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I was recently diagnosed by my dermatologist with notalgia paresthetica, with an itch on the left side of my spine in the central thoracic region of my back. The dermatologist suggested consulting a chiropractor. The chiropractor had never heard of the condition but agreed to try to work on it. He worked on it for about 6 weeks, but provided no relief and said he didn't want to keep taking my money if I had experienced no relief yet. He said he had tried all of his bag of tricks and had nothing more to offer. He did have me get an x-ray of my back, which showed some mild scoliosis, but he was not sure if it was related. My reading has shown that there is no specific known cause, but it is believed to be a result of pressure on a nerve in the spine. There are topical agents that may offer some relief of itching or pain. I don't have pain at this point, only itching. The literature says it is a chronic and potentially degenerative condition that is not easy to treat. It requires a collaborative effort by dermatologists, osteopaths, radiologists, neurologists, and other physicians to attempt to find a solution to deal with the causes and possible solutions. There may be no solution, but various proposals offer some temporary relief for pain or itching. Good luck!
Replies to "I was recently diagnosed by my dermatologist with notalgia paresthetica, with an itch on the left..."
Hello @ereyn, I would like to add my welcome to Connect along with @erikas and other members. I do have an itch feeling on my back that is usually along my spine just below the shoulder blades but I have never thought it to be related to my neuropathy. I have no pain with the itching which I think others have described theirs as intense painful itching. @artscaping may have experience with this type of itching in the discussion listed by Erika - What do you do for Neuropathy itch? I can usually find some relief from my itching the old fashioned way with a long handled back scratcher. The following article from April 2020 mentions some different treatments, including osteopathic spinal manipulation.
- What to know about notalgia paresthetica: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/notalgia-paresthetica
There is also another discussion by @jenniferhunter that you might find helpful - Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
@ereyn Below I have linked a journal article from 2013. The chart that discussed treatments is informative and easy to read. You may want to take a look.
- Notalgia paresthetica: the unreachable itch https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3663387/
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@ereyn Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You were recently diagnosed with notalgia paresthetica and you have yet to find relief.
Notalgia paresthetica is a type of neuropathy. Members like @artscaping @healthhopefreedom @johnbishop @jeffrapp @smbryce1 are currently discussing neuropathic itch. I have linked an example below.
- What do you do for Neuropathy itch? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-do-you-do-for-neuropathy-itch/
You may want to scroll through the past comments to look for suggestions.
May I ask if you have considered looking into seeing a provider that specializes in neuropathic itch?