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I know only my doctor can answer this but I keep forgetting every time I go in there for the check-ups for my injury.
I fractured my back, had some surgery, metal put in, etc.
I have some numbness I have had since surgery, surgery was may 12th earlier this year.
Some of the numbness is going away but a portion of my lower back is still partially numb, like I can "feel" myself touching the area but not totally. (Think lidocane at the dentist numb)
Doesn't really bother me except for when it itches, it'll itch, i'll scratch and then it'll keep itching because I can't feel the scratching.
How on earth can I feel the itching but not the scratching and is this hell? I mean, this feels like a sick joke.
I mean come on...really?
I'm glad I'm not paralyzed but this is hell.
I also have numbness down the outer part of my thighs half way down but it doesn't bother me like my lower back does.
I dont know either, but I do know Aveeno body lotion,
recommended first by a dermotologist to a friend, really can stop itching.
Many people have told me how it worked like nothing else after I told them.
I agree, could it be part of the healing process as blood comes back into the
area and nerves begin to wake up?
Phantom nerve signals. Part of my foot is numb due to severed nerves, and I have neuropathy in my arms. The nerve damage is reflected in these itching, pains that are phantom signals from the nerves.
I'm wondering if heat or cold would help, but you would have to be very careful not to burn yourself or cause a 'frostbite' effect since you may not have nerves that would signal you about too much of either.
Capsaicin is supposed to help. I use it in the winter when my leg aches where I have metal plates. But it's not at all good to use when it's hot outside. You have to wash it off with cold water before you shower with hot water, otherwise it will heat up too much.
... I do know Aveeno body lotion, recommended first by a dermotologist to a friend, really can stop itching. Many people have told me how it worked like nothing else after I told them...Good luck with this, hug.
If you try Aveeno, it may pay to look for their anti-itch concentrated lotion. It has a topical anesthetic (pramoxine HCl) in it. Using this anesthetic with a coolant such as menthol, camphor, or phenol can increase its effectiveness (see link below). Perhaps using it with ice-cooling will work, too.
Today I remembered that I recently heard a NPR Fresh Air radio program about a scientist who is establishing a center for itch at Temple University. He wants to change what he feels is a dismissive attitude toward itch among doctors who see it only as the little brother of pain and think it’s no big deal.
He also is trying to get neurologists to see that some itch is a neurological problem, not a skin condition (like an insect bite or rash), which would be treated by dermatologists.
While looking for info on the TU center, I found this one, too:
CSI
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has launched its new Center for the Study of Itch.
Do you happen to live near either of these centers?
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