Severe itching of the skin of the body (pruritus) - causes and treatment

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Severe itching of the skin of the body (pruritus) - causes and treatment
Severe itching of the skin of the body (pruritus) - causes and treatment
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Severe itching of the skin of the body

Severe itching of the skin of the body
Severe itching of the skin of the body

Itching of the skin of the body is a sign of any disease: systemic or dermatological.

In addition, itching on the skin can occur due to excessive dryness, lack of hygiene, etc.

Diseases that cause itchy skin

Among the causes of itching are:

  • Diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Pathologies that lead to skin itching - cirrhosis, hepatitis, cancer of the pancreatic head, primary sclerosing cholangitis, obstruction of the major bile duct and major duodenal papilla tumors or stones, giardia infection, cholestasis
  • Kidney disease, in particular renal failure. Patients with uremia, especially in the terminal stage of the disease, suffer from severe itching. The more impaired the functionality of the kidneys, the stronger the itching of the skin. Dialysis contributes to its weakening, however, such a procedure is not able to completely eliminate renal itching;
  • Thyroid disease. Up to 10% of patients with thyrotoxicosis indicate severe, persistent generalized itching. Most often, itching affects people with diffuse goiter, which is not treated for a long time. Scientists believe that itching occurs in this case due to increased blood flow to the skin, which entails a local increase in temperature;

    Another cause of skin itching in hyperthyroidism is the development of chronic urticaria. If the patient is diagnosed with urticaria, it makes sense to suspect the autoimmune nature of the pathology of the thyroid gland. In addition, patients with myxedema (an extreme form of hypothyroidism) also complain of pruritus. It is caused by excessive drying of the skin and gives the patient serious concern;

  • Carcinoid syndrome. Itching occurs due to frequent flushing in the head and neck, especially in the background of previous stress, overeating or drinking alcohol;
    • Diabetes mellitus. Patients with elevated blood glucose levels most often suffer from genital itching. It is caused by developed candidiasis lesions of the mucous membranes. In the area of the scalp, itching appears with diabetic neuropathy. As for generalized itching, in diabetes, it, as a symptom, is quite rare. If patients complain of generalized itching, then most often it is associated with metabolic disorders in diabetes mellitus against the background of kidney damage;
    • Hematological diseases. Among such pathologies: lymphogranulomatosis, various lymphomas, polycythemia vera, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myelomas, mastocytosis, paraproteinemia, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

      • With polycythemia vera, almost 50% of patients complain of generalized pruritus. Most often it occurs after contact with a liquid. That is why such itching is often called aquagenic. Sometimes itching appears much earlier than the disease itself and may precede it for several years in advance. Aspirin helps reduce itching, antihistamines are ineffective, although the level of histamine in the blood of such patients is elevated;
      • Itching can also accompany iron deficiency anemia. Its severity is not related to the degree of anemia, however, after the start of treatment of the underlying disease, this symptom quickly disappears;
      • Up to 30% of patients complain of itching with lymphogranulomatosis. It haunts a person both during an exacerbation of the disease and during remission. Most often, it is localized in the region of the lower extremities, gradually moving to the lower part of the body, and later spreading to the entire body. Itching is accompanied by a burning sensation, the patient is most disturbed at night;
      • Itching is less common in lymphomas, although it is always recorded as a complaint in patients with Cesari's syndrome. Moreover, patients talk about excruciating itching that arose many years before the onset of the disease;
      • Sometimes itching is accompanied by paraproteinemia, mastocytosis, lymphocytic leukemia. In some cases, scientists attribute its occurrence to an increase in the concentration of serotonin, in others - to an increase in the level of histamine and other amines.
      • If the course of the disease can be brought under control, then the itching, as a rule, becomes easily eliminated.
    • Senile or senile itching. By the age of 70, more than 50% of people experience itchy skin. Most often, it is associated with excessive dryness of the skin, when they are no longer able to retain fluid, and the performance of sweat and sebaceous glands is impaired. Additional risk factors for itching are overheating of the skin (in old age, people begin to dress warmer), dry air, frequent trips to the shower. In addition, older people become more susceptible to histamine, their skin regenerative function decreases, nutrition is insufficient, they are more likely to experience depression. These or other factors lead to itching after the age of 70;
    • Itching due to the human immunodeficiency virus. Often, HIV-infected people complain about itching that bothers them. In 92% of cases, it is associated with concomitant infections that develop as a result of a fall in immune forces. With the progression of the underlying disease, itching can cause excessive dryness of the skin. Particularly severe itching worries patients in the cold season;
    • Mental disorders: psychogenic itching. Skin itching may well be triggered by conditions such as stress, overwork, increased levels of anxiety, depression. It is the latter factor that most often affects the occurrence of itching. With the development of depression in the blood, the level of dopamine, serotonin and other internal opioids increases, which leads to the development of itching. In addition, people with mental illness are able to experience generalized itching, which they attribute to parasitism, which is actually an illusion. Parasitophobia can be quite obsessive, and patients even provide the doctor with a variety of evidence of their own infection.
    Nodular periarteritis
    Nodular periarteritis

      Periarteritis nodosa and other systemic diseases;

    • Diseases of the nervous system: brain tumors, multiple sclerosis. With multiple sclerosis, itching starts suddenly and stops after a few seconds. With a severe attack of itching, a person can wake up in the middle of the night.

      • Itching may appear some time after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. It appears on the opposite side of the site of brain damage, in addition, motor and sensory disturbances are observed;
      • Postherpetic neuralgia is another cause of itching that is accompanied by pain.
    • Allergic reactions. Contact dermatitis can occur due to the application of various medications to the skin, due to the use of inappropriate cosmetics or detergents. It can be provoked by contact with clothing, chemicals at work, wearing jewelry and jewelry.

      • Allergic urticaria occurs after ingestion of allergenic foods, during treatment with drugs that are inappropriate for a person, from exposure to dust, due to insect bites, as a result of changes in temperature, under the influence of cold and light;
      • Eczema often occurs in people prone to allergic reactions. It can also develop against the background of chronic diseases, after vaccination or taking medications, it can be the body's response to stress or the use of allergenic foods.
    • Infection with parasites. In this case we are talking about helminthic invasion, in which itching occurs in the anus, but can also spread throughout the body.

      • Head lice leads to skin itching, when the scalp, temples and the back of the head are predominantly itchy. Sometimes eyebrows and eyelashes are affected by lice. The longer the hair, the more itchy;
      • Dress itch is another cause of itching. At the same time, parasites live in the folds of clothing and affect the places where the skin and things most often come into contact;
      • Phthiriasis or pubic lice is the next cause of itchy skin. In this case, it itches mainly the inguinal region. However, lice can also affect the ear area, mustaches, beards, eyebrows and eyelashes;
      • With demodicosis, itching is caused by mites - iron glands. They affect a person's hair follicles, his sebaceous glands;
      • Scabies can cause itching when the skin is affected by a microscopic mite. The tick damages the skin of the hands, elbows, the skin of the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, and mammary glands.
    • Fungal skin lesions. Keratomycosis, in which the stratum corneum is affected. Itching can cause diseases such as erythrasma, actinomycosis and pityriasis versicolor.

      • Itching can also be triggered by dermatophytosis, which affects the epidermis. Among such diseases are epidermophytosis, favus, trichophytosis;
      • Skin candidiasis most often develops in people who are overweight, as well as in children with poor hygiene;
      • Severe itching of the skin of the body can also be triggered by a fungal disease such as ringworm.
    • Avitaminosis. Most often, itching is associated with drying of the skin. It can be provoked by a lack of vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C. In addition, zinc deficiency negatively affects the skin condition. With its deficiency, a person begins skin problems - acne, boils appear, which causes skin itching;
    • Improper hygiene. Improper personal hygiene is the most obvious cause that can lead to skin itching;
    • Mopa. Itching during menopause most often affects the genitals and is associated with hormonal changes in the body;
    • Folliculitis. One of the symptoms of the disease can be severe itching in the area of folliculitis. Itching is especially difficult to tolerate in the presence of many inflamed follicles;
    • Neurodermatitis. With neurodermatitis, there is itching, rashes and redness of the skin, its peeling;
    • Insect bites, including flea bites at night;
    • Psoriasis. Itching in psoriasis most often worries a person with a progressive course of the disease. In addition to itching, the patient suffers from severe peeling in the affected area.

    Skin spots and itching - what does it mean?

    Skin spots and itching
    Skin spots and itching

    If the occurrence of itching is accompanied by the appearance of spots, then most often this indicates a skin disease, and not a systemic pathology. Perhaps the person suffers from allergies or inflammation, including contact and atopic dermatitis. See also: Atopic dermatitis in adults and children.

    • With contact dermatitis, itching and spots are localized in the place where the allergen came into contact with the skin. Redness has well-defined borders. To determine the allergen yourself, you should remember about new hygiene products, buying a new washing powder or thing, etc. Contact dermatitis is different in that after removing the allergen, the inflammatory reaction on the skin and itching are eliminated on their own.
    • As for atopic dermatitis, it is most often diagnosed in childhood, although it sometimes affects adults. The reason also lies in an allergic reaction, but it occurs in response to an allergen that has entered the body. If in children the cheeks turn red in the first place, then in adults - the elbows, knees (at the folds), as well as the wrists.
    • If a red spot appears on the skin, it itches and is located at the site of an earlier injury, then this symptom often indicates diabetes mellitus. Mostly such spots are formed on the lower extremities.
    • Sometimes red patches are signs of psoriasis, they may itch but may not cause any discomfort.
    • Itchy red spots on the lower extremities, which later become darker, may indicate trophic disorders.
    • Photodermatosis is another reason for the appearance of various types of itchy spots. They may rise above the surface of the skin, they may look like bubbles, they may be located on the same level with the rest of the skin.
    • Lichen planus also appears as itchy patches that rise above the skin. Often these spots form on the feet and in the lower leg area, may have a purple hue, and also merge to form larger spots.
    • Ringworm also appears as spots that have clear boundaries and a rounded shape. Along the periphery of such an itchy spot is a pink roller, represented by bubbles and nodules.
    • As for eczema, it is also characterized by red spots, which, as the disease progresses, transform into vesicles, and then open. Itching may be present, but sometimes eczema does not make you want to scratch the inflamed area.
    • Urticaria is characterized by the appearance of itching and blisters that protrude above the surface of the skin.
    • Bullous pemphigoid occurs most often in places of maximum friction with clothing and accessories.
    • Itchy spots can also be caused by limited or diffuse neurodermatitis.

    Skin rash with itching in adults

    Itchy rashes on the skin of an adult may indicate the following diseases:

    • Eczema appears as a spot, on which bubbles subsequently form, and after their opening - crusts;
    • T-cell lymphoma is accompanied by a rash and appears in places that are most often in contact with ultraviolet rays;
    • Folliculitis is characterized by the formation of small vesicles, which are subsequently filled with purulent contents;
    • Scabies manifests itself in the form of blisters that are red in color and transparent. Tick passages are visible under the skin;
    • Allergic dermatitis can also appear as a small or large rash. Its appearance is accompanied by skin itching;
    • Diseases of the internal organs (liver, kidneys), blood diseases can manifest as a small itchy rash on the skin.

    When rashes appear that are accompanied by itching, you need to see a doctor and clarify the cause of their occurrence.

    Types of itchy skin

    Types of itching on the skin
    Types of itching on the skin

    Depending on the cause and origin of pruritus, the following types are distinguished:

    • Proprioceptive (arising in response to stimulation of C-fibers by pruritogen), an example is itching with scabies, insect bites;
    • Neuropathic (caused by damage to the nervous system), an example is itching with neuralgia and vascular thrombosis;
    • Neurogenic (has a central origin, does not depend on nervous pathologies), an example is cholestasis;
    • Psychogenic (accompanied by mental disorders), an example is parasitophobia;
    • Mixed, uremia itching as an example.

    Depending on the prevalence of the symptom, itching can be localized, when itchy place can be clearly defined, and generalized, when the whole body itches. An example of localized itching is scabies, pediculosis, ringworm, atopic dermatitis, etc. Generalized itching occurs with kidney failure, with helminthic invasion, with diabetes, with gout, etc.

    Treatment for itching

    In order to get rid of itching, you must first decide on the tactics of treating the disease that provoked this symptom. It is important that the vicious circle in which patients with itching often find themselves (itching - scratching - more pronounced itching) be interrupted.

    Drug treatment is selected on an individual basis, however, in case of excessive dryness of the skin, the following rules must be followed:

    • The room where a sick person spends most of his time must be thoroughly ventilated. It is important to keep the air cool;
    • Do not use overly warm blankets during the night's rest, it is also important to wear light clothing made from natural fabrics. This will avoid overheating;
    • While taking a bath, make sure the water is not too hot;
    • It is undesirable to shower often, especially with soaps or gels.

    Euromed Clinic - Symptoms, causes and treatment of severe itchy skin:

    With regard to the treatment of itching in specific diseases, the following recommendations exist:

    1. Kidney itching. As a general rule, regular hemodialysis can relieve the excruciating itching of kidney failure. Uremic pruritus can be eliminated by UVB therapy. It can be performed even before medications have been prescribed. A 12-minute exposure once a day is usually sufficient. The number of sessions varies from 6 to 8, the duration of the course is 3 weeks. Longer treatment with UVB therapy is not advisable, as the risk of developing cancer increases, especially in old age.

      It is also possible to take medicines:

      • Activated carbon;
      • Antihistamines.

      However, most doctors tend to believe that itching can only be completely eliminated by performing a kidney transplant.

    2. Itching caused by cholestasis. Ursodeoxycholic acid is prescribed to relieve discomfort, which helps to reduce the concentration of bile acids in the blood.

      UVB therapy can help relieve itching after 8 sessions.

    3. Endocrine diseases. Since itching appears against the background of dry skin in hypothyroidism, sufficient skin hydration is necessary, which is carried out against the background of treatment with hormonal drugs. After compensation for diabetes, itching usually goes away on its own.
    4. Blood diseases and itching. Therapy of iron deficiency anemia with preparations containing iron can relieve the patient from itching. Improvement may occur from the first day of treatment.
    5. Skin diseases. Treatment is carried out depending on the specific skin disease that provokes itching. After its elimination, this symptom, as a rule, is eliminated on its own. Therefore, if you find rashes or spots on the skin, you should seek the advice of a dermatologist.

    Itchy skin can be a symptom of various diseases, not just dermatological pathologies. Its causes are varied, ranging from dry skin to cancer. The itching itself can be both insignificant and pronounced, seriously impairing the quality of human life. Therefore, itching is always a reason to seek qualified medical help.

    Besides the skin, itching can be:

    • Anal itching
    • Head itch
    • Vaginal itch
    • Itchy glans

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