearable itchy, painful head, face, neck.

For about two years now, I have had this unbearable itchy forehead, head and back of neck pain.  I itch and itch, and then it gets sore from itching, and the process begins all over.  The inside of my ears and nose even itch. It feels like little pin pricks all over and when I touch my head, my hairs at my scalp hurt.  I've gone to many, many doctors, and none have diagnosed or helped.  All I want to do is be still on the sofa.  It has drastically affected my social life, and I am miserable. Can you please help?

[margypops]

Has anyone suggested to you it may be an allergic reaction to something you use or eat ,it sounds as if you scrtach and that makes the issue worse , good old fashioned calamine lotion is soothing abnd ther are hydrocortisone creams may be of use .Check out the shampoo you use many are allergic to sulfites in them also hair colorants with PPD in them .

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
For such symptoms neurodermatitis needs to be ruled out. The other cause for such pain when touching the head is of temporal arteritis. Neurodermatitis develops when nerve endings in the skin become irritated, triggering a severe itch-scratch-itch cycle. Common causes of nerve irritation include an insect bite and emotional stress. In such type of itching, cooling lotions like those containing camphor or menthol, capsacain or local anesthetic creams, amitriptyline and gabapentin tablets and electrical cutaneous nerve field stimulation prove effective.

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.