NOTALGIA PARESTHETICA

Course overview

NOTALGIA PARESTHETICA IS A CHRONIC NEUROPATHIC DYSESTHESIA TYPICALLY SEEN IN OLDER FEMALES. IT PRESENTS UNILATERALLY AND IS CHARACTERIZED BY PRURITUS OVER THE MEDIAL ASPECT OF THE INFERIOR SCAPULA LASTING FROM MONTHS TO YEARS. THERE ARE NO PRIMARY CUTANEOUS LESIONS, ONLY SECONDARY CHANGES DUE TO CHRONIC SCRATCHING. DUE TO ITS RELATIVE RARITY AND BENIGN NATURE, FEW STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE ON THIS CONDITION. HOWEVER, IRRITATION OR DAMAGE TO THORACIC NERVES TWO TO SIX HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED AS CAUSATIVE, THOUGH THE EXACT LOCATION OF DAMAGE HAS NOT BEEN ELUCIDATED. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE RISK FACTORS, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF NOTALGIA PARESTHETICA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN ENHANCING CARE DELIVERY FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.