Hi all,

I dealt with INSANELY intense itching in my arms, and occasionally my neck, chest, and upper back, for 10 years, ALWAYS worse at night, sometimes worse in drier weather, usually exacerbated by stress or tension, and depriving me of sleep for many, many nights. Sometimes it would occur during the day, but I could largely control my urge to scratch -- at night, however, just ONE swipe of my nails while I was sleeping brought the itching in with a vengeance - scratching made it FAR worse, starting a vicious cycle, and I would scratch literally until I bled. There was NEVER a rash - just the ugly aftermath of my incessant scratching, and NO amount of topical or systemic drugs seemed to help in the least. After MULTIPLE years and MULTIPLE prescriptions with two different dermatologists, I was finally diagnosed a year ago with brachioradial pruritis, caused, as a turns out, by something that had NOTHING to do with my skin, but with damage to my cervical spine resulting from several accidents. (One on a horse, one on a motorcycle, and one in a car.)

Working with my neurologist, I am FINALLY in a place where this condition isn't a nightmare I just have to cope with for the rest of my life. I take a drug at night that "turns off" the false signals of "itching" to my brain that are actually caused by compressed nerves in my spine. (I have itching, which is fairly common; others have experienced burning, pain, and even a tickling sensation from similar spinal damage.)

Sometimes, yes, the false signals break through my medication, and since I know this may be helpful to many of you out there who may be suffering as I did for years -- *ICE* is the Godsend I wish I'd known about all those years ago. Before you scratch the FIRST TIME (and even if you've already started, as I sometimes do, because I'm half asleep, this STILL works), force yourself to get up, fill a good old-fashioned ice bag with ice, and put it on the itchy area. It can be a challenge at first to deal with the shock of the cold on your skin - especially when you fall blissfully into sleep and roll over on the ice bag an hour later. But sleep you WILL. The ice both soothes and numbs the itch, and I have slept better in this past year, with the occasional use of the ice as needed, than I did for the 10 years prior.

And don't give up. If you've been to a dermatologist, or a couple of them, and the topical creams, ointments, steroids, and systemic allergy prescriptions aren't making it stop, consider whether you could be missing the real cause.

I hope this helps some of you - both in the short term and for the long run. Yes, eventually, surgery may be the right answer for me, but as long as my body allows me to sleep, and I know how to stop the itch, I feel just fine!

Good luck, everyone!
SD

It's sad you had to go through this as well. The hardest part I found is convincing anyone there is a problem in the first place as it shows no evident signs of rash etc, only the damage self inflicted...

I have a suggestion for you. Where I come from they sell wheat packs that you can heat in the microwave to relieve pain. Well I have 5 of various different shapes, lengths etc and I keep them all in the FREEZER, that way when I need to apply ice to my pain areas or my itch, I just grab whatever size wheatpack that's been chilling away in my freezer and use where I need to.

My itching is mostly confined to my thoracic vertebrae region. It came on after I had a seizure and fractured T3,4,5 & 6 and the RFA they did to try and treat the nerves surrounding the fractures. I also get it on my lower back nearer to my butt cheek, my shins, my feet near my toes, the skin between my fingers and occasionally on my palms.

Sometimes I have scratched too hard and broken the surface. (should say often) I found by perseverance of trying anything and everything that for the smaller areas of itch (not the big areas like by upper back) but the small areas I can apply Rectinol, this is the OTC cream treatment for haemorrhoids the white cream not the clearish one. Trust me, it does work for smaller areas, it reduces the swelling, the itch and gives you relief. Try it.

Stress and tension and increased levels of pain make it way worse, last night I began a new battle on my left palm and finger creases and scratched while asleep breaking the skin. I've just applied rectinol and already can feel the itch decreasing. Of course as we all know, once an open wound begins to heal it itches again, so keep the rectinol handy and also invest in some paw paw cream.

I suffer from chronic upper and lower back pain, fibromyalgia, nerve pain in my left arm caused through damaged cervical vertebrae and migraines. The medication I'm required to take has many side effects including bowel blockages and associated back passage problems. I developed a fissure years ago (omg so painful) and before seeking proper treatment I tried many OTC options including rectinol, it didn't help but I recalled it read it will reduce itching so I thought why not try it on my self inflicted scratches. No one was happier than me to find that it can give some relief. It's not a cure, but it does help, so applying the cream together with freezer cold wheat packs can give me relief. The wheat packs don't get wet or damp as it's wheat inside them and it causes no damage at all to them. It also means as they warm up from being in contact with your skin you don't get dripping water from ice... And I just pop them in the freezer for next time.

You really do have my sympathy, that insane itch is just the worst, particularly the upper back where you can't quite get to it. I have a comb with a handle and long hair clip holders that I use to scratch it.

Another thing I have found is that with the weather season changes and the changing air environment our skin dries out and dry skin exacerbates it. Usually you will find air conditioning units used to to cool or heat homes, shopping malls or centres and offices that they suck all the moisture from our skin surface. Even a hot roaring natural fire in the home will dry your skin out. So to combat this, after a shower either morning or night, whichever one best suits you, I quickly and gently pat myself down with a towel being sure to leave some damp skin behind. Then, before my skin is totally dry I apply vitamin E cream to my arms, legs, neck, face and everywhere on my back that I can reach. You can apply it sparingly or liberally, I find I just dip all 4 of my fingers in the tub and that will give me enough coverage for both arms, face, chest and neck, and another dip does my lower back, legs and feet. The damper your skin is the further the cream spreads. If you have totally dried off you will use loads of cream and it doesn't penetrate as well. Using it liberally is not necessary unless you have a particular batch of dry skin you want to heal (elbows or cracked heels)

Don't fuss about the expensive branded vitamin e cream, just the cheapest version you can buy from the supermarket or shops, it soaks in much quicker than Sorbolene and doesn't leave a sticky feeling. I use REDWIN vitamin E and it has a touch of evening primrose oil in it. By the time you have rubbed it in quickly over your body you are dry and ready to dress. Seeing as your itch happens at night, you might want to try it after an evening shower. Don't use very hot water when showering, it brings your nerves to the surface and will overheat your body making it ready for a good itch. I shower now in the mornings and no matter how cold it is, I finish off with cooler water. Excessive washing in water also dries out skin out and encourages itching, so I have perfected the art of showering in the quickest of time and only when washing my hair am I in there longer.

At the start if each new season (4 times a year) I will stand in either the shower or sit in an empty bath (essential so you don't cause a mess on the floor) and exfoliate my body skin (not my face) wherever I can reach. I use a tablespoon of rock salt and white or brown sugar mixed with 2 already cooled wet tea bag contents. Combine them altogether in a small bowl and rub in gentle circular motions over your skin, rinse off and follow up with a soothing bath using 2 or 3 tablespoons of Epsom salts, 1 tablespoon of Radox and 1 tablespoon of baby oil. To exfoliate your face, try a warm used teabag still in its bag and gently rub over your forehead, chin, nose, cheeks and neck. Once the bag splits you have done enough... Good luck