itching arm

[Tannin]

About two weeks ago, my right arm started itching.  I have had this flare up in the past and it usually affects one arm or the other but never at the same time and the itching seems to be in one area of my arm anywhere from my upper arm to my wrist.  I did go to the dr. and he prescribed Zyrtec and told me to use Benedryl cream.  I have been taking the Zyrtec and using the cream, but it is not helping at all.  My arm is itching pretty much all day, but it seems to get worse at night when I go to bed which is now causing me to lose sleep.  I have been feeling stressed for the last six to eight months and I'm pretty sure the itching is due to that, but why did it just come on out of the blue and what can I do to make it go away.  

[gabmacc]

Right now my left arm is good. No itch no nothing. It usually seems to back off in the winter. Now I have tried accupuncture. That seemed to help. This chinese medicine practiconer also told me to try and keep my arm straight instead of beding it at night. I assume it has something to do with circulation.
Before that I pretty much tried everything that people have listed. The good old ice pack, wrapped around my arm ( pretty much limited to elbow area ) seemed to help the most. After a couple of nights you get used to it.
Bottom line is......  a lot of people have this problem, but not one doc, dermatologist etc has an answer.
Has anyone tried Desrtdove's suggestion getting your spine checked?

[COwp34]

Relief for itchy arms: I've had itchy arms for several years in the winter, but last year (2009) nothing worked to ease it. I been told it's everything from eczema to stress to nerve damage. I tried prescription steroid creams, moisturizing lotions of all kinds, etc. I could barely work or sleep from December to May. Ice packs and aloe with lidocaine helped some, but had to be constantly reapplied. The dermatologist was little help.. Anyway, when I started to itch this past fall, I happened upon a suggestion in a blog for witch hazel. It is an astringent, so seems counter-intuitive, but since it only costs around $2, I thought I might as well try it. To my amazement, it works. If I start feeling that prickly sensation, I dab it on my arms with a cotton ball once or twice a day, as needed. It leaves no residue and doesn't seem to dry out my skin. I can hardly believe it myself, but I can function normally, and don't even think about my arms. What a relief! When I researched it further I learned it is sometimes recommended for chicken pox and even the itch and skin pain of ALS patients. I can't explain why it works, I just know it does for me.  Sometimes the simplest remedy is the best.

[Desrtdove]

Hi everyone,
I couldn't help but see another thread on this forum about itchy arms or Brachioradial Pruritus. There's many of us who have it....I'm sure there are many different reasons to have itchy arms, but those of us with actual Brachioradial Pruritus have found a common theme....more than likely some kind of degenerative change or damage to the cervical spine (neck) particularly C4-C6. I would suggest starting there...if there is no visible rash, the itch is agonizing to where you want to cut your arms off, gets worse if you scratch it, apply heat or are in the sun or is worse at night, doesn't seem to respond to itch lotions or creams, responds well if you apply ice packs, it's possibly BRP. Have a doctor xray your neck and check for narrowing of the disc space.....if that appears to be the case, try to get an MRI of the neck with specific attention to C5-C6. Then proceed with an EMG to check for denervation at those same levels. Come on over to the "itchy arms=Brachioradial Pruritus" thread on this same forum....most of us gather there to listen and offer support for one another. Good luck and take care!!

[mozi]

I have the same problem with my left forearm.Cold running water.Not nice to get out of bed but,i have found no other cure.Maybe i,ll try the ice pack.

[gabmacc]

I put up a blog. A doctor answered me, but unfortunately NOT to my question.
I have this itch on my left arm. It gets worse at night and when I scratch. An ice pack seems to help. Then it goes away for months and I think,,,, well, thank goodness. BUT it comes back without warning. There are no bumps or anything. Not even redness. Just VERY itchy skin.

[Marjie777]

I can't believe so many have what I have. Mine starts at my right shoulder and goes down arm with two very sensitive areas. It pinches and burns and itches like crazy. Nightime it gets severe.  I find relief by putting icepacks over it.  That really calms it down, but I would like to know what it is.  Marjie777