ear examined rather than continuing to scratch or clean it yourself.
- The Back: When You Can’t See What’s Happening
The back is an interesting place because it is difficult to inspect.
You may feel intense itching without being able to see whether there is a rash.
Sometimes the cause is simply dry skin.
But persistent localized itching on the upper or middle back can occasionally have a neurological component.
One example is notalgia paresthetica.
Despite its complicated name, the condition generally involves chronic itching or altered sensation in a localized area of the upper back, often near the shoulder blade.
Some people describe:
Persistent itching
Burning
Tingling
Numbness
A crawling sensation
The skin may initially look normal.
But repeated scratching can eventually produce a darker or thickened patch.
The exact cause is not always clear, but irritation involving sensory nerves is thought to play a role.
This is an important
