Burning, itching and hot skin condition - please help

[cool4cats]

I'm hoping someone else can relate to the skin condition I have and may be able to offer some help and advice on either curing or relieving the symptoms.

It started five years ago when I returned from a holiday to Italy. When I was home about 2 weeks my shoulders and arms started to itch and burn with large red patches of heated skin appearing. It went on for weeks and I was eventually seen by a dermatologist who unfortunately couldn't find the cause and said it was a form of urticaria, she advised me to moisturise daily and that was that. The condition lasted for about 10 months and then disappeared as quickly as it came.

Then the next Autumn the condition returned and lasted until the springtime, it's been that way ever since, returning in the Autumn and disappearing by Spring.
It seems to flare up as soon as I start to wear heavier clothing such as a jumper, I thought that maybe the central heating was a trigger but it happens when the heating is off.
My arms and shoulders have a sensation like needles sticking into me, it burns and stings and then starts to itch. It happens when I'm in bed at night, I have to sleep with my arms on top of the sheets and during the day indoors I have to roll up my sleeves, but if I get warm it flares up regardless of being sleeveless.

The red patches which appear are hot to the touch, there are no bumps or any kind of risen spots or blisters. It is mainly my arms which are affected, I scratch to try to relieve the itching and burning but it makes it worse and is quite painful.
I have tried various moisturisers and coolers and anti-histamines none of which give any relief.
I sometimes feel like I have sunburn, it tingles and burns just like it.

I am at my wits end with it all, I can't get any kind of relief and am losing sleep, I am irritable and have become quite depressed.
I know that by the Spring it will subside but there are a few months to go. The only hint of the irritation I get in the Summer is if the strap of my shoulder bag is pressing down onto my clothing, I then get a burning and itching feeling until I remove the strap.

It is burning and stinging right now as I'm typing, it hasn't stopped all day.

Please if anyone can help or has the same kind of condition I would be so grateful.

[grandmaBrenda]

I would suggest seeing an allergest. get some blood work done. i know it is a pain to go to the doctors but it will be well worth it if the cause of your discomfort is diagnosed. blessings and i hope you will find out what is wrong. please come back and share with us. seems we always have questions but hardly anyone comes back to tell how they are doing.

[cool4cats]

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for your reply.
I have had blood work done but it didn't reveal anything, the hospital doctor didn't know what the cause of my condition was and discharged me.

[Dr.Deepak]

Welcome Gillian to DermaTalk. Few questions...
Does the lesion come and go? or the lesion just persists throughout the winter?
If come/go how long does lesion (red patches) lasts? do they erupt on same location every time?
Do you see any small bleeding spots?
When u press those red patches, does the patch fade out?
Where exactly on arms and shoulder it is affected? is it the same place every time or different?
Is it just the upper arm or it also includes forearm, wrist and fingers?
Do you have joint pain (any joints)? or shoulder arms muscle pain?
Any history of arthritis, diabetes or any specific disease that you might want to explain?

Try scratching the forearm (inner-side) and see if u get raised wheal after few minutes.
Try applying ice-cube for few minutes 3-4 minutes and see if u get wheal on the area.

If possible could you please upload the pics of the rash, that might help.

[cool4cats]

Hello Dr. Deepak and thanks for the welcome and your reply.
Here are the answers to your questions:

The red patches are around mostly in the autumn and winter, the only time I get them in the summer is if for example the strap of my handbag presses down onto my clothing, if it gets hot it leaves a red mark in the shape of the strap on my shoulder.
In autumn and winter the red patches can last all day and every day, the only time they ease off is if I am very cold.
I don't seem to be getting any relief from the terrible burning, stinging and itching. I have it during the night and my sleep is disturbed.
The red patches appear on my shoulders, upper arms and forearms, they do not appear on my wrists, fingers or hands. They appear in usually the same places, but always on the outside and not the inside of my arms.
When I press the red patches they turn white for a couple of seconds and then go back to red.

I don't see any small bleeding spots and I don't get muscle or joint pain. I do not have diabetes or arthritis or any other illness.

I did as you asked and scratch the inner side of my forearm, a raised wheal did not appear after a few minutes.
The same for the ice cube, no raised wheal appeared.

Today I feel as if I am sunburned, my face is hot and tingling but no other symptoms at all.
I will take some photos of my red patches for you to see.

Thank you for your time.