Comments on: Brachioradial Pruritis: Scratching Makes the Itching Worse

By: yvette

yvette — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:56:50 +0000

Hi to everyone. I’ve had brp since 2002, and until last week, never knew what was causing the itch. I can’t believe it even has a name. I’d like to share my story. Before I started itching (left arm only) I was aware that my dad had been experiencing the arm itch and this had been going on for several years. My mom had him using hydro-cortizone, desitin, vitamin E, etc….My dad has fair skin, that sort of electric-white tone that biting insects are drawn to – mosquitos love him! He’s outside quite bit (sunscreen in hand), never had over exposure, but his skin is sensitive. Ditto for my skin! Excluding the sunscreen, I’m outside ALOT! so when I first started itching 10 years ago, I thought it was caused from some plant since my itching flared up in summer months. I used to tan alot when I was in my 20′s and noticed when I was in my 30′s that my arms & shoulders had hundreds of freckles, all be it, little but I wasn’t concerned as sun exposure was probably the cause. Something really weird happened after my last brp flareup. This last brp bout was really aggravating, lasting all summer, and instead of just affecting my lower forearm, it affected my entire arm (especially my elbow/upper forearm). I’d wakeup in at night scratching even while it was bleeding. Finding relief from cool wet towel applications and sleeping with a soft cotton long sleeve tee-shirt, it finally subsided in August. Here’s the weird part: MOST of the hundreds of freckles on that arm – GONE!! That threw me for a loop and I’m a grown woman (44 yrs old now). Something in common with many of you is a chiropractor took xrays of my neck/back, which showed my C4 & C5 vertebrates taper to a point in the front. My neck used to give me alot of problems (this was in 2000 – 2001). I’ve never sustained any injuries to it and over the last 10 yrs, haven’t had chronic pain. But here is something peculiar; in addition to my dad and I having the itch, recently my sister has been going nuts with brp symptoms. She went to a doctor who diagnosed it as brp, which is how I came upon this site.. thoughts, anyone?

By: Miki Williams

Miki Williams — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:57:16 +0000

Try going to a chiropractor regularly. That is the only thing that has helped me to keep this condition at a tolerable level. My Dr. also recently prescribed a topical numbing cream that is called ‘Emla’ (2.5% lidocaine/2.5% prilocaine) that has numbed the itching better than anything else I’ve ever tried.

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:55:08 +0000

I also have this itching on my elbows and upper arms. The dermatologist I went to perscribed a lot of antihistamines, perscription and over the counter. It didnt help at all. Then I went to his partner and he diagnosed BRP. He has me on Gabapentin 300 MG. I take 3 pills at night. He said it would knock me out but it really doesnt. It helps somewhat. I would say around 80%. I can now sleep through the night without the ice packs. But I still itch badly at times.
I have had this now since Sept. of this year. I also have some skin eruptions elsewhere but I dont know if it is related.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:56:05 +0000

I am a 59 year old female who has had BRP for about 20 years. I also believe the sun was connected somehow. Ice would be the only relief. I would go to bed with those “ice packs” for more years than I want to remember. It definitely felt like the nerves were involved with all of the “prickling” sensations. It would come and go and for the person who has it only on one arm, I, too would go for months with only one arm involved. What is really bad is when both arms are involved (not enough ice packs!!) I thought it was food allergies (til everything I ate would bring on the itchiness), I thought I was crazy…..then I went to a Dermatology Nurse Practitioner and she said she could not find such a diagnosis but that my skin was VERY dry (it didn’t look bad to me, nor obviously dry) and she recommended applying lotions or creams to my arms NO LESS THAN THREE TIMES A DAY. I decided to try it. Since someone tried shea butter, and since I am very concerned about what I put onto my skin to be absorbed systemically so I tried L’Occitane Organic Shea Butter. EUREKA!!!! I do it 3 times a day as recommended – if I do less, I may itch that night. I have been doing it for about 3 months now with great success! After I heard there was a Chiropractic adjustment that might possibly help and viewed the “procedure” on line, I was not convinced nor did I want someone that close to my brain…..

Please try the shea butter, it works !!!!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas!!!!!

By: Kaylee

Kaylee — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:52:31 +0000

Sharon! I also thought I had bed bugs. Mine has been going on just about as long as yours. I have tried anti-itch creams but nothing works. I also have scabs from scratching so hard that my arms start to bleed. It has also carried to my legs, right behind my knees, and also to my stomach and back. I feel your pain!

By: Kaylee

Kaylee — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:47:53 +0000

I have had this for 2 years! I’m only 16. I read on another website that this may last up to EIGHTEEN years. ): I haven’t found anything that works for me. I haven’t been to a doctor yet. Because I can’t find a cure, should I go see a doctor & they would be able to prescribe something for me? Helpp meeee.

By: Louann

Louann — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:14:34 +0000

CAPSAICIN WORKS!!!! Put on your arm and it WILL BURN, but it stoped the itching! The itching stopped immediately and here it is December. So far so Good.!!!!!!! My dermatologist said the cream adjusts the nerve endings. Remember, it does burn so be careful when putting it on.

By: Kelley

Kelley — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:46:09 +0000

I have had this insane itching on my upper arms for about 8 years now. So bad I lose sleep and just want to take a knife to scratch through the skin…..I have tried everything nothing helped until now.

I started to take Milk Thistle daily and at night i clean my arms with Witch Hazel…after that dries I rub them down with Dr. Fred Summit Arthritis & Sport rub (found at big lots & it is red liquid) after that dries I liberally apply vics vaporub and I do not rub it in…then I put on a long sleeved shirt and it seems to control the itch for most of the night! Hope this helps some of you!

By: Laurel

Laurel — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:45:47 +0000

First of all, let me just say that I feel for all of you. As a very long time sufferer, I know the frustration you all feel. I am NOT very computer literate so I can’t send the link but you all need to look up Brachioradial Pruritis and look for the site that starts; itchy arms=Brachioradial Pruritis. It is Medhelp. There are SO many of “us” out there. Read through all the posts and you will find that it is most likely due to nerve compression in the neck. This makes sense to me. Some doctors have heard about this and some (most) haven’t. As far as seasons, mine has no preference. Just comes and goes randomly although it seems to be with me more than not lately. It has definitely intensified over the years… Good luck to you all!

By: sam

sam — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:55:11 +0000

Hi, I have been having an itchy left arm for so long I cant remember! All of a sudden my left arm would just start itching like hell, scratch, scratch, so much I couldnt sleep. I first started looking up on the internet a few years ago, I couldnt find anything about just itchy arms but I did read stuff about itching if you had a dodgy liver, but I thought, surely you wouldnt itch on just your arms to do with your liver!! But I have noticed latley that if I drink too much on a particular weekend (not that often) it seems to trigger it off, well I think so, this could be my imagination. So I would like to know all those people with itchy arms, do you drink spirits or wine? this is purely for me to wipe out my fear!!