Comparison between Steroid Injection and Stretching Exercise on the Scalene of Patients with Upper Extremity Paresthesia: Randomized Cross-Over Study

PURPOSE: To compare the therapeutic effects on upper extremity paresthesia of intra-muscular steroid injections into the scalene muscle with those of stretching exercise only. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with upper extremity paresthesia who met the criteria were recruited to participate in this single-blind, crossover study. Fourteen of 20 patients were female. The average age was 45.0+/-10.5 years and duration of symptom was 12.2+/-8.7 months. Each participant completed one injection and daily exercise program for 2 weeks. After randomization, half of all patients received ultrasound-guided injection of scalene muscles before exercise, while the other was invested for the other patients. RESULTS: After two weeks, there was a significant decrease of the visual analog scale score of treatment effect compared with baseline in both groups (6.90 to 2.85 after injection and 5.65 to 4.05 after stretching exercise, p50% reduction in post-treatment visual analog scale, was 18 of 20 (90.0%) after injection, compared to 5 of 20 (25.0%) after stretching exercise. There were no cases of unintended brachial plexus block after injection. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided steroid injection or stretching exercise of scalene muscles led to reduced upper extremity paresthesia in patients who present with localized tenderness in the scalene muscle without electrodiagnostic test abnormalities, although injection treatment resulted in more improvements. The results suggest that symptoms relief might result from injection into the muscle alone not related to blockade of the brachial plexus.

Efficacy of gabapentin in the improvement of pruritus and quality of life of patients with notalgia paresthetica

BACKGROUND: notalgia paresthetica is a subdiagnosed sensory neuropathy presenting as a condition of intense itching and hyperchromic macule on the back that interferes with daily habits. OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of treatment of notalgia paresthetica using oral gabapentin, assessing the degree of improvement in itching and influence on quality of life. Moreover, to evaluate the signs and symptoms associated with notalgia paresthetica. METHODS: We conducted an experimental, non-randomized, parallel, non-blinded study including 20 patients with clinical and histopathological diagnosis of notalgia paresthetica. After application of the visual analogue scale of pain adapted for pruritus and of the questionnaire of dermatology life quality index (DLQI), ten patients with visual analogue scale > 5 were given treatment with gabapentin at the dose of 300 mg/day for four weeks. The other ten were treated with topical capsaicin 0.025% daily for four weeks. After the treatment period, patients answered again the scale of itching. RESULTS: The use of gabapentin was responsible for a significant improvement in pruritus (p=0.0020). Besides itching and hyperchromic stain on the back, patients reported paresthesia and back pain. It was observed that the main factor in the worsening of the rash is heat. CONCLUSION: Gabapentin is a good option for the treatment of severe itching caused by nostalgia paresthetica. .

Notalgia parestésica / Notalgia paresthetica

La notalgia parestésica es una neuropatía sensorial caracterizada clínicamente por una mancha hiperpigmentada bien circunscrita localizada en la espalda, que afecta las áreas correspondientes a los dermatomos D2 a D6. El prurito es el síntoma más común, aunque algunos pacientes describen otras sensaciones, incluyendo ardor, parestesia, hiperestesia o dolor. Los hallazgos histopatológicos son inespecíficos. Su etiología no ha sido claramente demostrada, pero en algunos casos existe una llamativa correlación con patología de la columna vertebral, incluyendo cambios degenerativos y/o hernias del núcleo pulposo. El diagnóstico diferencial incluye la neurodermitis y la amiloidosis macular. No existe un tratamiento definitivo para la enfermedad. Se han empleado diversas terapias incluyendo capsaicina tópica, bloqueo anestésico para vertebral, oxcarbazepina, gabapentina y toxina botulínica.

Notalgia paresthetica is a sensory neuropathy characterizd clinically by a well-circumscribed hyperpigmented patch located on the back, affecting the areas corresponding to dermatomes D2-D6. Pruritus is its most common symptom, but some patients describe other sensations including burning, paresthesia, hypeesthesia or pain. Histopathological findings are not specific. The etiology of this condition has not be en clearly demonstrated but in some cases there exists a striking correlation with spinal pathology, including degenerative changes or a herniated nucleous pulposus. Differential diagnoses include neurodermitis and maclular amyloidosis There is no definitive treatment for the disease diverse therapies have been employed including topical capsaicin paravertebral local anesthetic block, oxcarbazepine, gabapentir and botulinum toxin type A.

Meralgia paraesthetica.

Forty-four patients of meralgia paraesthetica presented with combination of symptoms mainly of numbness with loss of superficial sensation on the anterolateral aspect of a thigh were selected for the study. They responded well to local infiltration of hydrocortisone acetate and lignocaine hydrochloride which not only helped in diagnosis but also prevented the recurrence of symptoms in majority of cases.