Extremely Itchy w/ Pins & Needles, no rash or skin problem

[Scratching69]

I get extremely itchy with all these PINS & NEEDLES all over my body especially my legs, back, arms, face, neck, & scalp. It is worse just after a hot shower. I have no rash or skin condition. I had kidney stones earlier this year but not sure if there is a connection. Also got stung by a jellyfish badly but again I don't think there is a connection.

I tried all skin creams including benadril, hydrocortisine, aloe vera, cocoa butter, ..the list goes on.  The only thing that seems to work somewhat is soaking my entire body in BABY OIL after a shower so I can stand still for brushing my teeth. My legs usually start tingling with pins and needles that drive me crazy.

Does anyone know about this itchy / pins & needles condition and how to cure it ???  

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

For how long have you experienced these?

Are there any associated rash that comes with this?

Does this only occur after a hot shower?

What are the other events or conditions that may trigger the condition?

When taking a shower,try not to abruptly expose yourself to extreme water temperatures.You may shift water temperatures gradually to give your body time to adjust.Also, you may want to make sure that you are not having an allergic reaction to any chemicals found in the water or from the shower itself.Check for any rust,any distinct smell or discoloration of the water coming out from the shower.

With regards to your kidney infection is this being managed well?

I suggest you ask your primary physician for antihistamine medications and see if this may help prevent the itchiness.Do not take medications unless you have informed your physician about it. Antihistamines have side effects and they may cause drowsiness.The newer generation of antihistamines may be more beneficial.

[hopeless62]

My all over itch started about the time peri-menopause started for me. (and all over pins and needles) I sometimes claw my legs bloody in my sleep. It comes and goes but now stays for weeks or months at a time. No rash just the marks and scabs I create with the scratching.

I did the thyroid tests and was a bit low but thyroid meds didn't stop the itch nor did primrose oil or omega oils, anithistimines, or any nutrition type rememdies. It wasn't dry skin either as I tried loads of different lotions and cremes, not sun exposure or any other thing I could find on the net that seemed to help other people.  

My doctor is a woman but she'd never encountered this in her practice and recommended a dermatologist. He took biopsies and found nothing. He asked me to come back for their monthly symposium where 5 or 6 dermotologists get together and look at unusual cases. They could not figure out what was causing my itch either.

With my doctor's encouragement I went to the university library and began reading through all kinds of medical books and stumbled on a short mention of itching caused by endocrine imbalances and also itching in women with diminishing hormone levels. I went to my doctor and was put on estrogen which stopped the itching in a short time. Maybe a week. The itching stayed gone as long as I kept taking estrogen. But my pre menopausal migraines returned. To have the itch gone I had to put up with violent migraine headaches with all the vomiting and pain that I had had during my menstuating years.

If you have no problem with migraines have your doctor do a hormone level check and see if you're imbalanced "or" low in anything.

My all over pins and needles flushing is definitely increasing in frequency and severity.   I wonder if it is related to the itching. It used to only happen occasionally and usually in response to a sudden scare or anger. Now even  an unexpected knock at the door or any small shock will set it off. Perhaps there's an adrenaline connection in my case.

I all this hope this helps someone. I often feel very hopeless.

[rschulz100]

I have similar symptoms, as if it is caused by adreniline as well.

Started a flughing in the face than to itching pins and needles on upper back and sometimes other places.  Warm skin and burning.

An allergist told me that it was psychological.

All my physical blood tests were fine including ANA.
Is there any othe lab test that may indicate something?

Anyway, you are not alone... scratching69......

[rschulz100]

I have similar symptoms, as if it is caused by adreniline as well.

Started a flughing in the face than to itching pins and needles on upper back and sometimes other places.  Warm skin and burning.

An allergist told me that it was psychological.

All my physical blood tests were fine including ANA.
Is there any othe lab test that may indicate something?

Anyway, you are not alone... hopless62.....
Do you have non acute nausea, headaches warm skin as well?

[hopeless62]

I don't believe this is psychological. That is just too convenient a diagnosis when they can't figure out what something is.

If you can afford to go to an endocrinologist and/or be checked for endocrine imbalances via your regular doctor or an internist that's what I would do. I think there are various hormonal imbalances that occur with people of all ages and both sexes that can cause strange physical reactions in the skin.

I do have headaches that seem to come for no reason sometimes and are not migraine. And my skin can feel hot and wierd too, off and on. And when I get to scratching and then stop my skin feels especially hot, but not to the touch. Like wherever I scratch the heat just spreads out from there.

PS:
I don't know if it will do any good but I've written to Dr Oz on his page under "Ask Dr Oz anything!" in the list of choices. If more of us wrote they may do an Oprah show on this terrible itching thing and then maybe we would not be told "it's all in your head."

[hopeless62]

I just found an article that I hadn’t read before. So I am listing it here for my “Itch-mates” to consider. Even though the article starts out talking about children who knows but what this could help adults also.
OK here goes:

PROBIOTICS REDUCE ECZEMA IN CHILDREN
Researchers at the National Public Health Institute in Finland reported that a probiotic (lactobacillus GG - a friendly bacteria found in live yogurt) could significantly reduce the chances of infants developing atopic eczema. Atopic eczema is a relatively common skin condition affecting about ten percent of children in the United States. In the mild forms the skin is dry, hot and itchy. In its more severe manifestations, the skin may become broken, raw and bleeding.

The double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study published in Lancet involved 159 pregnant women with a family history of allergies