#WHOLE BODY ITCHING REASON SKIN#

Examples include dry skin (xerosis), eczema (dermatitis), psoriasis, scabies, parasites, burns, scars, insect bites and hives. You may also need to see a doctor who specializes in internal medicine (internist) to check for other diseases. If the condition persists for three months despite treatment, see a dermatologist to be evaluated for skin disease. Comes with other symptoms, such as weight loss, fever or night sweats.Comes on suddenly and can't be easily explained.Is severe and distracts you from your daily routines or prevents you from sleeping.Lasts more than two weeks and doesn't improve with self-care measures.See your health care provider or a skin disease specialist (dermatologist) if the itching: Breaking this itch-scratch cycle can be difficult. And the more it itches, the more you scratch. As you rub or scratch the area, it gets itchier. Sometimes itchiness lasts a long time and can be intense. Itchy skin can occur without any other noticeable changes on the skin. Sweet dreams - and fragrance-free creams - may do the trick.įor a wide variety of tips and tricks to stop itching, go here.Itchy skin can affect small areas, such as the scalp, an arm or a leg. That's also why people of all ages scratch more at night or in bed. When one or more of these issues are stripped away and you become less busy (which usually happens in the golden years), you have more time to focus on body issues. Fact is, it's easy to keep your mind off a stray body itch when you're preoccupied with your career, the house or the kids during the day. Alas, not even drinking eight glasses of water a day may offer relief because “dehydration is related more to the ability of the skin to retain water, which acts as a barrier function, as opposed to the consumption of water.” The fallout? Itchiness galore - even in warmer, humid weather when your skin is typically more moisturized. And like those diminished oil glands, “the skin's ability to retain water declines with age,” Schmidt says. Overall dehydrationĭry skin is characterized by a lack of oil-producing glands in your body dehydration is a lack of water. She adds that prescription pain-reducing medications containing opioids (including codeine, oxycodone and fentanyl) commonly cause itching because the narcotic binds to receptors in the nervous system that activate itching. “Some medications can cause itch without rash and it occurs more often in older patients and those on multiple medications,” Schmidt says. Medication side effectsĬarefully read the pharmacist papers that accompany your medications. (When these histamines overreact, an over-the-counter antihistamine such as Benadryl or Allegra reduces or blocks these chemicals and makes you feel better.) However, “there's a decline in histamine reactivity when you age,” Schmidt says. They're an integral part of your body's defense system.

Histamines are chemicals produced in cells throughout the body that act like a bouncer at a club in that they hustle annoying allergens (i.e., something that makes you itch, sneeze or tear up) right out of your skin.

Without the built-in moisturizer, skin becomes unhappy and irritated. “Hormones normally stimulate the oil glands,” Schmidt explains. Not only does this cause lowered sex drive, insomnia, night sweats, vaginal dryness and a decrease in bone density (sigh), skin usually feels like sandpaper. You already know that entering menopause generates all sorts of hormonal changes because of decreased estrogen and progesterone levels. (Just be sure to talk to your own dermatologist for more information and effective treatments.) (And don't scratch!) These explanations may not soothe your skin, but they may ease your nagging mind. So, a little branch of nerves gets fired up pretty quickly.” And if you're not fired up learning that, keep in mind that there are several other underlying reasons that itch persists. “It means that you've had some posture changes that compress the spine, and on top of that, your skin is dry. “It's common on the back around the bra line,” she says. In fact, Schmidt notes that at least one-third of her bothered patients are dealing with a rash-less problem stemming from the nerves called neuropathic itch. That means the usual culprits such as a wool sweater, a chemically enhanced new soap, hives or a persistent mosquito bite are not to blame. “Our skin is drier overall, and it's just harder for our bodies to fight it off.” “Itchiness increases with age,” says Adriana Schmidt, a California-based, board-certified dermatologist and spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation. As they age, women are especially prone to irritation of nerve endings. This may be cold comfort when you're scratching that one spot on your back and debating the pros and cons of tearing off your skin, but.

Whole body itching reason