Itch Relief... | BigPinkCookie

I have been getting the updates on this site and have a question. I seem to suffer from the Solar version of BRP b/c my symptoms come on in the summer (late july/August) and abate in Nov. not to reappear until the next summer. Each summer it is worse. I get relief from the symptoms(both arms medial aspect) from benydryl cream and if that does not work, then 2 benydryl pills. It seems like some here do not get relief from anithistimines. Some people get the symptoms in the winter, though. So there must be different reasons for the onset. I live in a very cold wintry place (colorado high country) and see very little sun in the winter. But it is very cold and hunching from the cold happens. But I do more intense work in the summers – a very physical job, gardening etc. This past Nov, when I was insane with the itch, I found this site and have been watching the posts. I went to my acupunturist/tradional chinesse doctor and she did a treatment. The cycle somehow was broken and I have been itch free since. I realize that my symptoms abate at that time of year regardless but I do feel that her treatment broken the itch/scratch cycle for the year.

I think that the blood flow issue, tight muscels, toxin, inflammatory response etc are on target – for me at least. I am working with a phycial therapist for my knee rehab, and get this, she has identified a significant twist in my spine. I am seeing her now for my back! Also, I dislocated a rib (T7) about 10 years ago. My symptoms started about 5 years ago when I started doing my artwork full time (very full time) – I hunch over my work table and lift heavy things. I also work a lot more in the summer and take it easy in the winter.

Any one have any comments about why I get my symptoms in the summer not winter?

Thank you!!!

Hi Valerie,
I get my symptoms in the summer also. Usually starts around May. I used to think this disorder was related to my back, which is a big mess, but it doesn’t make sense because the problem subsides in the winter months. What I have noticed is when the weather warms up and I overheat is when I start to itch. When I am kept cool I don’t have the problem, when I sweat it is pure hell for me. I can’t even exercise anymore because when I start to sweat I itch immediately. all I can say is thank god for those little blue ice packs. They sell them at Target and they seem to stay cold the longest. I

I’ve suffered with this itch for years. I am happy to say this past winter I have been itch free! Over the years I have tried everything including accupuncture, phys therapy, etc. This year I went to a Nuerologist and he prescribed Tegretol. I take a VERY low dose. One pill before bedtime. I have no side affects, no sleepiness or grogginess, etc. No weight gain…nothing. I literally have NO itch. Now that I’m coming to the end of my itchy season I will discontinue the Tegretol and then restart it in August. For those of you suffering on a daily basis, I highly suggest you try this medicine. It will change your life.

Hi Patty, I don’t have the problem that you have with the heat intensifying the itch, BUT where I live it is hardly ever really hot. It gets into the high 70’s, lately into the low 80’s. But the sun is very intense at 9000′. Ice packs do not help me! Just benydryl. I took to wearing long sleeves a few years ago when the itch started (it started at the bend of the elbow medial aspect of the arm) but has spread over the years to include the entire medial aspect of both arms. This is such a bizarre condition with many different causes and also things that bring relief. I am so paranoid about the upcoming summer – which is sucks b/c it is so short and beautiful and now have to dread its arrival and wear UV protection clothing! At least it is cool enough here that I can wear covering clothing without overheating. I am working with a massage therapist, my PT, a chiroprator AND an accupuncturist. For a starving artist this is getting really expensive!!! For sure I will keep up all my treatments through the summer months in the hopes that I might get some relief this summer without resorting to strong drugs. When I had to take benydryl a few times a week this summer I was mortified, now I see I am one of the few that get relief from those. WOW.

Valerie: I don’t know if this helps but, I’ve suffered with this itch for years, and last summer and this winter while vacationing in Mexico I’ve done one thing different and have had no itch (so far, I got my fingers crossed)and this is wearing sunscreen. I still got a nice tan. Every time I felt the sun beaming too strong I sprayed sunscreen on, I am a sun worshipper. Maybe too much. I only use 15 on my body and 45 on my face. I don’t like 30 it actually reacts to my skin. I’ve used sunscreen in the past but didn’t put it on faithfully. Plus we do need sun for the vitamin D we require. I don’t know if this helps, but so far it does for me.
Good Luck all!

I’ve been pretty much itch free for two months and now its starting again. The top of my forearm is starting to itch. When I scratch it eventually bleeds. But… the bleeding comes from little round sores that develope after scratching.They are very small but perfectly round and they bleed A LOT during an itching spell. I can easily soak a bandaid with these tiny little sores. What is this????? I’m getting so frustrated! I have been using a tanning bed again for the last month but I still refuse to beleive it has to do with the light. Wouldn’t I be itching in all different areas on my body if it was from sun/tanning bed?

I posted last night but I don’t see it so I’ll repost again.. My itch is back on my forearm. Not sure if I mentioned in my prior posts that when I scratch, these very little round sores appear and they bleed a lot. Does this sound like blood vessells? Anyone else have this?

Yes, round sores – sometimes little blood blisters, will form when you scratch. I’ve even had blistering. Try ice. Have an x-ray of your cervical spine, and see if there is disc compression. Mine comes when I sit at the computer too long. But it is also sun related. Stay out of the tanning bed!
Zostrix creme helps, but you have to stand the burning for 5 days before it starts to work. Actually, the burning beats the itch.

Good luck!

Patty:
You might want to refuse to believe it has anything to do with the tanning bed, but you are very wrong!!!
I didn’t want to believe it for four years and after two months of staying away from the beds, it left.
Check all of these posts. A lot of people will tell you the rays have a lot to do with it.
I would do anything to have a tan again, but I will never take the risk again
And I’m not sure why it is just the arms, but sometimes the neck and back are involved in this also. I am sure someone here knows the mechanics of this, but it isn’t me.
Stay out of the beds for a month or two and see if it doesn’t go away.

Sounds like the summer scratchers are starting to itch again as the sun gets closer? Here at 9000′ feet in Colorado the sun is certainly getting more intense here as spring arrives. I had my first small itch of the seaon on my upper right arm, towards the inside of my arm. I cross country ski but hide from the sun (have been reading about how to block uv rays with clothing options). I wear a huge hat, big glasses, thick clothing and wear a mineral sunscreen (white zinc)on my exposed lips and cheeks. It was very sunny, i was out for 2.5 hours. The itch came not that night but the next night. It responded right away to benydryl cream. I think I am one of the few that can get relief from otc antihistimine creams and pills? At onset it felt like a zinging sensation and I actually twitched? That must be the nerve aspect of this disorder? Tried not to scratch but had too. I am very frigthened of this thing. The cream helped right away.

This is the first itch since Nov. 14th. I have been out in the sun since then, but always well covered. I ski a lot. I felt perhaps a tiny twinge of itch a few weeks ago.? Perhpas it is the sun gaining strength?

I am back to work full time now in my artstudio, leaning over my work. Is it tied to tight back muscles?

I have been going for adjustments at the chiropractor and treatments also with accupunture.

Perhaps it is time for an xray of my c-spine? Regardless, I am hiding from the sun as best I can. I don’t give two hoots about a tan. I spent my youth basking in the So.Fl sun whorshipping a dark tan. Perhaps I now have nerve damage from that, or some kind of toxicity from the sun? Why do antihistimines work for me but not for others?

So many questions, still looking for answers.

I still disagree about the sun…at least for me. I am of the firm belief that it’s nerve impingement that is in the spine.

Granted my MRI and xrays were inconclusive, that’s because those do not capture the ligaments/tendons. My naprapath says it’s those that do the damage…

I’m still virtually itch free since I fell on NYE…had a few small episodes…I think some is stress… I can almost predict when I will itch…my shoulder is usually achy prior to a night of itching…and I make sure to ice it before bed…it prevents it.

My all over itch started about the time peri-menopause started for me. I sometimes claw my legs bloody in my sleep. It comes and goes but now stays for weeks or months at a time. Nothing helps so sometimes I drink too much just to get sleep.
I did the thyroid tests and was a bit low but thyroid meds didn’t stop the itch nor did primrose oil or omega oils or any nutrition type rememdies. It wasn’t dry skin either, or sun exposure or any other thing I could find on the net that seemed to help other people.

My doctor is a woman but she’d never encountered this in her practice and recommended a dermatologist. He took biopsies and found nothing. He asked me to come back for their monthly symposium where 5 or 6 dermotologists get together and look at unusual cases. They could not figure out what was causing my itch either.

With my doctor’s encouragement I went to the university library and began reading through all kinds of medical books and stumbled on a short mention of itching caused by endocrine imbalances and also itching in women with diminishing hormone levels. I went to my doctor and was put on estrogen which stopped the itching in a short time. Maybe a week. The itching stayed gone as long as I kept taking estrogen. But my pre menopausal migraines returned. To have the itch gone I had to put up with violent migraine headaches that I had had during my menstuating years.

If you have no problem with migraines have your doctor do a hormone level check and see if you’re imbalanced “or” low in anything.

Another thing that happens to me with increasing frequency is an all over pins and needles thing that I think is related to the itching. It used to only happen occasionally but now is more often and usually in response to a sudden scare. Like being cut off in traffic or any small shock. Perhaps adrenaline is making this happen. I don’t know.

I all this hope this helps someone.

I had a girlfriend who had a constant violent itch on the stomach and inquinal area and it also was relieved with estrogen, but this was not a cure for me as I was on estrogen when I developed my arm itch. Wish it were. How great it would be to just take estrogen and have relief.
Glad this worked for you and my friend and anyone else it may help.

I just found an article that I hadn’t read before. So I am listing it here for my “Itch-mates” to consider. Even though the article starts out talking about children who knows but what this could help adults also.
OK here goes:

PROBIOTICS REDUCE ECZEMA IN CHILDREN
Researchers at the National Public Health Institute in Finland reported that a probiotic (lactobacillus GG – a friendly bacteria found in live yogurt) could significantly reduce the chances of infants developing atopic eczema. Atopic eczema is a relatively common skin condition affecting about ten percent of children in the United States. In the mild forms the skin is dry, hot and itchy. In its more severe manifestations, the skin may become broken, raw and bleeding.

The double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study published in Lancet involved 159 pregnant women with a family history of allergies. The women were randomly given lactobacillus GG capsules or a placebo twice a day for about three weeks before giving birth. After delivery, breastfeeding mothers took the capsules for six months while bottle-fed babies were given the capsules mixed with water.

Tthe infants were evaluated at three, six, twelve and twenty-four months. Twenty-three percent of the babies fed the probiotic developed atopic eczema, compared with forty-six percent of those given the placebo. In other words, the frequency of eczema in the probiotic group was half of the placebo group.

The researchers concluded, “Our results suggest that gut microflora have unique, yet largely unexplored endogenous immunomodulatory properties. These properties might be indispensable in the fight against the increasing frequency of atopic, and possibly other, immunological diseases.”

Atopic eczema is regarded as one of a group of allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis and asthma. The recent rapid rise in atopic diseases has sparked interest in the cause and treatment of these chronic disorders. Increased intestinal permeability is one possible explanation of the link between the intestinal tract and endpoint organs such as the skin or respiratory tract. Also called “leaky gut syndrome,” excessive intestinal permeability may allow substances that would normally be eliminated through the bowel to escape from the gut into the general circulation provoking an immune response.
The intestinal tract contains a major portion of the immune system. Some scientists believe that early exposure to bacteria such as lactobacillus stimulates and enhances the intestinal immune response in children, resulting in less atopic disease over the lifespan of the individual.

Edgar Cayce gave numerous readings describing leaky gut syndrome for a variety of disorders, especially skin diseases such as psoriasis. For more information on the Cayce hypothesis, see the peer-reviewed journal article, “Systemic Aspects of Psoriasis: An Integrative Model Based on Intestinal Etiology” on the Meridian Institute website:

http://www.meridianinstitute.com/ceu/ceu11pso.html

Reference

Kalliomaki M. Probiotics in primary prevention of atopic disease: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2001 Apr 7;357(9262):1076-9.

——————————————

This is the web url where I found this:
http://www.meridianinstitute.com/newslet/Vol5-3/5-3.html

After five or so steady winters of debilitating itch, this year has been a dream relief. Just the odd tingle but nothing I can’t ignore. I don’t know why. It was always very seasonal, albeit a long season! Late August to late March. So last year I added some Vitamine D suppliments to my diet in August. I also started on Neurontin in anticipation of the itch. Nothing developed and during a vacation, full of sunshine (and suncreen, not block) in Maui in February, I weaned myself off the Neurontin and I have been just fine, no itch at all and a nice tan too! Since the vacation I’ve even hit the tanning booth once a week to maintain my color. It’s such a mystery?? The above artice provoked me to write because it made me realize that I have also been eating probiotic yogurt every single morning since about the same time. Interesting.

I’m still mostly itch free…and haven’t been taking anything…I get a few episodes, but nothing like I had been before.

I swear something happened when I fell and broke my ribs…cuz that’s when the itch stopped.

I’m curious to see if the sun/heat does affect it…and am going to Arizona the first week of May, so I’ll surely be able to test it out.

I am of the firm belief that it’s nerve related, as I’ve mentioned earlier on, surely more than once.

To Linda post #1116

“The above artice provoked me to write because it made me realize that I have also been eating probiotic yogurt every single morning since about the same time.”

Thanks for this part of your post since probiotics take time to work and I’m just starting with them again. At times in the past I’ve been itch free but didn’t think to notice if it was when I was taking acidophilus and eating yogurt.

However since I posted that article above I’ve been doing more reading and finding that Candida, something we all carry in us, can get over-grown and cause a host of problems if we’ve ever taken antibiotics + there are other reasons it gets overgrown. It’s mentioned as a cause of many things including unexplained itching (non vaginal included)

I never even considered yeast infection since I had NO vaginal itch just my skin all over. After I did the do-it-yourself saliva test I found on several medical sites it looks as if I have an overgrowth of Candida. (diet and probiotics can help they say).

I plan to stick with the probiotics for long enough to see if there’s a difference.

If anyone would like to try the test here is a link to the saliva test. It’s the same on all the medical sites but this one had a good explanation with it. http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/pdf/Spit_Test.pdf

There are also numerous online symptom tests you can do yourself to see if you have it.

Good News!

I’ve been on the Acidophilus probiotic for 12-14 days so far.
While the itching is not gone entirely it has definitely improved and is much less. I’ve stopped clawing myself bloody in my sleep and noticed that I’m not thinking about itching “all” the time anymore.

(just fyi, I’m currently taking Probiotic Acidophilus by Schiff. Before that I took Nature Made brand but it didn’t have as many live cells in it and didn’t do much to help me, though it did do something a little, when I ran out of Nature Made and bought the Schiff, with one billion instead of 5 million live cells, I noticed a change very fast..)

I wondered if this would be like when you have a headache and you never actually notice when it goes away (?)
Because I wanted to notice, so if probiotics can help anyone else I won’t forget to tell you.
I do think they’re helping. It’s not a magic overnight pill cure but something is working and this is my only so called meds.

One good thing is that they’re just plain good for you anyway! I don’t think they would interfere with any of a person’s other medications.

Well, I don’t know how some of you have lived with this horrid itchy arm thing for YEARS!!!???? I’ve had it for about two months and found this website right away. I told my dermatologist about it, and she agreed it was probably a nerve thing, but told me about some great skin cream that doesn’t do anything for the itching but has given me baby soft skin.I’m a 51 year old scaninavian female, I live in southern Pa. My itching started in Feb and it’s now April. Two weeks ago I went to my chiropractor and she took ex-rays of my neck and the curve in my neck isn’t as curvey as it should be and there may have been a slight amount of arthritis in the lower vertebrae. Anyway she adjusted me. After 2 days I stopped itching. For 3 days and nights I didn’t itch. It’s much worse at night. First, it was just the forearms, now the upper arms itch too. Then on day four the itching started again. Bummer. So I made another app’t. I went in Tues. for an adjustment. Thursday came and no itching. Now it’s Friday night and still no itching, so I am quite convinced that for me it is a neck and nerve issue. I will go back weekly and then go to my Muscle Activation Techniques person. These M.A.T.S. are amazing. They literally wake up your sleeping muscles, esp good after the chiropractor because the MAT will help to strengthen the muscles that hold the vertebrae in place, an the amazing thing is that all is needed most often is one or two treatments. It’s no picnic, but they are truly miracle workers. Thank you all for your help. Without you I’d still be going mad. I hope this chiropractic thing keeps working. How lovely to get a nights. sleep. Xanax is my lifesaver at night too. Check out Muscle Activation Techniques on the web. Deb Vack-Hynson

Hello,
I have had a left lateral forearm itch/rash for abt 6 months. The rash was slightly raised, not discolored, not really noticeable to others. I tried steroid creams but nothing helped for long.

I visited my dermatologist who diagnosed me with brachial/radial pruitis (BRP). He asked if I was under a lot of stress (of which I have much). He was suprised I did not have it on both forearms. My dermatologist says he treats about 150-200 cases a year of this BRP. He stated the nerves trigger the itch but the bumps appeared due to the scratching.

He gave me Neurontin…..one at bedtime. Whew! Great sleep! but I am so dizzy when I wake up and dizzy during the day also. He told me to take one a night until the itching stopped and then keep taking it until the bumps were gone. He thought maximum would be a week. I am still itching after 10 days.

I have read BRP can caused by a cervical spine nerve compressions. I have no cervical spine issues. I do have trigger points in my left upper back that I have massaged weekly.

Garth, I tried your stretch and it is great for the trigger points and left upper back muscle spasms. I am going to keep trying this to see if it helps with my arm problem. Certainly could not hurt and makes sense if there is a cervical spine trigger for the nerve irritation.

I live in middle TN. My rash first appeared after a trip to FL in November 2007. After the trip I began a remodel in my house followed by issues with my dtr-in-law, work, and son. As stress piles up on me, my shoulders carry the stress – but especially the left.

Seems like as i was scanning the posts, someone tried Clairitan for the itch. Did it help?

I will keep everyone posted re: my progress.

Hey Karyn, Neurontin (Gabapentin) was the only thing that helped me but I had to go up to 4 pills a day it takes about 2 weeks to work. I didn’t like being on 4 Neurontin a day so I actually went down to 3 a day for longest time and that seemed to work as well. I then slowly weened myself off of them when I thought the itching was done for the ‘term’ (about 6 months), I’ve suffered with this for about 8 years and Neurontin worked for me, being that it is a nerve blocker, I believe it is a nerve impingment thing as well. Good luck all. I hate having to take meds for this but I hate the itching even worse.

Well five more days on Shiff probiotics and the itch seems to be gone entirely. I woke up way too warm this morning and still did not itch.(heat was once a major trigger for the itching)
This has worked “for me” and I think it would at least help anyone else too.
It’s also possible that some ppl’s itching has more than one cause or more than one trigger.

For right now I’m pretty happy!

Holy cow! I’m from Calgary, Alberta too. I’ve been suffering from an itchy rash on my upper arms for a few months now, on and off. I assumed it was from our brutally dry climate here, but now I’m not so sure…

I’m 33 years old, blonde, blue-eyed and very fair-skinned. I have an itchy, pin-point type rash only on the outside of my upper arms right now. I’m not much of a sun-lover, but I do tend to suffer from sun hives on my arms early in the summer (they seem to go away after I have a bit of a tan).

I have used a hydrocortizone cream with some effect a couple of times, but I’m concerned about the long-term effects of that approach. I take an omega 3-6-9 blend and vit. D daily, and I only use organic skin care products.

I haven’t seen much discussion here about other symptoms besides itching – do most of you have an actual rash that accompanies this?

I asked my derm about it and he said that it looked like keratosis pilaris, but I believe there’s no itch associated with that? Hmmm – must ask him again…

Anyway, I appreciate any info you can share!
Thanks,
Erin

I have stopped the Neurontin after 11 days of treatment. After having some mood changes, I decided to put on my glasses and read the medicine bottle warnings. “Call your doctor if you experience depression, modd changes, or fearfulness.” BIG TIME I had been experiencing over reactions to stressors in my life. My friends and co-workers noticed it. I had told friends for a few days that i felt extremely depressed and it must be a delay from the stress from the last few months. NOPE – it was the Neurontin! I have a message into my doctor – hoping he has a PLAN B for my BRP since everything I have tried is not working.

What abt the probiotics thing? What is this and does it work?

I also have the ‘itching problem’. Details to follow.

To Karyn: If you have time to read my other posts above they’ll fill you in on what I have learned with and without doctors & dermatologists.

The probiotic Acidophilus made by Shiff seems to be the right dosage for me and its cheap too.
I tried some by Nature Made but it was too weak and didn’t help much. But since it did help a little I tried a little higher dosage and am good with the Shiff brand now.

Don’t go overboard and shock your system too much with the most expensive high dose brand at first because it could give you gas if you don’t usually eat yogurt or some natural source already.

And above all give it TIME. The itching comes from inside and it takes time to let this work through your system and balance it again.

The good news acidophilus and probiotics in general are good for you anyway. Unlike drugs.

Good Luck!

hi/chrissy from england
only just found the site,now i know im notgoing mad, i will keep it as short as i can. 4 yrs ago
my itch with no rash began not to bad at first then 2 yrs ago i was at my witts end,tried doc,specialists,accupuncture no good just sun damage they said,i love the sun and go away lots, i now always wear 50 factor,but why is it always better on hols, is it stress related. 18 months ago i was about to go on a cruise i was so depressed cold flannels out of the freezer for my neck,plasted in cream.
as a last resort i went to a chinese herbalist who put me on some tablets foe itching for the month, he said it would take 2 wks for effect any way after 11 days i realised i had not used my cold flannel for 2 nights and after 3 wks it was 90% better its never gone alltogether,but im happy with that, i have reduced the tablets by halve and as long as i keep off sweeteners mints in any form, chocs with different centres red wine have had all allergy tests done negative i cant get to hot keep bedroom cold and few clothes.
it as gone down my arms aswell,i dont think we will ever cure it, maybe after live with it.
my cream i use off the doctor is dermol 500,my chinese tab are pi fu bing xue du wan.

i hope it helps
chrissy

hi its chrissy again,
forgot to tell you i have it all year round it is not seasonal for me,also tablets containing codeine start it going mad, also i have come off naprosyn,and asprin, will let you know how things go.

chrissy

Ask your Doctor for Tegretol. Very small dose. I take one pill before bed. I have absolutely NO itching. Since I’m just going into the “dormant” season for my itch, I’m now taking one pill every other day and eventually I’ll quit taking it until the itch starts up again in August. I have absolutely NO side effects. No grogginess, no sleepiness…nothing. BTW – I have suffered with this condition for several years and my itching was quite severe. So to have NO itching now is just amazing to me. It has totally changed the quality of my life. I’m a lot less stressed out….a lot easier to live with. The itching was literally driving me crazy. I tried every method out there before taking this medicine and I could get some relief, but nothing ever made it go away completely.

Hi Erin, the itch that the suffers on this site are suffering from is an internal nerve itch on the arm usually on the lateral side of the arm and it is no where else on the body and there is no accompanying rash. I think you may be suffering from something else but probably not brachioradial pruritus as us poor saps, count yourself lucky!!

chrissy from england says, hi to everyone.
i have not been able to wear a neclace for 4 yrs
i removed every label from my clothes because they drove me crazy, i carried a pot of dermol cream with everywear. i know this sounds revolting but i found if put spittle on my fingers then on my neck it eased , even when it wasnt itching anything on my neck was a misery,i have to keep clothes away a much as possible, butwhyw in the carrabean and other holiday hot spots it was better only if i wore 50 factor thou.

Update: I realized from reading some of the other posts that I might be allergic to Splenda.

Around the time that the itch/rash developed, I had started a nutrition plan that included a few sugar-free ice cream bars each week as a treat. I had never really eaten artificial sweeteners before that. So, I stopped eating them and voila – no more itch! I still have a bit of a bumpy rash on my arms, but it seems to be going away.

Thanks so much for the tip. I hope all of you find relief – its sounds terrible to suffer from BRP.

Erin

Hello Everybody

Had this terrible itch for the last 4 years.Almost went insane.Finally after many trials and errors my family doctoe prescriped this medicine.

NOVO – NORTRIPTYLINE- 25mg.
After one week I have a 98% relief.
Please note you need a presciption.
Hope this will help.

Lou

For almost 2 years I have had horrible itching on my upper arms. Have had allergy testomg, tried cortisone, prednisone, benadryl etc. So far nothing has helped. Like many of you, I use ice at night to sleep. I also found “Be Koool” pads used for migraines – they give me some relief. Will be exploring some of the things others have had relief with – neurontin and shiff probiotics. Will tell you how it’s going

This site has been a real eye-opener. LIke many, I have the itchy sensation coupled with a nervy feeling in my left upper arm which is a grave hindrance when trying to sleep. I firmly believe that it is the result of my herniated neck disc which was discovered via MRI. Neurontin is helpful (I have a headache pain from the herniation), Benadryl is a slight relief for sleep, and a topical prescription which is minimal for itch. I think my best bet at this point is to get a prescription sleep aid. Sun exposure exascerbates the condition, but I do not think it is the cause. None of this occurred prior to my neck injury. Gotta go – time to ice.

Hi everyone, i have been reading the site again, but have not written in, so thought i would. i have had this for many years also,over twenty yrs, i have tried lots n lots of things, right now i am going with mary anne on the probioctic acidophilus and yo+yogurt, i have been on it a few days only, and tonight has been a bad itch night….this is really brutal to have!!!!!!! i am really praying this works, i have been reading this site for about four or five yrs now, and i have tried sooo many diff things, i personally do not like taking meds for it, i agree with mary anne that somthing healthful is more beneficial. i am thinking about getting on flaxseed oil also, it is healthy for you. i am glad i wrote to you all, and i do pray we all fing some relief. God bless you all n sleep softly JoAnn Chandler

Wow, its unbelievable the amount of people that have this problem…..I’ve had it now for about 5 years. Comes and goes…..drives me absolutely insane. It just came back about a week ago. Last episode was in February. I have to put ice on it to relieve some of the itch. I do think sun has something to do with it because thats the only thing I did different in the last week. I was out in the sun for about an hour and then I noticed the itch coming back. I also have a bad neck.
I’ve tried everything except medication. Right now its my left arm about 6 inches above and below the crease of my elbow. I cant stand to put long sleeves on or have anything touch it. As soon as something touches it, it starts to itch……I wish somebody knew what the hell this is……….

JoAnn I’m so glad you’re going to give the probiotics a try. I’m still itch-free (4 months)as long as I remember to take mine. Once I stopped itching it was harder to remember to take them…lol

What I like about the natural way is that you can have the other vitamins, flaxseed oil and all things good for your whole body and not interfere with the probiotics. (I don’t know if the prescription meds mentioned in this thread will kill the good normalizing bacteria in probiotics)

I’m afraid the idea of taking meds forever, that may contribute to the problem in the long haul, is not something I want to do except as a last resort… who wants to take a drug that may be detrimental to your overall health unless you absolutely have to. Of course this probiotic way is “slow and steady” not a quick fix and it’s hard to wait sometimes when your itch is bad.

I think I started the probiotics in March and it’s almost July now and I am in shorts and no bloody scratch marks anymore….lol

I have had “it” for almost 20 years. I used to drive (in sales) for many years which I believe started “it”.
I just discovered that if I am going to be in the sun, and can’t avoid it, that I use baby sun screen with a 60+ protective factor, and I don’t start to itch. It’s worked for me several times now, so I’m hopeful.

Perhaps more socializing with loved ones and focusing on meditating might improve the array.

I ponder if one did well last night or this morning with the prayers and meditations on love that one focused.

I find willing love knocks out allergies a little though it requires keeping one’s word and is not a casual remedy. It is the remedy of one who might dedicate their whole being to being one in love and willing love.

I find the practice to be very tough. Always keeping fresh in the mind to will love toward all. I discovered that love includes many things wonderful and terrible.

I quietly contemplate the next step. Willing love from the nose towards everyone… maybe…

The universe is upset about something. The birds sing a song that has a hesitation to it.

I can keep what I have earned in love. I do it to love not for the earnings and I hope I have earned something.

still trying
David aka dizzy from the pursuit of knowledge

I do not suffer from BRP b/c. For those of us who do not suffer from BRP and get relief from antihistimines I am convinced that we are having allergic reactions to solar radiation.

Here is how I came to conclusion: I live in a cold climate and am minimally exposed to the sun for 6 months of the year. In the spring we often go to a warm spot such as the beach in mexico or the deserts of Utah. This intense exposure to solar radiation in the spring sets off the itch/scratch cycle but it is not immediate, it builds up as the summer goes on. Furthermore, In the past I have not used sunscreen on my body just my face. I wrongly believed that clothing (long white button down shirts) was just as much protection for my arms as sunscreen. After much research I have learnt that it is is not! Especially for those of us that suffered from an allergy to solar radiation this is not enough protection.

This year I have been very careful to limit my arms exposure to sun – If I am in the sun more than 1/2 hour I wear Umbrelle sunscreen from Canada (by Lorealle) did I spell that right? 60 spf. Plus a long sleeve SPF shirt I purchased at the spfstore.com If my exposure if for shorter periods (say lunch on the porch) I expose my arms w/out protection to the sun purposfully in order to SLOWLY increase my tolerance.

Simply put I am having an allergic reaction to intense solar radiation (I live at 9000′). In addition I grew in South Florida (I am 42) before sunscreen was invented I think and we BAKED our bodies in the sun like true sun worshippers. I believe this has had a long term impact on me and perhaps others. I do not feel compelled to do this anymore and prefer to cover up from the sun – as my skin ages I do not like how it looks with a dark tan, too much like leather – yuk. My skin looks younger and healthier with just a bit of color.

So far this year I have not had an itch and last year I was already itching by this date – not a lot, just a little itch but coming on. I am not convinced that I will not have an itch as the summer goes on but I am committed to my experiment (increase exposure GRADUALLY and NEVER expose myself to intense sun for periods longer than 1 hour with out 60 spf and a shirt). Since we hike, climb and fish in the rocky mountain summer/fall – all very sun intensive activities it will be a challenge!

I am also taking Matake Mushroom and astragalus to boost and support my immune system, which of course is involved in allergic responses.

I will keep you posted on my results! If I go itch free it will be the first summer in 5 years!

Valerie

you put valeries post twice, what happened to the post i wrote yesterday???????JoAnn Chandler

Hello every body .I start to suffer from itchin 1 month ago ,all my body was full of sores ,I was scratching so badly till the bleading ,it was hell ,I try every thing to get read of these but nothing helped ,not one doctor couldn’t help mee , I spend a lot of money ,believe me ,at the end I just start to pray to God that He is above every thing and every body else and I ask JESUS CHRIST to set me free from these desieses and I yesterday just like that I start sleep and didn’t itch any more ,THANKS TO GOD ,try ask JESUS CHRIST too and He will set you free .May God help you all .

What excatly does awaiting moderation,meaning what, everyone seems to write whatever they want here. Whats the deal, e-mail me an answer, thank you JoAnn Chandler

My wife has suffered many of the same symptoms many of you complain of. For a couple of years, nothing helped her except applying ice packs directly to her arms. Like most of you she is bothered by this mostly in the summer (we are in Texas).

I finally talked her into going to a chiropractor who x-rayed her neck and showed her where it wasn’t curved correctly, probably due to an incident where she was physically accosted a few years ago. He began adjustments and gave her several exercises to do. This appeared to work and for a while her symptoms diminished. If he hadn’t broken her thumb (accidently, but that’s a different story) she would still be going to him.

Her symptoms have returned but I can immediately stop the itching by gently pulling her head up. Unfortunately, as soon as I let go, the itching slowly returns and within a few minutes she is back to scratching and applying ice packs. To pull her head up I stand behind her while she is seated and put my hands on her head so that her ears are between my index finger and thumb and gently pull straight up. The itch stops immediately. We are convinced that the itch is due to pressure on the nerves going to her arms, causing them to become inflamed.

As many of you know, adjustments alone are not a permanent fix. Exercises to retrain the neck muscles to maintain the neck in the correct position is necessary for long term relief of the symptoms.

I also believe many people antagonize the problem by the position they sleep (too many pillows), or their posture while performing some recurring function, like working at their computer. My wife likes to do housework and talk on the phone by using her shoulder to hold the phone to her ear (she refuses to use the headset I got for her).

She has just had surgery on her thumb and is looking for a new chiropractor. I would be interested to know if anyone else can get immediate relief from someone stretching or straightening their neck in this manner. Try it and let us all know.

hi everyone i am still taking the proibotics and yo=yogurt, i still itch, but i am going to continue with this, i pray it will work, i do have the patience. my itching comes and goes,, little eposides. God bless you all, sleep softly JoAnn

I can’t believe I ran across this website…only after desparation sent me to the computer searching for answers! I thought for 15 years that I was the only person in the world with arms that itched to the point of insanity! I’m sorry that you all are affected as well, but as they say “misery loves company”. Truthfully, I didn’t realize that it was an actual medical condition.

My family doctor put me on antihistamines years ago, thinking it was an allergy to the sun, and I must say that it has helped a little. But like most of you, I start itching sometime during the summer….usually around August after a build up of sun exposure. However, if I expose myself to extreme sun earlier than that, it starts in.

I have read alot of your comments and am definitely going to make an appointment with a dermatologist. (Hopefully I won’t know more about BRP than he does!).

Anyway, thanks for all the helpful info and letting me know that I’m not the only “crazy itcher” in the world!

I used to be an avid reader/responder to this site, but have gotten behind. To summarize, I have suffered with the itchy forearms for about 10 years. They itched to the point of bringing blood and it was not like any other itch. More like a million little fire ants inside my skin. I tried every remedy there was and nothing worked. Then last November I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I was told by my neurologist that the itching was due to damaged nerves in my extremities and he put me on Atarax. I take 2 at night at bedtime and NO MORE ITCHING since then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just thought it was an interesting turn of events. Even though I am battling a life-changing disease, at least I don’t have the insane itching anymore. Perhaps Atarax will help some of you. Thanks, Leslie

I was given a prescription for atarax before they knew what my problem was (BRP) and the Dr. told me to increase until I stopped itching. I was up to 500mg daily and constantly lived in a fog. I stopped itching, but I think it was due to the fact that I was numbed and unable to process my thoughts. It was quite a drug induced time for me, but I had to quit taking the atarax because I couldn’t function.
Anyway, it just reminded me when Leslie talked about it.
I am glad it is working for you. Hope you don’t have to increase the dosage.
I am now in 85% remission, but lately have been getting some episodes. It is a frightening disease, if I can call it that. I never know when it might return.
Does anyone know if they are doing any studies on this at the time.
What ever happened to the person who was taking the Thalidomide?

I, like most of you, am amazed that there are others suffering from this left arm night itch! Now, looking at the posts here (thanks everyone, for sharing), I can make a few comments to add to the similarity difference thing and, as someone mentioned, hope that some feisty Med/PhD student will do a very successful thesis on this! I am 35 years old, live in PA, brown hair blue eyes, have had back problems, specifically cervical and lumbar. I do not have a natural curve to my neck (it’s straight), the result of a car and subsequent bus accident when I was younger. I have asthma. My mother is 56, a smoker (no asthma)brown hair and blue eyes and she suffers as well. I don’t know if she has neck problems, I don’t know if she knows. I have been to several chiropractors with not much relief of my back and neck symptoms (hated the cracking bit) but I have recently found one that is amazing. He is a certified atlas orthogonist, which is a specialty beyond chiropractic. There have been many occassions when I went into his office unable to stand upright or with a very restricted range of motion and have come out all better, with little to no cracking-he has other sorts of devices that he uses. I can tell anyone interested more about him, but he has been a real lifesaver. I work full time and have two children, and I am unaware of any thyroid issues. I’m 5’2”, 150lbs. I’ve tried benadryl ointment and ice when this gets really bad and it seems to help but not immediately. I’m going to call my chiropractor tomorrow, and if I get any good info, I will share it.

By Christine

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