Brachioradial Pruritus

Chronic Arm Itching Caused by Nerve Irritation — Not a Skin Problem

Understanding Brachioradial Pruritus

Brachioradial Pruritus (BRP) is a neurological condition that causes intense, sometimes unbearable itching, burning, or tingling—usually on the outer forearms, upper arms, or shoulders.

Despite sounding like a skin condition, BRP is not a skin problem at all. It comes from nerve irritation, most commonly in the neck.

-People with BRP describe sensations like:
-Deep, intense itching that feels “under the skin”
-Burning or stinging
-Pins-and-needles or electric sensations
-Itching that worsens with heat or sunlight
-Symptoms that come in waves or flare-ups
-Scratching that provides little to no relief

Some people even use ice packs multiple times per day because cold temporarily calms irritated nerves.

This is one of the biggest clues that BRP is neurological — not dermatological.

What Actually Causes Brachioradial Pruritus?

BRP is now widely understood to come from cervical spine nerve irritation—not from the skin itself.
Specifically, irritation or compression of nerves exiting the neck at:
‍
-C5
-C6
-C7

‍These nerve roots supply sensation to the forearms, shoulders, and upper arms.
Common causes of this irritation include:

-Cervical disc degeneration
-Arthritis or bone spurs
-Herniated or bulging discs
-Forward-head posture
-Whiplash or neck injuries
-Atlas (C1) or Axis (C2) misalignment altering nerve tone
-Muscle tension compressing nerves

Even mild misalignment in the upper cervical spine can shift the posture of the entire neck downward, increasing pressure on the sensory nerves that control the skin of the arms.
This explains why so many BRP patients also suffer from:

-Neck tightness or stiffness
-Headaches
-Shoulder tension
-Posture imbalance
-History of neck injuries

BRP often begins months or years after an old neck injury—especially one that was never fully corrected.

Why Sunlight and Heat Make It Worse

Many BRP patients notice their itching gets worse with:

-Hot weather
-Sun exposure
-Exercise heat
-Warm showers

This is because heat increases nerve activity and inflammation, making irritated nerves fire more aggressively.
If the underlying cervical misalignment remains uncorrected, these nerves stay hypersensitive.

Ice helps because cold slows nerve conduction — but it does not address the root cause.

Why Dermatology Treatments Often Fail

Because BRP presents as itching, most people naturally visit a dermatologist.
But common dermatology treatments usually offer little or no relief:

Steroid creams
Antihistamines
Anti-itch lotions
Moisturizers
Topical anesthetics
UV therapy
Antibiotics
Anti-inflammatory creams

These treatments focus on the skin, but BRP originates in the nervous system.
This is why patients often spend months or years trying creams, medications, or allergy tests—without lasting improvement.

The solution requires addressing nerve irritation at the neck.

The Upper Cervical Connection

Upper cervical misalignment (especially of C1 and C2) can:

-Shift the entire neck into abnormal posture
-Increase tension on lower cervical nerves
-Affect spinal cord and brainstem function
-Heighten sensory nerve sensitivity
-Create inflammatory patterns along C5–C7
-Trigger abnormal sensory signals that feel like itching or burning

Because the brainstem regulates nerve firing and pain/itch perception, even small misalignment at the atlas can dramatically affect nerve irritation in the arms.

Correcting the top of the neck reduces the mechanical stress on the lower cervical nerves — calming the abnormal signals that create itching.

How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Helps Brachioradial Pruritus

At Atlas Specific Chiropractic, we use a precise, non-invasive, scientific approach to correcting the upper cervical spine.

✔ Functional Neurological Scans (Tytron)
Reveal patterns of nerve irritation that correlate with BRP.

✔ Precision 3-View Upper Cervical X-Rays
Measured to 1/100th of a degree and millimeter—far more precise than general chiropractic imaging.

✔ Gentle Upper Cervical Correction (AHKC Technique)
No twisting.
No cracking.
No popping.
Just exact, calculated adjustments based on your individual anatomy.

✔ Nervous System Stabilization
Many BRP patients report improvements such as:

-Decreased itching intensity
-Less burning or nerve pain
-Fewer flare-ups
-Better sleep
-Reduced reliance on ice packs
-Improved neck mobility
-Better posture and less shoulder tension

As the nervous system calms and alignment stabilizes, the hypersensitive nerve pathways can finally heal.

Signs Your BRP Is Coming From Your Neck

You may be an ideal candidate for upper cervical care if:

-You have unilateral or bilateral arm itching
-Ice helps more than creams
-Heat or sun makes it worse
-You have a history of neck injury or whiplash
-You have poor posture or forward-head posture
-You have neck stiffness, headaches, or shoulder tension
-Dermatology treatments haven’t worked

These are classic signs of cervical nerve involvement.

Relief Begins by Correcting the Source

Brachioradial pruritus can be overwhelming, frustrating, and confusing — especially when traditional skin-based treatments fail.
But when the cervical nerves calm and alignment is restored, patients often regain their quality of life.

At Atlas Specific Chiropractic in Hiawatha, IA, we help patients throughout the Cedar Rapids area find natural, lasting relief from BRP by correcting the root cause at the top of the spine.

📞 Call (319) 343-8540 or schedule your first visit to begin your healing.