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Avatar universal

ms itching

I have m.s. and itch like a dog with fleas. Sometimes an ice pack helps if it's one place. Sometimes a cool shower.Sometimes you just got to scratch. Hope this helps.I'm going to ask my new neuroligist about it. We will see.
Question: anybody have sudden arthritic pain like in your toe or shoulders?  No redness or swelling just intense pain. yeah I will ask doc about that too.

good luck and God bless
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Avatar universal
Dang! There are a lot of itchy people here! I guess I won't ever have to ask if my itching is MS related. I also get that weird deep itching that is way under the skin. It's very annoying and It does no good to scratch because it's too deep. I just hope it never gets worse.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i had no idea that itching could be part of MS.  both this flare of whatever it is, and last April-- severe itching of my back was there at the star. lasted over a month. this time was worse- cant wear a bra for any length of time. drives me nutz.

and yea, mine doesnt always feel like normal itching either- it can be downright painfully itchy, like an early shingles outbreak.

been carrying the wooden part of a long handled shower brush with me just so i can scratch it. if it gets really bad, it goes all around my trunk then down my arms. that's rare, thank God.

my PMD gave me an Rx for atarax. even tho its not allergy causing it, it still helps cut down on the nerve transmissions that cause itching (he said). seems to help a bit, i take it at night and at least it doesnt wake me up anymore.  
Helpful - 0
1658667 tn?1310091382
Saddog-  I also have itching. Mine happens in my legs and feet mostly. It seems to be heat or sun related. I can always feel it coming on and it makes me go into panic mode it is so intense. This is how I resolve it- I try to find a cool, dark place out of any sun or light.

I wipe my legs down with a wet cool towel and then put lotion on my legs and feet. I try to get them elevated too. I always carry "Wet Ones"  and lotion in my car and purse in case this happens when I am out and about.

It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for the itching to subside.

The other day I was at the grocery check out and I broke out in a sweat (another annoying symptom) and then the itch thing began.  I can't imagine what the checker thought as I know my face began to express how I was feeling...LOL

The itch is what I call "bone deep" and also kind of stings in the beginning. So it may be different than others, I don't know. I do know that it is miserable.

I am un-dx too so that kind of complicates things.

I am sorry you have to experience this as well as others here. Always something huh?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've had MS for 16 yrs.  Just recently I began to get the 'itch' and mine began in an area you just don't scratch.

So I went to the family doc first and he thought it might be a yeast infection even though there were no obvious symptoms beside itching.  He gave me a medication you take only once in the course of 7 days and said if it didn't help, try again for seven days.  It didn't help and the result was that I just had to tolerate the itch for that time period.

So, off to the gyno and he also gave me meds; one a day for 7 days.  No luck.  Then a couple cremes and finally the latest and greatest creme, (AlcontinA) which I've used for about a month with no result.

Now the itch is also on my right foot (arch near last two toes)!  No amount of cremes, lotions, etc (even Aspercreme - Hot) helps.  He finally has given up and thinks this is due to the MS.  So, I will soon be heading off to the neuro.

This truly is 'misery' defined.  The itch is like one long miserable itch spasm.  I've walked the floor at night when this is usually happening and haven't slept a solid nights sleep in ages.

I take amytriptylene and use NSAIDS.  The later does help for a short time.  My thought is that itching and pain are related.

The trouble with the amytriptylene and the Ibuprofin is one is just helping me sleep for a couple hours and the Ibuprofin, which is short acting) irritates my stomach.

I sure do hope that the neuro will have an idea.

Helpful - 0
710547 tn?1295446030
I have itching of a few different types.  One - the first (early 90s) was only on the circumscribed areas of my feet and palms.  Then the hands got better, but the feet - oh my - it was bad.  Still is when I have attacks - just not as frequent.  This was dx as erythromelalgia at Mayo.  It happens when I get warm for any reason and also at night with them up on the bed.  I had to sleep with my feet in a bucket of water.  It is a long terrible story.  Then I started getting little spots that would intensely itch that would last a while.  I attributed it to MS - It was a parasthesis type thing.  Then I started getting periodic itching here then there - sometimes with huge single hives.  

I HATE ITCHING!  I think it is the hardest (almost) sensation to tolerate.  It can be so intense that I just can't take it.  I can relate to going to the ER.  I was hospitalized a lot with Erythro.  It is specifically on the soles of your feet where you actually walk, and is always related to temp cause it's a vaso-spastic condition that seems like the antithesis of Raynauds, which I also have.

I wish you the best.  Jan
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Avatar universal
When I know the answer to relieving this itch you will be the 1st to know. I'm making a list of questions for the neurologist . If I get a blank look, I wont be Saddog I'l be Maddog. Whether you have MS or not what you are experiencing might be neuological.Keep on pushing the Dr. until you get an answer.Thanks for the support. Good luck.

Saddog
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have to agree with you on the itching.  I do not have a dx of ms as of yet but the itching has been more than bothersome to me.  My symptoms started with itching in my feet that was more irritating that the pain.  I sometime am up all night.  In some cases, it can last for days and there is nothing I have found to relieve it.  It is mostly in my right foot, leg and hand.   The itching is deep under the skin and scratching does not help.  This started for me about 3 years ago.  I can sympathize with you.  I was afraid if I went to the Dr. they would just  tell me I was crazy.  When I did mention it to my first neuro dr, he just gave me a funny blank look.   Let me know if you find anything that can relieve the itch.  

Sharon
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Avatar universal
I have had this constant on again off again itch on my left hand. It seems to happen when my hand gets hot, (shower, wash dishes) ,when my body temp. rises or I am nervous. I do not get this on my right hand, and its been going on  for 3 1/2 years ago. I went to my doc. about it and was told dermatitis, but no kind of cream or even  keeping my hands out of water, did the trick.

I ended up going to the ER because I couldn't stand how bad it was getting. My hand looked like leather and opened up cuts from scratching so hard. I was prescribed a steroid cream and it helped. Can't remember the name of it but it relieved me. I still get the attack of needing to itch and it comes out of nowhere, sometimes I scratch in my sleep and wake up with a raw hand.

Pam
Helpful - 0
293157 tn?1285873439
I agree with lulu that it could be from different things as well.  hope you feel better soon and the itching stops
take care
wobbly
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572651 tn?1530999357
Welcome.  I just read about this problem yesterday over  at  http://www.everydayhealth.com/multiple-sclerosis/less-common-multiple-sclerosis-symptoms.aspx.  

"Less Common MS Symptoms

Itching: We've all been bitten by mosquitoes and many of us have had rashes or allergic breakouts that cause itching of the skin. While the sensation of itching caused by multiple sclerosis may be similar, the cause is very different. Called "dysesthetic itching," this kind of itchiness results from damage to the nerves in the skin or in the pathways that send signals to the skin nerves. The result is that your body feels an itching sensation even when there are no physical causes."


We've talked about the itching before, but I don't remember the name being attached to it.

I would suspect the sudden pain, without the normal swelling or redness, may be your MS, too.

Yes, "talk to your neuro" is the common reply around here.  We're not doctors, but we do have a ton of experience with this MiSerable disease.  And it is important to make sure we're not blaming everything on our MS and overlooking other causes.

be well,
Lulu
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