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?!!!!

[Butzie1]

So glad I'm not the only sufferer, I have a VERY high pain threshold but this is making me want to chop my arm off at times and sleep deprvation is a whole other issue. I've have seen a demotologist and he agreed with my diagnois after I told him that having spent night after night awake I had become a keyboard warrior in search for refief, he gave me lotions that have not given me any relief and a spray called demomist that I was to spray when urge to itch starts. Jeez that stuff is horrible, like spraying WD40 on arms that I've ruined so many clothes also it's HIGHLY flammable and didn't work.
So back trawling the net as I had done the icepacks which only gave relief if kept on constantly I saw about menthol but the only thing I had at that time of night was Vicks vapour rub, so smothered arms in it and relief was instant and I actually got 5hrs sleep before the burn/itch woke me, I've been using it for a week and managed to get some sleep, but today it has not helped at so I have now gone onto tiger balm, I stink but it's soothed it.
I am having treatment with osteopath and always get the worst flare up the day after treatment as I suppose the nerves have really been agravated, I think treatment is slowly working as between sessions the itch is not so intense or frequent.
I have also order a neck traction devise off of Amazon after reading about it on here, so heres hoping that between osteo, traction and tigerbalm I start to get longer relief from this nightmare itch.

[Butzie1]

UPDATE --- After using the traction collar for a week, 3 times a day for 20 mins a time and the itch has almost completely gone. Best £17 I've spent !!!

[NJCarolx]

will try tonight

[DJKad]

I have had Brachioradial Pruritus for many years.  It normally flairs up several times a year but having moved down to Florida recently it has become more persistent.  It is brutal and yes, only ice has helped.  Fortunately the ice works every time for me.  I've looked for additional ways to treat this and have found one that I am beyond happy to report works for me every time I have used it.

Either right as or right before I normally would feel the itching coming on I put Clove Essential oil on the area that has recently been itching.  I say recently as the area seems to migrate over time.  This knocks out the itch I'm having and if put on proactively at night, for the first time ever, the itch does not begin at all.  It might be something you'll need to do several times a day.  This has worked for me but no guarantees it will work for others.  I never post but it has been so unbelievably helpful to me, and such an intractable problem that I wanted to put this out there.  It's also not that expensive.

Here is a quick description of the benefits of Clove Oil I just pulled off of a simple Google search:

"The germicidal properties of the oil make it very effective for relieving dental pain, toothache, sore gums, and mouth ulcers. It contains eugenol, which has been used in dentistry for many years".

There are many other applications but this seems to be the most relevant.  Remember it should be Clove Essential oil straight.  This can be pretty strong and there might be some burning (not for me).  Some people love the smell - others not so much.  I don't mind it and certainly the benefits significantly outway any aversion you may have to the odor (which can be masked with other oils or perfumes).

If this works, please spread the word.  Never been more relieved to find a cure to anything.  Hope it works for you.

[AJB2323]

When you are desperate for relief - you are willing to try anything. Thank you for your post. I’ll try it tomorrow.

[Jenpw]

HI, it’s great to hear that you found relief.  Has it lasted?  I tried Capsicain 2 years ago, but the burning sensation spread to my head and returned after I showered,  I had to take Benadryl.  It did feel like it helped a little at the time, though. Thanks.

[vicki66]

I am in the UK. After 15 years with this awful BP I am at my whits end. The sun does not cause this. I have facet joint problems (c4 c5 c6 c7) which is causing the 'itch' (its not an itch, its hell! I would rather pain than this sensation) I can NOT use ice as I have developed an allergy to the cold called cold urticaria. When I am out side and its below 16 degrees I come up in hives which feel like hot fat has been poured on my skin. This is directly because I kept putting ice on myself for relief.
I have had every cream and tablet possible, several steroid and nerve block injections in my neck, radio therapy in my neck (that one gave me a frozen shoulder for 6 months and I couldn't move my arm) These are very long needles going into the facet joints and they hurt a lot, but don't do much for very long. The pain specialist that I see will only do injections once a year and fart arse around trying useless remedies that I am so fed up  
I want surgery, but know one wants to do it. Finding a health professional that understands it is near impossible. I once went to see someone who I tried to explain the sensation and how I felt, I just wanted to cut it out....she asked me 'how long have you wanted to self harm'! I am getting to that point though as its getting worse. I have looked at everything on here and I have tried them all. Cream (unless its cooling) does not help nerve damage. I want a cure! I don't want to keep putting a sticky plaster on a problem that wont go away. It rules my life. Has anyone had surgery for it?

[Smallhorn]

Found something that stopped my unbearable itch.  Here is what I stumbled on to- 1) Rubbed Capsaicin into every itchy area(forearm,neck and shoulder for me).  Left for 5-10 mins while the itch and burn seemed to intensify.  Cold Showered and washed areas with soap.  Could still feel a little burn and still itchy.  2) I then applied Calmoseptine(.44 Menthol and 20.6 Zinc Oxide) which is very thick, so I rubbed in with Amlactin.  For the first time after trying endless prescriptions the itch stopped!  I really am almost thinking this was too good to be true and I am amazed.  I would REALLY like to know if this works for others.  Please try and post results.  

[Jenpw]

My current relief comes from advice here: while I’m getting getring acupunture every 5 day something (3 so far), I’m using 5 rx lidocaine patches at night (enough to cover both arms) and acylovir during the day.  HArdly need it, which could be holdover from the patches, or from acupuncture.  Thank you all for sharing your stories, and I’ll keep keep our posted on the acupuncture.

[Jenpw]

“Something” in that paragraph was an iPad typo.