itchy arms = BRACHIORADIAL PRURITUS

[pruritus]

all itchy arm sufferers....please look into brachioradial pruritus.  My arms, and only my arms, have itched for 10 years.  no rashes, no psiorias, excema etc.  The creams, allergery pills..my list is extensive as to what I have tried but nothing worked. ---------------The only thing that helps are ice packs. -----------------------
Recently,I had an x-ray to check if I had any nerve impingement in my cervical spine - one of the possible causes but nothing showed so I continue to search for answers.  I did get confirmation of the brachioradial pruritus from a great dermatologist who has only seen 3 cases in his 15 years on the job.  He did a biopsy that he sent to UC Davis for confirmation.  The diagnosis was actually a relief as I have been told that it is so many other things.  
I hope this helps.  I will keep posting if I find anything helpful solutions.  

[BloominIdget]

One more thing that helps is cold pack applied to the spinal area, not just the itchy arm area.  A good recipe for cold pack:  Mix equal portions of cheapest, stiffest hair gel you can find and rubbing alcohol.  Scoop the mixture into a zip lock freezer bag.  Slip that, upside down, into another freezer bag just for the extra protection.  Put that in your freezer for several hours.  Over night is best.  Pack will get freezing cold, but not hard, so conforms better to the contours of body and feels better, softer.

[BloominIdget]

Should have said while fingers of left hand curled or hooked around left edge of seat, stretch left arm taught (may have to lean a little to your right) & look UP and to your LEFT (not your right)!  Then, look DOWN & to your RIGHT.  Do opposite when curling/hooking RIGHT fingers around RIGHT edge of seat.  Sorry for earlier error.  Point is to stretch neck muscles thereby relieving pressure on C4-6 spinal discs.

[BloominIdget]

I totally agree with your post.  I'm also having other issues related to messed up neck:  hyperacusis & heartbeat tennitis.  I have osteo arthritis & a "widow's hump."  I have worked as a bookkeeper for 30 years, so was among the leading edge of people suffering the side effects of spending hours daily hunching over a computer monitor.  I wonder if BP will become more prevalent?  What helps me is certain stretches that relieve pressure on that area of my neck.  Sit up straight in a chair whose seat has a "lip" (some do, some don't).  Curl or hood the fingers of your left hand around the left edge of the chair seat.  Look up & to your right.  Using your right hand, gently press against your left jaw, left cheek bone, the area just above your left temple, etc.  Feel the muscles in your neck getting a nice stretch.  Now look down & to your left, focusing your your left hip pocket.  Use your right hand to gently push against the right side of your head.  Feel the stretch.  I don't have the itching NEARLY as often since I started doing this tho it still gets triggered by exposure of my (left only) arm to heat (sun, hot bath).  Also, when the pain in my ears and/or the "noise" is bad, doing these stretches will often help.  Another thing that helps is a type of self massage that I do using two balls in a sock.  Using a sock to help hold them in place, I stack a tennis ball on top of a soft ball, like a snow man, and, while laying on the floor either on my back or my side, I press & rub various areas on my neck and/or at the base of my skull.  Difficult to describe.  I mainly do it for neck pain, but seems to have also have helped reduce the episodes of itching.

[Lisey70]

OMG I'm not crazy, and I'm not alone, my doctor thought I was nuts and gave me cortisone. I've had BRP for nearly 3 years now, i always thought it was stress induced but It's waking me in the night now!

[preneek]

Omgosh.....I am so glad I found this blog. I've not been formally diagnosed, but I know this is what I have.....all symptons match to a tee!!!  My itching started on my arms back in September and I'm still suffering. Most evenings wanting to cut my arms off.  At first, I thought it was something I was eating.  Eggs seemed to send me into an uncontrollable inching frenzy...but after reading all of the information on here, I have had back issues all my life, nothing serious but go to chiropractor every now and then for adjustment.  I had gone in September!!!!!!!    I will go get adjusted this week to see if that helps but in the the meantime I have tried the Aleve and coconut oil and have had tremendous relief!!!!!!    But, to let everyone know something else I heard that doesn't have the back issues but still suffer, a friend told me that someone she knew had this issue and after seeing several Drs nothing would help.  She finally went to a holistic Dr. and had some test and found she was full of yeast, candida.   Dr. Told her to get a herbal pill called "Yeast Fend" and her itching went away almost immediately.  I did get some, found it at the Vitamin Shop, took it for couple days and the itching seemed to let up but came back so unfortunately didn't help me.

[tcrichar]

GENERIC NAME: naproxen
BRAND NAME: Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn, Aleve, Mediproxen

It isn't the same as ibuprofen.  Naprox (Aleve in the States) appears to be focused on inflammation.  It has been a week now and I'm doing much better.  I don't think you want to be on Naproxen (Alevel) long term, but hopefully I can wean myself off with time.  Two in the morning and two in the evening has done wonders.