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.  

[steamboattracey]

I have tried acupuncture once, but to no avail...that doesn't mean it won't work though. At that time (4 years ago) we thought it might be something systemic, like an allergy or an internal infection....so maybe we weren't going after it the right way. I do have a few questions about the Brachioradial Pruritus (BRP) thing though...IF it is a neurological thing, and due to cervical spine/nerve damage, then why is the itch seasonal? And IF it is caused by sun exposure, then why does it wait until July/August to show up (I am outside almost every day--I now live in Austin, TX, and I used to live in Colorado where I was outside all spring/summer/fall April-October, in short sleeves, but the itch would continue thru December/January in winter when I was skiing, etc...)...so why wouldn't it itch on days you are exposed to the sun, etc, and go away sooner? I have not been outside much this summer, but am still suffering, even worse--it kills me to stay inside all the time, and it hasn't seemed to help anyway. :(  What kind of climate do you live in? Interesting your sister has it too--my mom thought she had it last year, but hers went away so it was not the same thing. My cousin experienced severe itching too, but his was due to yoga mats in a hot yoga studio and is now gone.  

[Nagnal]

I live in central New Jersey. I absolutely think its Brachioradial Pruritus, thats the only thing that makes sense. I personally believe its neck/spinal problem causing the itching not sun exposure. I know that i had a problem with my neck when i was younger and maybe that is what has started causing this now. I also have a slight case of scoliosis. Many people are debating the cause and reasons for this its been written about in journals but there is nothing concrete. A few of your questions are criticisms for the Brachioradial Pruritus diagnosis because the itching is seasonal which doesn't make sense if its a nerve problem. Im 23, how are you if you dont mind me asking?

[pruritus]

hi ladies.  Notice that its mainly ladies that seem to have this problem.  Streamboattracey - I mentioned the prudoxin but I failed to mention that I now wear a sun shirt whenever I am going to be outside for an extended amount of time.  I found that the hotter the weather, the worst the itching became.  Mine was year round until this prudoxin and sun shirt combo.  Now its very, very occasional.  My husband's theory is that there is a connection between epidurals received while giving birth to my kids. The itch started after my second child.   Now I am in the menopausal stage of life so do hormones play a part?  Its about 12 years now since it started.  It was gradual - just an occasional itch somewhat seasonal moving onto both arms, from shoulder to wrist, and all year round.  I have had some issues with neck aches but nothing consistent.  Also, have religiously tracked my diet eliminating gluten for example but to no avail.  I see that someone posted using the flucinonide .5%  - that worked for about 4 months and gradually stopped plus it thinned my skin tremendously.  Keeping my fingers crossed that whether its the prudoxin, sun shirts or menopause,  I am just hopefully that this is ended.  My heart goes out to you all.  I am amazed how many dermatologists are oblivious to this, making you jump through so many hoops over and over again starting with anithistamines then a battalion of creams.  I started sending printouts to any dermatologists I had visited about this Brachialradial pruritus just so less people would suffer.  Keep posting.  Best wishes with the baby Tracey!  

[steamboattracey]

Thanks for the wishes and thoughts! I will try prudoxin (after Baby gets here). On the hormone thing, I have read many posts from younger people over the years, and mine started when I was 25 (10 years ago), and on the epidural thing, well, I haven't gone through that yet, and hoping not to have to use one.  So, I'm not sure there's a connection there. Perhaps hormones do have something to do with it, but again, mine started long before menopausal age, and also, there are many posts from males as well, with the same symptoms. But we need to keep making these connections and drawing common threads...thanks again.


ANY OTHER MALES ON THIS POST?

[steamboattracey]

Has anyone tried eliminating sugar from their diet for at least 3 weeks?

Any other dietary attempts that have worked or not worked? Anyone met with a nutritionist? Even if a dietary change did work, I still don't understand why the itch would be seasonal (July thru December every year)??

[steamboattracey]

Has anyone tried eliminating sugar from their diet for at least 3 weeks?

Any other dietary attempts that have worked or not worked? Anyone met with a nutritionist? Even if a dietary change did work, I still don't understand why the itch would be seasonal (July thru December every year)??