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Brachioradial Pruritus

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Pruritus

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Abstract

Brachioradial pruritus (BRP) is localized on a circumscribed area on the dorsolateral forearm along the dermatomes C5/C6. It can spread to the dermatomes C3 – Th1. The skin may be affected by acute or chronic scratch lesions, but the skin status may also remain unaffected. Often, the itch is accompanied by allodynia and/or dysesthesias and paresthesias (burning, stinging, prickling and pain). Initially considered as photodermatosis because of a worsening by UV light, in recent studies and case reports, BRP was demonstrated to have a neuropathic origin due to compressions of the spinal cord, cervical radiculopathies of the nerve root of the cervical spine by disc herniations. To exclude spinal and/or central processes as causative factors, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical and thoracic spinal column is strongly recommended. Many patients use ice packs or wet towels to reduce the itch. This so-called “ice-pack sign” might be pathognomonic for BRP. The most promising therapy at present is a combination of anticonvulsant medication, UV light avoidance, capsaicin patch application and intermittent cooling.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Astrid Stumpf MD

  2. Center for Chronic Pruritus (KCP), University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Astrid Stumpf MD

  3. Center for Chronic Pruritus (KCP), Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Claudia Zeidler MD & Sonja Ständer MD

Authors
  1. Astrid Stumpf MD
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  2. Claudia Zeidler MD
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  3. Sonja Ständer MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sonja Ständer MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Brest, Brest, France

    Laurent Misery

  2. Center of Chronic Pruritus, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Sonja Ständer

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© 2016 Springer-Verlag London

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Stumpf, A., Zeidler, C., Ständer, S. (2016). Brachioradial Pruritus. In: Misery, L., Ständer, S. (eds) Pruritus. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33142-3_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33142-3_30

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-33140-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-33142-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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