10 unexpected reasons why everything itches

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Even mild itching can signal serious health problems.

Most often, itchy skin has a very obvious cause. You may have been bitten by mosquitoes (mosquitoes, lice, bedbugs or beach bugs). Or you ate strawberries, which you always have a rash on - and hello, familiar allergic scratching. Or maybe you have dermatitis, and then the itching is accompanied by redness, peeling, or thickening of the affected skin.

But sometimes it happens that day after day you itch, and why is not clear. In this case, itching, whichever part of the body it affects, can be the first symptom of very unpleasant diseases. And it would be worth not missing them.

When to see a doctor

Experts from the American research organization Mayo Clinic recommend Itchy skin (pruritus) to visit a physician or dermatologist if, at first glance, itching is unreasonable:

• lasts longer than two weeks and does not go away despite the fact that you try to actively care for your skin and avoid possible allergen products;
• is so intense that it makes you scratch even in public places or interferes with sleep;
• manifests itself in sudden attacks;
• affects the whole body, and is not limited to individual areas;
• accompanied by other physiological changes - weakness and rapid fatigue, weight loss, fever (even slight), increased urge to urinate, constipation or diarrhea.

Even one of the symptoms listed above is already a serious reason to consult a doctor. A doctor can help you figure out exactly what is happening to your skin. Perhaps the reason is not at all in her.

Why is it all itching for you

Doctors do not hide: it is not always possible to establish what exactly caused the itching. However, such cases are rare. Much more often, the reasons for Why So Itchy are still found: however, sometimes not quite where the patient himself suspects. Here are common conditions that can make you itch for no apparent reason.

1. Side effect of taking certain medications

This itching is often accompanied by skin reactions, such as redness or rashes. But in some cases, the skin all over the body just itches. These side effects are seen:

• some drugs for the treatment of hypertension;
• agents used for gout, such as allopurinol;
• drugs with estrogen - the same oral contraceptives;
• amiodarone - a drug that is prescribed for cardiac arrhythmias;
• prescription opioid pain relievers;
• simvastatin is a drug used to lower cholesterol levels.

2. Pregnancy

According to Why So Itchy statistics from the authoritative medical resource WebMD, itchy skin in one form or another worries one or two women out of every 10 pregnant women.

3. Neurological disorders

Itching without rashes, especially if accompanied by tingling and creeping sensations, can be an early symptom of the following conditions:

• shingles;
• multiple sclerosis;
• nerve damage;
• stroke;
• tumors of the brain and spinal cord.

4. Mental disorders

This reason can be suspected by the specific nature of the itching: it seems to such people that something or someone is crawling on their skin. Therefore, they itch, often scratching the epidermis to blood. Compulsive (compulsive) scratching can accompany the following mental illnesses:

• depression;
• anxiety disorders;
• obsessive compulsive disorder;
• psychosis;
• trichotillomania (an obsessive condition in which a person unconsciously pulls out the hair on the head or body).

5. Diabetes mellitus

Itching is one of the earliest and most characteristic symptoms of this disease.

6. Diseases and disorders in the liver

Itching in this case is associated with pruritus associated with cholestasis with the fact that bile stagnation occurs in the diseased liver. And even its cells are completely destroyed (this happens with hepatitis, developing cirrhosis). All this leads to an increase in the content of bile acids and bilirubin pigment, which irritate the skin: it itches.

7. Kidney disease

If the kidneys do not work properly, then, in particular, nitrogenous compounds are formed in the epidermis. The body gets rid of them along with sweat. But, when left on the skin, this sweat causes irritation and itching.

8. Problems with the thyroid gland

Any malfunction of the thyroid gland affects the metabolism. This often results in dry skin, which provokes itching.

9. Iron deficiency

Due to a lack of iron, the body cannot produce the required amount of red blood cells - red blood cells and the essential protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen. This is how anemia develops. Pale and sometimes itchy skin is one of the symptoms of this disorder.

10. Some types of cancer

Unreasonable itching is a rare symptom of cancer. But this is possible. For example, Surprising Reasons Itchy can make itch:

• polycythemia - a tumor process in the circulatory system;
• pancreas cancer;
• Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Given the severity of these diseases, it is quite obvious: if you itch and do not understand why, it is important not to delay visiting a therapist.

Perhaps your itching is just an allergic reaction to your favorite synthetic shirt or new laundry detergent. It will be enough to identify the allergen and you will forget about scabies. But when it comes to more unpleasant conditions, an important rule applies here: the sooner you discover the disease and start treatment, the more successful it will be. Therefore, deal with the causes of itching as quickly as possible. It's in your best interest.