The December Pain-Blog Carnival is December 31. The submission deadline is December 24.
Twice a month, I’ll answer readers’ questions. Click here to submit a question.
Stephanie writes:
I had a terrible experience with chronic itch, which is (I believe) rarer and less respected than chronic pain. But I can tell you, it was horrifying, and from what I hear about effects of and treatments for chronic pain, chronic itch is quite similar. It would be nice if chronic pain professionals would include chronic itch in their purview.
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Thanks, Stephanie, for an interesting question. I don’t know all that much about chronic itch, but here are some thoughts. I’d be interested in readers’ knowledge as well, or more from Stephanie about her experiences, to share in the comments.
Like in chronic pain, you have to determine if chronic itch is a symptom of a problem, or the problem itself. Let’s look at this more closely: Chronic pain can be a symptom of an underlying disease, e.g. cancer or multiple sclerosis. Or chronic pain can result from a disease process in the pain systems themselves, e.g. CRPS. Similarly, chronic itch can be a symptom of a minor problem, e.g. dry skin, or a more serious disease, e.g. kidney problems. Or, itch can be a disease of the “itch” system itself.
We used to think that itch sensations travel along the same nerve pathways as pains do. However, scientists more recently discovered a separate set of nerves, with wide reach throughout the skin, that seem to be dedicated only to itch.
Another connection between itch and pain is that the body’s opioid system seems to be involved. There are opioid medications (also called narcotics), e.g. morphine, as well as opioids that occur naturally in your body. We’ve known for a long time that a side effect of narcotic medication can be itch. So this led scientists to study how medication that blocks this opioid system might help pain. And guess what… in some cases, it does help significantly.
12 responses so far ↓
Marijke // Dec 28, 2007 at 5:39 am
I happened across this post in your blog and I can so identify with the poster. I have one spot on my left shoulder that is beyond itchy. It’s worse than any pain I’ve experienced and I can’t get relief other than taking an anti-anxiety med.
People don’t understand that an itch is really something that can drive you around the bend. You make good points in your response and when I see my dr in January, I’m going to be more pro-active about doing something about this.
Thank you.
SueB // Jan 9, 2008 at 10:25 am
Sometimes itch an be an indicator of an irritated nerve. I have scoliosis (curvature of the spine). You can’t see it to look at me, but one shoulder is higher than the other and my hips are crooked, too. All of my adult life I have had itching and burning along the inner edge of my right shoulder blade. No rash or anything, just itch and burn. This is my “low” shoulder, so both my osteopath and the massage therapist who treat me think it has something to do with my bones rubbing against a nerve. Sometimes Neurontin (an anticonvulsant) helps this itch. I’ve also heard of people who got relief for this kind of itch from Tegretol, another anticonvulsant. Massage also helps, probably because it physically pushes the structures that are rubbing away from each other.
How to Cope with Pain // Jan 9, 2008 at 2:33 pm
SueB, thanks for your comment. Very interesting idea. And anticonvulsants should help nerve irritation, so it’s interesting that the kind you tried, Neurontin, does help for you.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Lisa K // Jun 10, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Are there any side effects from taking Neurontin?
How to Cope with Pain // Jun 11, 2008 at 10:45 am
Lisa, for many people at low doses, there are no side effects of Neurontin. At higher doses, the common side effects of Neurontin include sedation, dizzyness, nausea, and sometimes mild swelling. In my practice, many people also complain of “fuzzy” thinking, with problems such as word-finding difficulty.
Be sure to talk with your own doctor about your particular situation.
Terri // Jun 17, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I have had chronic itching for 1 yr. 4 mos. I may have had 3 days during this time that I didn’t itch. I have taken so many variations of drugs, antihistamines (up to 175 mg per day), prednisone and have stopped all medications…..still no relief. It is absolutely driving me insane and most days I spend crying because I am so miserable and I feel like my nerves are shot from enduring all this. I have tried Gold Bond Body Lotion in the xtra strength, Presley’s anti-itch sprays, rubbing alcohol…….nothing helps. I have had test after test which are all inconclusive. A biopsy had been done on the skin which only came back to say “possible drug eruption.” Any ideas anyone?
How to Cope with Pain // Jun 17, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Terri, sorry, but that’s outside my range of expertise, so can’t make specific recommendations.. Have you seen a neurologist, instead of treating it as a skin problem?
Pat // Sep 15, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I have endured extremely nerve wracking itching for the last ten years (both arms and back of neck). At times it has been so “painful” I could have torn into my arm. I tried accupuncture to no avail. I also went to John Hopkins and they had no remedy. The itch did subside for two years but just within the last month has returned. The only thing that helps is to freeze the area where the itch occurs. The doctor said that I could damage my skin this way but I’d rather have damaged skin than to live with this. My husband and I both carry plastic zip lock bags for whenever the itch occurs (I never know when). We stop, get ice and I freeze the area.
How to Cope with Pain // Sep 15, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Pat, a new medication, Relistor, which is approved to treat the severe constipation of opiates, has been shown to help with itch, although it’s not approved for this problem. This may be an idea to talk with your doctors about. I’ll be posting about Relistor soon.
Jan // Sep 29, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Hello. I’ve had a chronic itch for nearly four years. It is over more than half my body. One day it is strongest over my back and shoulders, another over my hips and stomach. The right side of my right breast also itches. I’ve scratched until I bleed when it got out of control.
I’ve been to a dermatologist who took a sample of my skin for the lab – no organisms were found. If I take a hot shower, everything is re-ignited – although a very hot shower relieves the itching for a period of time.
I’ve been a potter for 35 years. I’m 73 years old. The only thing that has helped is a cortisone cream called Triamcinolone. I try not to use it too often because I understand it is a steroid. There is no rash – just evidence of where I’ve been scratching.
james // Oct 13, 2009 at 2:26 am
I have had this itch for the last 4+ years. Horrible is the only word I have in mind to describe it. My sleep at nights and my career during the days both have been affected badly by this.
Initially it was my haemoglobin which was too low and was given a simple syrup for a few months but that did not help the itch to go away for good, then my blood tests showed an increased Bilirubin level. And was told that this is causing the itch and was given a simple pill called Liv 52 DS, I am in India at the moment. The itch has reduced a bit but not gone completely.
Sonography has revealed nothing unsual in terms of kidneys, pancreas, gall bladder and liver.
I have been told that this is not serious or life threatening at all. But only I know as to how irritating this has been for the last 4+ yrs.
If you search with two keywords “Bilirubin”+”itch” on Google than you will find a lot of links to pages that discuss itch taking place in people with an elevated amount of a substance called Bilirubin in the liver. Eat less meat, wine, spices, chillies, oil, fat, coffee and believe me this helps.
Larry // Dec 8, 2009 at 1:29 am
I have this same kind of itch at the bottom of my left shoulder blade, just out of reach. I’ve had it for almost a year now. Drives me crazy. There’s no mark or anything visible. I can get it with a back scratcher—that takes the itch away for awhile. I take comfort in knowing that I’m not the only one with this condition. I’m hoping it will eventually go away.
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