Notalgia paresthetica

Overview

A rare sensory nerve disorder involving the nerves radiating from the spine and characterized by areas of skin on the back that suffer itching, burning, lack of sensation and sometimes pigmentation

Symptoms

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Notalgia paresthetica includes the 7 symptoms listed below: * Altered sensation * Darkened patch of skin * Itching * Burning * Tingling * Tenderness * Pain

Causes

The correlation of notalgia paresthetica localization with corresponding degenerative changes in the spine suggest that spinal nerve impingement may be a contributing cause

Treatment

Many treatments have been tried, including local anesthetics, topical corticosteroids, and topical capsaicin. [3] Some patients treated with capsaicin reported pain, burning, or tingling sensations with treatment, and symptoms returned within a month of ceasing treatment.[4] Oxcarbazepine was reported to have reduced severity of symptoms in a few cases, but this was a reduction of symptoms rather than a cure. [5] One patient has been treated with "paravertebral nerve blocks, with bupivacaine and methylprednisolone acetate injected into the T3-T4 and T5-T6 intervertebral spaces" [6] Most recently intradermal injections of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) have been tried with some success. Even though botulinum normally wears off in three to six months, the treatment appears to be long term, and it has been theorised that botulinum type A effects lasting change in pain signaling