Brachio Radial Pruritis Treatments

Since there is no cure for brachioradial pruritis, this hub will explore and seek your input into what has helped you or has worked to relieve the symptoms of itching and burning of this skin condition.

If you aren't sure what this condition is, or if you have it, read more about my experience with brachioradial pruritis and what I have learned about it since being diagnosed with it.

As an overview, this condition is a skin condition that is caused by overexposure to the sun or a c-spine problem, generally, that causes a painful and severe itching and burning in the forearm area.  Generally, in America it is noted mostly on the left arm.  There usually isn't any signs or visible symptoms such as bumps or rashes that indicate you have it.  However, it is usually visible from the amount of scratching that you have done to the arm that is affected seeking relief from the itching and burning.

It is usually most notable in the summer months, towards the end of summer and into fall after the main sun season is over.  However, it can also be found in those that work in the sun often or are driving often.  The sun causes a hypersensitivity to the nerves in the arms, which when exposed to the sun, causes the itching to flare up.

There is much debate and research that has listed numerous medical conditions that will cause this, however my personal experience is noted to be exposure to the sun that causes the flare ups and painful itching.  I am not a doctor and this hub is written from my personal experience and what I have found that has helped me.  If you aren't sure if you have this condition, seek medical treatment from your physician or dermatologist for further help and diagnostic treatments.

When first diagnosed with this condition, my dermatologist wrote a prescription for me for a topical anesthetic cream.  It is a compound mix of Fluocin, Phenol and Menthol.  While I'm not sure what each one does, it has a cooling feeling on my arm when first applied.  However, I have found that it doesn't help all the time.  For example, right now after applying the stuff to my arm, it still feels like there is pinpricks on my forearm.  I have also noticed that it seems like the itching has moved to my elbow and the fold on the inside of my arm where my elbow bends.

While it has helped some, even after applying it, if I go out in the sunlight, it seems to flare right back up and gets worse throughout the day.  Another thing that is suggested to help is using sunscreens with a high sunblock rating or covering the arm with a long sleeve shirt is reported to help.

As mentioned in the last section, it is reported that using a high PF sunscreen might help.  From my research, there is a limited number of people that have reported that this has helped.  Since the condition, when diagnosed from overexposure to the sun, is caused by damage to the nerves from the sun, once that damage has occurred it is often to late.

The better solution, and I have tried it, is to keep your arm covered when out in the sun.  While this isn't a practical solution, especially during the hot summer months to wear a long sleeve shirt, I have just taken a spare t-shirt with me to cover my forearm when standing around in the sun.

Another idea is to wrap your arm or wear a shirt that has longer sleeves that cover as much as possible of the affected area.

I noticed that when I would take a shower, as soon as the warm or hot water would start touching the area of my forearm, the itching would start up. So, what I began doing is as soon as I was done rinsing the soap off, I would turn the water to as cold as I could stand it and put my arm in. This did help quite a bit to cool it off and it actually felt pretty good to me.

This would usually allow me the time to get out of the shower and then apply the cream that was prescribed for me. While this did help some, it didn't help all the time or completely.

Another thing that I would do is to use an icepack. I have one of those gel type icepacks that you keep in the freezer and would put it on directly to my skin for about 5 to 10 minutes and move it around a little. Since ice is a great treatment for swelling for injuries, I had read that it worked with this condition. It did help quite a bit by numbing the area.

Another possible solution that I have not tried is using the cooling gels that you can buy that are for sunburns.  These gels usually have some type of menthol in them and since they are designed to relieve pain from sunburn, they might work with treating the burning sensation.  I know that these are not the same as a prescription analgesic cream, however it is worth a shot.

While I'm not currently taking any prescriptions for brachioradial pruritis, my dermatologist has told me that there are some nerve medicines that help calm the nerves in the body that might help.  One of them that he has told me that we could try is using Neurontin.

I'm not sure if it will help or if I want to go this route due to possible side effects, it will be worth a shot if the pain and itching keeps up.  However I am going to continue trying the topical cream and keeping my arm covered up.

Since it is coming into the fall season also, hopefully the symptoms will decrease over the winter time.  It is at least nice knowing that there are other possible treatments for next summer as well if I need them.