1. < Skin Health

Brachioradial pruritus. (severe itching on forearms and neck, no rash).

Posted by Patrick Cotter @patrickcotter, Mar 19, 2012

Does anyone know of this. I think its rare but does exist. My neurologist does not know about this. I have compression between my c5 and c6 cervical disk and have had alot of sun damage to my skin.

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relentless | @relentless | Oct 17, 2018
In reply to @jliv "First, my heart goes out to all BRP sufferers. Only those who have experiened it can..." + (show)
@jliv

First, my heart goes out to all BRP sufferers. Only those who have experiened it can understand the agonizing pain.

I have been living with BRP for 23 years. I typically have 1 - 2 episodes per year, and they can last from 1 - 4 months. Like many of you, I have tried dozens of treatments. The only immediate symptom relief has been ice packs. Well, there is one other method, but I don’t recommend it at all, and that is to knock yourself out with medication (antihistamines, opioids, anything really). I’ve only gone to this extreme a few times, and it isn’t practical or safe.

About 4 years ago I read a little known clinical research paper written by a medically trained acupuncturist in the UK named Dr. Stellon. You can google it or find the link to it in the BRP Wikipedia entry. I found a medically trained acupuncturist in SF and shared the paper with him. He followed the procedure outlined in the paper and after 12 sessions my symptoms were gone. That was 4 years ago.

At present I am about 1 month into a new episode. My first acupuncture appointment is tomorrow.

Happy to answer any questions you might have.

Emphatically Yours,
John

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Hello John. Thank you for your suggestion. I have had this for about 5 yrs. It usually starts in about August and

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relentless | @relentless | Oct 17, 2018
In reply to @relentless "Hello John. Thank you for your suggestion. I have had this for about 5 yrs. It..." + (show)
@relentless

Hello John. Thank you for your suggestion. I have had this for about 5 yrs. It usually starts in about August and

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runs until about end of Oct. This year it started in May when we visited Panama and is still going on. I've tried every otc and prescribed cream out there to no avail. My GP prescribed Gabapentin for lower spine injury and upped it for this recently but that hasn't helped. I tried spinal decompression at the chiropractor with no relief. I have it in both arms now concurrently and in my right arm it runs from shoulder to wrist. Like another sufferer here, only ice or knocking yourself out seems to help. I take ice packs everywhere. I have severe disabling tinnitus as well and it's worse when you're tired. Between the two things I feel like I'm going to go crazy. I'm a retired RN. This started right after I went on long term disability in 2012 after a bad car accident and I'm just glad I don't have to work now because it's a nightmare. I'll check into the treatments you mentioned because I'm desperate. Thanks again and all the best to you and fellow sufferers everywhere.

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neecee | @neecee | Nov 3, 2018

I am so glad (and sad for all of us) to see that I am not the only one dealing with this crazy itch and pain. I have been dealing with this for 10 years now. Some years worse than others but I never thought it was from the sun or from a pinched nerve because mine never happens in the summer. It starts September and ends in March or April. I thought it was from the weather change but again there is never a rash. I also get the pain in both forearms and shoulders. The right side being worse than the left. The only relief I get is from the ice packs. It is maddening and painful and I wish there was a cure. I happened to be going through a very bad bout of it this year and ice is my best friend.

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neecee | @neecee | Nov 3, 2018
In reply to @kimby "I'm on my second round with this disorder. The first time within two weeks of chiropractic..." + (show)
@kimby

I'm on my second round with this disorder. The first time within two weeks of chiropractic treatment I had complete relief. But on this episode I am getting basically no relief after almost two months of treatment. Ice packs are my best friends. And not only am I fighting the BRP I also have Restless leg syndrome and renners, which really stinks with needing ice on arms and hands go White and freezing! Is this all possibly linked together within the nervous system? I do have damage in my c5-6 cervical spine and moderate scoliosis.

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I suffer from both of these maddening disorders. I wonder if they do have something to do with each other? Restless leg comes and goes too but years ago I put a bar of Irish Spring under my fitted sheet and I don't know why or how (and I don't care either) but it relieves the pain in my legs and lets me get some sleep. I barely have it any more and when I do, I refresh the soap by slicing a piece off and replacing it under the sheet. Both of these disorders leave me with many sleepless, painful nights.

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noeley | @noeley | Nov 5, 2018

I too have BRP and this is by far the worse year for me. (I have the problem for 13 years) I did a lot of sunbathing this summer as the weather was beautiful. I paid a high price as both arms were very bad. My GP put me on tablets and they work 90% of the time ( anitriptyline 10mg two to be taken at night) at night before bed they can start itching and a quick placing of ice on the itchy area makes it better in a few minutes. I apply three times a day a cream called BOTANICA NATURAL HERBAL CREAM. I order it on line (www.botanica.ie) because the pharmacy I used has closed down. I also find covering my arms help as it seems to be photo sensitive. If I can be of any help do contact me.

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2 replies
neecee | @neecee | Nov 5, 2018

A friend gave me a tube of Arnicare gel to try and although it doesn’t relieve it completely it certainly does calm it. Hope this helps.

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neecee | @neecee | Nov 5, 2018

Here’s what the tube looks like
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neecee | @neecee | Nov 5, 2018
In reply to @noeley "I too have BRP and this is by far the worse year for me. (I have..." + (show)
@noeley

I too have BRP and this is by far the worse year for me. (I have the problem for 13 years) I did a lot of sunbathing this summer as the weather was beautiful. I paid a high price as both arms were very bad. My GP put me on tablets and they work 90% of the time ( anitriptyline 10mg two to be taken at night) at night before bed they can start itching and a quick placing of ice on the itchy area makes it better in a few minutes. I apply three times a day a cream called BOTANICA NATURAL HERBAL CREAM. I order it on line (www.botanica.ie) because the pharmacy I used has closed down. I also find covering my arms help as it seems to be photo sensitive. If I can be of any help do contact me.

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I too was in the sun a lot this past summer. Paying for it now.

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desertcat | @desertcat | Nov 6, 2018
In reply to @sgmjohnny "I've suffered many years with brachioradial pruritis (BRP) that began on my forearms and extended to..." + (show)
@sgmjohnny

I've suffered many years with brachioradial pruritis (BRP) that began on my forearms and extended to other areas including my trunk & legs. I tried everything from ice packs to hot baths and every anti-itch medication imaginable to ease my itch, especially at night when I would scratch myself bloody to no avail. Four different Dermatologists examined me and prescribed topical applications that were ineffective. One method for relief that I had read about, but never tried, was cervical traction of the neck. I never expected it to be beneficial but I was desperate in need of relief so I ordered a pump-up cervical traction device on Amazon for $18 and started using it twice daily for 30 minutes of cervical extension. Within 24 hours I noticed the itching had decreased and within a week all symptoms of itching ceased. I stopped using the cervical traction device afer a month of itch free sleep. The itching returned after a couple days so I had to go back to using cervical traction and once again I got total relief. That was six months ago and now I do the cervical traction daily and itching has not reoccured. I also purchased a "hang to relax" teter prior to doing neck traction and it helped relieve the itch but I'm in my 80's and had problems hanging upside down 🙂

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Thank you so much for this post! I have suffered with BRP for 10 years and only ice helps me. I'm going to order the cervical traction device today. I'm so grateful to find this forum, this condition really destroys your quality of life. I also have scratched til I bleed and have scars on both arms.

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noeley | @noeley | Nov 6, 2018

Please let us (in the painful BRP club) know how u get on?

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