Crazy Painful itching all over body in winter

I am a forty year old very active male, everything listed in here began happening to me last year out of the blue.  I live in Canada and we experience winter for 7 to 8 months of the year, dry skin, forced air heating, etc.  I recently went on vacation to New York during a hot summer and Miami twice in the last year and felt no symptoms whatsoever until I returned to Canada and then the disaster began again.  I go to the gym 4-6 times per week, have been for approx 10 years, the first 15 minutes are a complete nightmare and then it lessens, I don't quite sweat but my forehead may get damp, by the end of the workout I am ignoring it and it has lessened.  Pot lights in stores, sunshine through glass windows concentrated, layers of clothes, and people cranking the thermostat all send me into angry itchy pins and needles like i'm being stabbed.  It has been getting progressively worse, any tension, bickering children, job related stress etc all set it off, I get one or two warning shots on my stomach, back of neck or hairline and I know in 2-3 minutes I am going to get the full treatment.  Hot showers and baths also set it off.  I have used baby oil and vitamine E oil on my entire body neck down since I was 18 and read an article in GQ Magazine saying that it was a good idea, I have always had exceptionally good skin and never had a problem with clogged pores or anything else.  I worked in the Middle East 3 years ago before this all started and the odd time worked in situations where temperatures were in excess of 58 Celcius, never had a problem with the temperature at all.  I have traditionally been wired for extremely hot weather and hate to be cold.  Not sure where this came from, don't want it, it's a pain.  I have noticed I am starting to modify my behavior to avoid what I think may be an attack, most of it seems to be heat related, some of it is definitely starting to be mental.  I am thrown by not having had an attack on my New York and Miami trips, I was in heat situations that would have done me in if I were in Canada, nothing happened to me at all, I am not sure what this means.  Hope we can all sort this out.  Cheers. 

I have the same problem, except its not seasonal for me, happens all the time. This started happening to me 2 years ago, it was pretty bad back then but now not so much. I think its kinda a psychological problem in that if you think that its gonna appear than it will. Though really anxious/nervous situations or whatever you call them, the 1000 needles start attacking and red itchy patches appear mainly on my upper torso and neck.

I also don't sweat at all when doing physical stuff, though my hands a feet sweat like hell when playing intense computer games

oh wow, and to think i was the only one suffering this.

i too suffer this only during the cooler climates (autumn/winter) and it really impacts on what I do.  it affects me from the upper body right to the top of my head.

when i go to the gym, 5-10 mins in to the workout it hits me and i just can't help but start scratching various areas of my body.

when i'm in various confronting/nervous/excited situations.

when walking in the winter sun for a prolonged period of time under winter clothing.

carrying heavy items for long periods can also bring out the intense itch.

also, not sure if anyone else has this also, but when i eat spicy food.  even if it's not that hot!

taking longer absolute cold showers seems to decrease the intensity at times, but not really practical in winter, and yes, taking a cold shower there and then when the itch is happening, alleviates it.

once, my body became so itchy that i didn't scratch because i was talking to someone that i felt i was about to pass out!

during summer/spring time, i don't suffer this burning itch problem!  i'm always fearful when the cold season comes around because i know of what i will endure.

i've been to the doctor and taken an allergy test but only allergic to household dust.  i will try magnesium tablets as suggested previously.  i do take a vitamin & mineral supplement already.  will see how it goes.

Hi Everyone:

 

Well, it looks as though we suffer from a very similar unknown condition...however, with mine...it does seem to be heat related, but it is when I cool down.  This morning I started my morning work out, and the gym was kinda cool, but I felt it right away as soon as I started to sweat.  I went into the sauna and it felt it drastically better, but then I needed to shower...so, I hopped in the shower, and there was barely any warm water, so I figured having a cooler shower would be better anyways so I could aclmitize as the change room was freezing bc of the A/C.  I shower, and I get dressed and I'm fine.  It started about 10 mins later when I started blow drying my hair my legs started going off.  It was brutal.  I had taken a Reactine (cetirizine HCl) and that of course didn't help.

I have the same syptoms as most of you:  crazy, painful, prickling itch, that isn't really like a itch at all but my nerves are totally firing off, no visible rash, hives or welts.  It is focused on my legs, back and upper chest only.  Sometimes my arms.  And for me, it happens whenever.  I live in Canada, so I know the effects of dry winters...but, I usually keep my skin moistorized, and right now I do not have dry skin.  It is summer, and TO has been extrememly hot this year...with tempartures ususally reaching a high of 25 degrees C or 80 degrees F or higher with the humidex. So, yes, sweat seems to help, however, it is when I sweat I almost immediately cool down and thats what seems to set me off.  As I sit and write this, I am fine...and I am wearing a short sleeve top and long pants in a relitively cool building with the outside temp being about 25C.

I dunno, I'm at my wit's end...I've tried everything from a complex B vitamin pill, healthy diet and exercise...all my blood work comes back clean...and I am seeing a naturopath along with GP.  It's like i have to avoid any activity where my skin gets too hot and tries to cool down too quickly!  When I see my GP next, I'm going to talk to her about seeing a neurologist.  I think it has something to do with the nervous system rather than a dermitologist or allergist...I've been to both to no avail.

Good luck everyone, and I hope everyone finds what works for them...it is good to know it is not in my head!

hey i m quiet amazed because i was suffering from same 2 same problems last year when i was just 17 .whenever i walked a certain distance or do any activity or i can just say that whenever my body got heated by any way a itching of differnt type starts all over my body in winters only . u can say that pin and needles were all over the body.when i calm down it just goes slowly.it was amazing painfull and produces restlessness .i went to a doctor he was a physician . he told that i was having cold allergy and he gave me some anti allergic medicines. but nothing worked at all . suddenly or u can fortunately a physciatrist visited to our school and he told the symptoms of anxiety disorder and pins and needles was one of that which was starting sign of anxiety disorder and took place between the age 16-20 years of age only. i was really surprised to hear that n very similar day i went to a physciatrist.he gaven me some benzodiazapines n i was feeling very good after the 1st week of treatment.really it worked. so believe me any symptoms aprt from pins and needles such as :-
1} restlessness
2} lack of sleep
3}lots of dreams during sleep.
4}unknown pain in any part of the body.
5}unable to wake up early in the morning.
6}lack of confidence and intrest .
if u see any above symptoms with pins and needles then dont think and just run to a good physciatrist.i hope u it will help u.
bye n best of luck 4 ur future.

I too have the same problem during winters.. Whenever I walk or do some physical activity, my body gets heated and feel itching all over my body. I get calm down when go to cool place or spread water over my body. This happens every winter while in summer I am alright. I too don't sweat in winter. In summer also I sweat very less. If I do some exercise in the morning Or even half an hour walk, I have observed that it reduces.

Hi Everyone!

Nice to meet you here! I had the same problem years ago, exactly the same problem, happened in winters only. I tried everything possible, I saw a lot of doctors, but none of them could really help. After three years of trying, finally I found a solution, which works quite well, and from then on, once the itching attack me, I will use this solution, and the itching disappears. Check my profile to find the solution.

Good luck to you!
Karl Hood

I know i'm a year late for a reply to this but this sounds like Eczema.  If you're down to treat yourself you can try Cortisone Maximum Strength. If it gets better after a few treatments than more than likely it's Eczema. Doctors normally give a steroid cream. Lotions help. Taking too many baths or showers will dry out your skin. Pat with the towel don't rub. Eczema is different for each person and it's appearance can be different per person as well.  

Hi Everyone,

What causes itchy skin?

I get this all the time. I have no clue what it is... my parents just shrug it off, thinking it's just laundry detergent or something. I've figured out that whenever I get hot or start to sweat or anything i get an "attack" (it really does feel like that, can't do anything about it except sit there and hope it goes away... or push through it. I've been able to do that a couple times and if i started really sweating *a lot* it'd go away for the most part). I've also got little red spots all over my arms, and some on my back. They look like really little pimples or something... I've also noticed that if i shower twice a day in *really* hot water it tends to go away after a while... no idea if that's true or not... because today I just hopped in the shower, it was hot... as I said, I always take hot showers. But I started to feel itchy, and it gradually spread... eventually it got bad enough that I honestly couldn't stand, and it was more of needle stabbing and less of a really really bad somewhat hurting itch like normal. So I fell over in the shower, and after a point... I couldn't control my arms and legs, just had to sit there and hope it went away, was hell. Been an hour since it happened and I'm still shaking, this has scared the c**p out of me... really need to figure out what it is, so if anyone has *any* ideas at all, i'm willing to listen. :x

i also suffer from this thing itching in winter .

i tried HOMOPATHIC medicing  SAC LAC200 and APIS 200  twice daily it give 60-70% cure  not every time but in sunlight and many time so all of u try these medicin and c the result i definatly say u all get some relief .

and if u get a fool proof  solution plz let us know

 

I have the same problem, I live in England and it starts every October and ends around April. In the past i have had a few holidays during the UK winter to places like Thailand, Brazil, Philippines to name a few and during my stay away is like a light switch and completely stops. I like to workout but this is a big hinderance. I really want to get to the bottom of this... Is there something i am missing in my diet? or something i need more of? I read earlier in this thread that taking Flaxseed oil helped someone.. I will try that and let you know how i get on.

Hello Everyone. Names Ramel and I've had this problem for a very long time myself. I started off thinking that it was a problem with dry skin or something but sure enough, as I am sure all of you may know as well, its a much worse problem than that. I believe the condition is in fact Cholinergic Uticaria and yes it is very painful and annoying to deal with, but believe it or not the solution is quite simple. There is no cure particularly but there is a suppressant and it isn't something you'll find in any drug store or from your doctor. The solution lies within your own body and it is Sweat or Perspiration. That's it. It may sound stupid and trust me at first i had very little hope but the point is to allow your body to sweat as much as possible even if you have to force it. Once you begin to sweat you'll be relieved. the problem with the body in simplistic terms is that even though your body is heating up your sweat glands aren't producing sweat as easily. so that's why it only occurs when your body temperature starts to rise or when there's a large shift in temperature such as when you come from outside on a cold day into your warm home. I will tell you its going to be hard at first but once your body starts to get used to sweating again it will get better. Think of it as training your body to learn to sweat and regulate body temperature. I live in New York City and around the winter it gets pretty cold and that's when it used to get to me, but I'm happy to say that this has been my first winter since I've been experiencing this horrible disease that i haven't had one problem NOT ONE this entire winter, and that's all because i would always make sure my body was sweating as often as i could make it, and its been a HUGE relief for me. I urge all of you to follow suit and do the same. I know how this pain feels and it SUCKS.Please don't waste your money on all of these medications and treatments and such, its really a waste. Your body can be very complex and has its own methods of dealing with certain problems you just have to trust your body and work with it. Anyway I wish all of you Luck in dealing with this condition. The key is to be strong and never give up.

Buddy i have the same problem...have u found any cure for this?

wow im not alone im from Nj but i live in egypt and i still get the same problem when ever i try to explain it to doctors they look at me like im stupid i been having this problem now for at least 3 years i havent found a way to get rid of it yet but what i do is