Prickly arm

[Mervetheswerve]

I’m two and a bit years into my PMR journey and have just gone back up to 10mg of pred a day with my doctor’s blessing following a flare at 5.5mg/day. My question though is about a prickly/sore/burning sensation on my left forearm. It’s very isolated to the area below my elbow to above the wrist. Sometimes it’s worse than others. I’ve been living with it for several months now but thought I’d mention it to this excellent pool of resource and expertise. Has anyone experienced similar sensations? Many thanks. Merve

[Miserere]

Is there any swelling?

[Mervetheswerve in reply to Miserere]

No swelling, no.

[Toolie2 in reply to Mervetheswerve]

I have a sensation of warmth in my left arm, just below my elbow. It doesn’t feel warm from the outside to touch and isn’t uncomfortable or there all the time.

Is it connected with your flare? Did it begin around the same time? I associate the warmth in my arm with slight increase of GCA symptoms so take it as a warning. But yours sounds much more unpleasant.

[Mervetheswerve in reply to Toolie2]

It’s not in synch with the flare. I had neuropathy tests-needles in the arm, electric currents and all that but it didn’t find anything. All very mysterious.

[Miserere in reply to Mervetheswerve]

Sorry, in that case I don't know what it might be. As Snazzy says it may be nerve entrapment and GP is probably the place to start.

[Angelsmummy]

Morning M,funny that,I get that sensation in my lower left leg!Am on 5 1/2 mg tapering to 5 mg for my GCA/ PMR.Do have a lot of scar tissue on that leg through a horrific leg injury I got about 4 years ago so I put itdown to that.Maybe it is,maybe it isn’t .Weird to say the least,mainly when I am laying down. Maybe it was the blood clot I had there years ago restricting the blood flow,.Sorry this probably doesn’t help you at all.!🎄🎁🤶😜

[Mervetheswerve in reply to Angelsmummy]

That sounds nasty but is probably different to my issue. Thanks for responding anyway. M

[SnazzyD]

It could be some sort of nerve entrapment up-stream somewhere up to the neck but carpal tunnel syndrome can affect the forearm. Someone with proper anatomic knowledge ought to be able to tell you what. I don’t mean a rheumatologist either, but someone who deals with ‘nuts and bolts’ who can also check for non structural causes. A GP would be a start.

[Mervetheswerve in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks Snazzy. Dr was/is always my first port of call. I was referred for the tests as mentioned above.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I do get areas that feel as if the skin has been scalded or burnt - not permanent and to be honest I have never registered how long it persists. I assume it is probably something neuropathic but since it goes away no-one is likely to take much interest!!

[Mervetheswerve in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I know what you mean on the interest front. Mine is there all the time but to different degrees. I just thought I’d put it out there to see if anyone had similar issues. It’s probably completely unrelated to PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mervetheswerve]

I can remember pre-pred that I had large areas of skin that got very cold - and sort of have the impression the same tender feeling was there, But that IS a long time ago so maybe I'm havering ...

[Mervetheswerve in reply to PMRpro]

“Havering”. There a good Scottish word! I guess everyone’s experience is different to a certain extent but who knows. M

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mervetheswerve]

Some 50 years ago 4 of us used to head to Italy in a VW campervan, in one direction pr the other over the Brenner, in those days usually under the Europa bridge, looking up at it. And passing the turns to Mutters and Natters, to which we added Havers and Blethers ...

[Mervetheswerve in reply to PMRpro]

Brilliant. Good memories. Thanks for sharing Pro! M