Any CURE for brachioradial pruritus? (besides ice as relief)

[steamboattracey]

Thousands of people are suffering with Brachioradial Pruritus, including myself, in my tenth year. It is the most maddening disease and I have learned of no cure. Ice is the ONLY thing to provide relief, and acupuncture has not been effective for me. I have tried all the expensive prescription and steroid creams to no avail. I am losing sleep, and my sanity, b/c it keeps me up all night. I am staying out of the sun, but every year, this persists until December or January. I have read countless articles and blogs about BRP, am sure that is what I have, but have yet to find a cure, and therefore some hope that I don't have to suffer with this every year for the rest of my life. Any new ideas/solutions/cures??? PLEASE?!!!!

[brian1717]

Well I've has bracheradial puritus off and on for over 36yrs and may have recently found a cream that works. I have tried everything, and I mean everything including every neurological nerve meds know to man, along with ice packs and acupuncture and ice packs are the only thing that works.
Take this with a grain of salt because I don't know if this is because I am at the end of my itch cycle but the cream I started using for my tendonitis works for my itch.
I have 98% relief for over 2 weeks now. PENETREX is available on Amazon or direct from the mfg and is over the counter.
I HAVE NEVER HAD A CREAM WORK FOR MY SEVERE ITCHING until 2 weeks ago. All I can say is it comes with a 100% money back guarantee and I just ordered 2 more tubs. Simply amazing or maybe psychological... who knows. It's worth trying.
PENETREX  cream has given me relief for the first time in 3 months..... PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF IT HELPS!!!

[Hyfghjkkjhf]

I had itchy arms and heard it could be from a pinched nerve in my neck.  I went for an MRI of my neck. I found out I had spinal compression in my 4th and 5th virdabrae which was pinching the nerves that go to the arms. I had to have surgery. After the surgery my itchy arms completely went away. I would check out the reason for your pitched nerve with a MRI. It might be fixed with physical therapy which exercises stretch the neck so the nerve is not being pinched.    I would suggest getting a MRI before going to a chiropractor Just in case.

[Mbrogers]

I have this pruritis and I have c5-c6 bulging discs. Itching is insane and neurontin is barely holding it at bay. My neck Doctor reluctant to fix discs just because my arm itches. He wants me to get another opinion. Did you have discs removed?

[Artybull]

Some folks feel like sun exposure causes their condition.  My feeling is the sun is definitely not the cause but yes it does heat up our skin and increases the skins sensitivity and consequently itching will increase from heating up but is not the underlying cause. Whereas applying ice packs limit skin sensations and helps relieve itching.  So it's the heating of your sensitive skin that only increases already itchy skin.

[pbdcal]

I am unbelievably grateful to have come across this site.  
Every year when the weather gets warm I begin to itch uncontrollably.  It lasts for a week or two and then subsides. But will often return on a later date. I have L4 L5 disk problems so the nerve connection makes sense to me.  Now I have information that I can  use to help treat this "mystery aliment" doctors have said I have.  To help the only thing that has works is  Benadryl Itch cooling spray.  I keep it in the refrigerator so it feels cold when I apply it. It helps for a while when I'm trying to get to sleep.

[Thea_P]

I'm using Lidocaine patches on my arms, 12 hours on, 12 off. They are working amazingly well and allow me to actually sleep at night!!! Also, Aspercream with Lidocaine for day time flare ups.

[cce1917]

I use Lidocaine patches as well and the aspercream with Lidocaine but the patches work best.  Do you use more than one patch at a time?  I only use one and it helps tremendously for sleep--it just does not necessarily calm down the other arm.  I read of a case where a woman had surgery and she found relief but this sounds too extreme for me except at night when I am itching so much I could cry.

[Jenpw]

I know these posts are two years old, but i am so grateful to have found them!  11years offering from intense arm itching, just diagnosed as likely BRP this Spring.  Afternoon years of creams and ointments not working, I tired acupuncture ($600,) gabapentin, physical therapy, chiropractor (massages, manipulations, table decompression), and even bought a min in freezer to keep next to my bed,because only ice packs brought relief.  Many sleepless nights and stressful travel.  Last night, i tried the Aspercrme/lidocaine patches, and THEY WORKED!!! Unfortunately, they were $10for a box of 5,and I never do them all.  I’m trying the acyclovir tonight.  So grateful for this blog, although pinger on it with an iPad creates some crazy sentences.

[bjga51]

I am so happy that I came across this site. I have done google searches before on "itchy arms" & never came across until I was talking with a dermatologist about my symptoms & she said Brachioradial Pruitis.  I have tried most everything I knew. I have had symptoms for almost 20 years & have seen various Drs., specialist, & tried natural remidies.  Now I have a few more to try. Since starting to read blog, I feel hopeful to try some of these that have helped others. Mine started with maybe a one month episode the first year or two & had progressed to almost constant, just switching arms. Just saying I am happy to have a word for it & some new things to try.  

[leomoody]

I found a very inexpensive treatment that works for me. My right forearm started itching unmercifully about 2 months ago. I tried many anti itch creams, lotions, mineral oil and ice, but nothing worked. I would wake up every night with terrible itching for hours of torment. One night before I went to bed I saw some old sun block lotion NIVEA SPF 50, and I said "what the heck", so I tired it, and it did an amazing job, reduced the itching about 90%. It makes your skin feel dry rather than moist, almost like it's impacting the skin  I tried other sun lotions BUT THEY DIDN'T WORK.  I tried  NIVEA SPF 30. and it DOESN'T work. If you look at its ingredients,  the SPF 50 is different than SPF 30. It must be the SPF 50. I rub it on generously once a day after I shower and it takes away most of the itching 24 hrs. Sometimes I use it twice a day  There may be different Nivea SPF 50's, so get the one that has the word MOISTURE in the title in bold letters on the plastic container. It may be called SUN AND MOISTURE, but I only remember the word moisture for sure in the title. Don't get a tube, buy the blue plastic container NIVEA SPF 50. TRY IT,  IF  IT WORKS FOR YOU, PASS THE WORD!