Why does the body itch in different places and how to treat it? Body itches: reasons, what to do

When we scratch mosquito bite, then lightly scratch the skin and slight pain temporarily relieves itching. Then the body releases a little painkiller serotonin, and we feel better. But then the bite itches even more, there are more scratches, and in the end we are left with a wound, a scar, or worse, an infection. Therefore, you can't scratch it. Here's what might help.

1. Medical supplies

The civilized way to solve the problem is to go to the pharmacy and buy medicine that will help against various mosquito bites.

Pills

We will need allergy pills, especially if the reactions are severe, there are a lot of bites and they itch so much that it is unbearable. Cetirizine-based products work quickly, but be sure to read the instructions and check the contraindications before using them.

Ointments

At the pharmacy the pharmacist will tell you antihistamine ointments based on dimethindene. If you have already scratched yourself, take ointment with dexpanthenol to help the wounds heal faster.

Patch

Useful in case of nasty reactions, when a mosquito bite swells into a bubble, ready to burst. The patch will cover the irritated area, protect it from dirt and from your nails.

Antiseptic

Alcohol hand sanitizer - quick fix help with itching. It will reduce inflammation and at the same time disinfect scratches.

Essential oil

Oil tea tree, which dries the skin and has an anti-inflammatory effect, will also help against mosquito bites.

Aspirin

If you have no contraindications to aspirin, crush the tablet, add a drop of water and make a paste, which should be applied to the bite.

2. Home and folk remedies

It's scary to realize this, but sometimes they work no worse than pharmacy ones. Lifehacker already has something that will help with a mosquito bite, here are more options.

Cold water and ice

The reaction to a bite is often accompanied by swelling, the area swells and hurts. Periodically soak the bite site in cool water or apply ice. This will help reduce redness, remove the bump, and cope with the itching.

Warm water and hot towel

Oddly enough, both cold and heat help with itching. Therefore, a warm shower will help if there are a lot of bites. Use it in the shower regular soap and do not touch the washcloth so as not to injure the skin, but place it on very itchy areas warm compress from an ironed towel.

Soda

Dissolve a couple of teaspoons of baking soda in a glass of warm water and apply this solution with cotton wool to the bite areas. You can make a small cotton compress.

Oatmeal

They will help oatmeal, which need to be cooked, and not just poured with boiling water. The flakes must be ground into dust in a coffee grinder or blender, mixed with water and made into a thick paste. Apply it to the bite areas and wash off after 10–12 minutes.

Tea brewing

It is most convenient to apply a bag to the bite, which has previously been squeezed out and cooled.

Plantain

Seriously, plantain. Or basil, which is now much easier to find in the kitchen than plantain on the side of the road. The leaf must be washed, chopped or crushed (it will generally work well in a blender), and green mass smear the bite areas. When you don't have time to do this, crush the leaf in your hand to release a little juice to the surface and apply it to the bite.

3. When there is nothing at hand

If there is no chance of getting to the pharmacy, kitchen or garden bed, and your hand treacherously reaches out to comb everything that itches, try to deceive your receptors.

Click on the bite

Press firmly on the bite site, it will become a little easier. The effect is temporary, you will have to repeat it, but it is better than scratching yourself until you bleed: the bite will heal faster than scratches, and you will not introduce an infection into the wound.

Pat the bite

Instead of scratching, smack the bite area, even hard. This is analogous to combing, only less traumatic - you deceive the brain, causing slight pain.

Why does itching occur and sometimes without any apparent reason body itches different places? The scratching reflex can be caused by external or internal reasons, but it always occurs as a result of exposure to nerve endings located between the dermal and epidermal layers of the skin.

At times the body itches, seemingly without any reason, but itching has many possible reasons

Types of itching

But why does a person start to itch? So he massages the itchy area - that is, the place where the pathology arose. After this, blood supply to this area increases, lymph flow accelerates and the toxic component is removed, after which the desire to scratch this area gradually subsides.

In some cases, the skin begins to itch due to the accumulation of certain metabolic products in the body, which is a physiological reaction and stops on its own.

Doctors divide itching into the following 2 types:

Localized or universal - for example, itching in the perineal area during pregnancy or itching in the anus with some types of helminthiasis;
Widespread (felt throughout the body) - for example, itching in liver disease.

Each of these varieties, in turn, can present as itching:

Constantly felt;
Occurs periodically.

According to the intensity of the unpleasant sensations, itching is different character and varies from slight to extremely strong. With the latter, the patient loses his appetite, his sleep is disturbed, he scratches the affected areas until there are bloody crusts.

It has been confirmed that skin itching occurs more often and is felt more intensely before bedtime, in the evening and at night. It is quite simple to explain: in the evening the blood vessels dilate. The temperature of the skin also increases due to being under the blanket, and this in turn causes increased blood circulation and general sensitivity of the body.

Pay attention! In the evening hours, a person is left alone with his itch, coming into the room from work or from the street, where there were many distractions. This also works as an additional psychological factor, and there is a feeling that the itching has become stronger, even if this is not the case.

Reasons

If the causes of itching cannot be determined visually, then it is called “itching of unknown etiology” and we begin to determine one of the possible provoking factors:

The patient has hypersensitivity. This phenomenon is observed in the case of:

neurasthenia;
states of hysteria;
as a consequence of previous infectious and colds;
for mental illness and stress.

Pay attention! Often this state accompanied by other symptoms nervous disorders– enhanced reflexes, painful sensations etc.

The man is simply too suspicious. He may just think or remember something that, in his opinion, may cause symptoms of itching (fleas, previous illnesses, allergies) - and immediately begin to itch.
There was contact with real irritants - plants, insects, household chemicals, rough synthetics and so on.
An itchy patient was faced with the impact of internal irritants on the body. This is the so-called toxic itch. This happens with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, especially the liver and bile ducts, blood diseases and endocrine system, obesity and hyperhidrosis.
It is impossible not to mention the so-called “pregnancy itch”. During pregnancy female body undergoes significant restructuring, as a result of which, due to changes in the properties of the vaginal mucosa, a suitable environment for the proliferation of bacteria and fungi is created for some time.

Pregnant women often experience body itching, which is called “pregnancy itch.”

The most common diseases in which the phenomenon is observed skin itching, This:

Neurodermatitis– a multifactorial disease of a chronic nature, most often caused by so-called neurogenic-allergic factors and manifested in the form of specific skin rashes. Given pathological condition develops as a result of disturbances in the functioning of two systems - the immune and nervous, as well as allergic diseases (atopic) and hereditary predisposition.
Hives. Pale pink itchy papules with this allergic disease appear quite quickly and also disappear in just a few hours.
Increased dry skin (xerosis). Develops as a result of exposure to frequently used detergents, sun and during the natural aging process. The number of discharges decreases sebaceous glands, which causes skin irritation, and as a result the skin is constantly itchy.
At Blood glucose levels increase, which in turn leads to severe itching. There is no rash. Typically, the body of patients suffering from this disease is dehydrated, and this in itself is a very good reason for the development of itching. skin. In some cases, dry skin is complicated by fungal infection and cracks.
Scabies– is caused by scabies, the itching with this disease is intense and mainly manifests itself at night.

How to treat

What to do to get rid of itching? Before eliminating the symptoms, you need to find out the cause of the pathology (the main ones are listed above). In the case when serious systemic diseases the patient does not have, to eliminate unpleasant symptoms It is often sufficient to take the following measures:

do not forget about compliance with hygiene rules;
eliminate irritating factors, ensure that the skin does not dry out;
limit the consumption of vasodilating products as much as possible: coffee, alcoholic drinks, too hot dishes, too strong brewed tea, spices, etc.;

control the temperature in the room, avoiding its excessive increase;
try to avoid situations that provoke the development of stress, depression, and anxiety.

There are effective folk remedies to help combat excessive dry skin:

first of all these are ordinary water baths, which are taken using hypoallergenic - for example, baby - soap. After the bath, the skin should not be wiped, but blotted with a cotton, bamboo or linen towel and lubricated with moisturizing oil. For example, olive oil will do;
itchy skin is also lubricated with lard;
on forums promoting folk remedies for the treatment of various diseases, a very popular remedy for many ailments is birch tar, which in this case is proposed to be applied to itchy areas of the skin;
there are recommendations about rubbing itchy skin with unsalted lard;
Rubbing is very effective and relatively comfortable compared to other means. warm water with the addition of natural;
more effective means in case of severe itching, there will be bandages (wet-dry), which are applied to the itchy areas of the skin using bandaging;
and finally, we cannot fail to mention the famous “Cleopatra’s Bath”, for which two teaspoons are added to a glass of milk to prepare the application olive oil. The mixture is applied to the desired area, blotted and left to dry.

“Cleopatra’s Bath” – add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to a glass of milk

Dry skin can develop due to too dry indoor air.
In this case, by eliminating the cause, you will also get rid of the need to take additional measures.

Advice! To eliminate the problem of too dry indoor air, hang it on heating devices wet towels or place a bowl of water next to them. Can also be installed in the room special device– air humidifier.

If itching appears in certain areas of the body after wearing synthetic or woolen fabrics, simply eliminate the irritant. The same recommendations should be followed for any other manifestation of allergies.

In addition, you need to monitor what detergents you use, cut your nails shorter to avoid night scratching, and regularly and thoroughly do wet cleaning. In some cases, the use of special detergents for allergy sufferers (sold in special allergy centers) and the installation of an air purifier are indicated. These measures allow you to minimize the discomfort that your disease causes you.

You should follow a diet that includes easily digestible foods with a minimum content of irritating ingredients. A dairy-vegetable diet is most often optimal for allergy sufferers - of course, in the absence of a history of allergies to milk components.
Milk is a mild diuretic and helps the body get rid of toxins and waste in a timely manner.

The following should be excluded from the diet: canned food, meat and fish broths, smoked meats, pickled foods, cocoa and chocolate, coffee, non-dietary sweets and spicy dishes.

The following will be useful: vegetable soups with cereals, lean boiled meat and fish, low-fat cottage cheese and others fermented milk products, fruits and vegetables, as well as herbs.

Advice! If another exacerbation occurs while following a diet, try reducing your salt intake to 3 grams per day.

As drug therapy during treatment allergic diseases the following drugs are used: Suprastin, Claritin, Trexil, Tavegil and others.
In some cases, ointments and creams based on glucocorticosteroids are used: Triderm, Symbicort, Diprogent, Fluorocort, Sinaflan and others.
Ointments, gels, powders and creams with the addition of novocaine, menthol, anesthesin and other soothing and analgesic components are also used.

Important! If the cause of skin itching is a certain disease of organs or systems, then treatment should be prescribed by a specialist, since, unfortunately, without eliminating the cause, the symptoms cannot be eliminated.

Itching - unpleasant feeling, causing a person to scratch the affected area of skin. If the skin itches slightly, this is normal and occurs often, but sometimes this sensation can be strong and cause many problems. Permanent and intense itching usually a symptom of some disease of the skin, body organs or nervous system.

Sometimes itching is accompanied by a rash, but it can also occur on apparently unchanged skin. According to the degree of distribution they distinguish generalized itching- when the whole body itches and local (local) itching, covering only a specific area of the skin.

Frequent scratching causes the skin to become thin, damaged and inflamed, which can cause it to become painful and itch even more. Regardless of the cause of the itching, some ways can help reduce its intensity and alleviate the condition:

rub the affected area of skin with your fingertips or press on it with your palm;
moisturize itchy skin with emollients, then you will damage it less when scratching;
make cold compresses, for example, from a damp cloth, take cool baths;
use external antipruritics in the form of lotions, ointments, etc., for example, calamine lotion, antihistamines and steroid creams;
buy fragrance-free cosmetics and hygiene products;
avoid irritating to the skin clothes: made of synthetic fabric, coarse wool, etc.

Nails should be clean and short, especially for itchy children. The ends of the nails should be filed rather than cut. The cut ends of the nails are sharp and uneven, causing more damage to the skin.

Causes of itching

In most cases, the sensation of itching occurs when sensitive nerve endings in the skin and mucous membranes - receptors - are stimulated. Receptor irritants can be: mechanical, temperature, influence of chemicals, light, etc. One of the main chemical irritants is biological active substance- histamine, which is produced in the body during allergies or inflammation.

There is also itching of central origin, that is, it develops without the participation of the nerve endings of the skin. The source of central itching is the focus of excitation nerve cells in the brain, which happens in some neurological diseases.

Finally, it is known that there are factors that can make the skin more sensitive to itching. For example, when exposed to heat in hot weather or when body temperature rises, the skin itches more, while cold, on the contrary, relieves the itching. People suffer most from itching in the evening and at night, which is associated with daily fluctuations in diameter blood vessels, and therefore skin temperature.

The immediate causes of itchy skin may be various diseases skin, internal organs, nervous system, blood and even malignant tumors. Itching in a child is a common symptom of varicella (chickenpox) - a childhood infection, the main manifestation of which is a characteristic rash on the skin.

Itching due to skin diseases

Skin diseases, in addition to itching, are accompanied by the appearance of a rash: blisters, spots, nodules, blisters, peeling and other elements on the skin. The following skin conditions can cause itching:

In addition, the skin may itch after insect bites: mosquitoes, bedbugs, lice (for pediculosis), fleas, stinging arthropods (wasps, bees, etc.). As a rule, a small nodule forms at the site of the bite against a background of reddened and hot skin. Sometimes in the center of the nodule you can see the immediate site of the bite in the form of a dark dot. Insect bites are especially difficult for people with sensitive skin and a tendency to allergies.

Often the cause of skin itching is various chemicals, affecting the skin, for example:

cosmetics;
paints or fabric coatings;
some metals, such as nickel;
juices of some plants (nettle, hogweed).

Under the influence of ultraviolet sun rays easy to get sunburn, after which itching appears, the skin turns red, and sometimes becomes covered watery blisters. Another cause of itching can be excessive dry skin. If the above diseases occur, consult a dermatologist.

Itching of the skin due to diseases of the internal organs

A symptom of some diseases of the internal organs is generalized (general) itching. In most cases, the skin remains unchanged: normal color, without rash, peeling. Such diseases include:

Diabetes mellitus. Severe itching of the skin and thirst are sometimes the first symptoms of diabetes. Especially severe itching usually occurs in the genital area and anus.
Hyperfunction thyroid gland sometimes accompanied by complaints that the skin itches. This is due to an acceleration of metabolism and an increase in temperature. With reduced thyroid function, general itching associated with dry skin is also possible.
Kidney failure may cause itching. This is due to damage to the nerve fibers of the skin and a decrease in the sensitivity threshold of nerve endings. That is, weaker irritants begin to cause a sensation of itching.
Polycythemia is a blood disease associated with excessive production of blood cells, which thickens the blood and increases the risk of blood clots and blockages in blood vessels. With polycythemia, itching is a common problem; the skin itches especially severely after taking a shower or any other contact with water. Polycythemia is treated by a hematologist.
Iron deficiency anemia is a blood disease associated with impaired hemoglobin production. Reception medicines Iron usually relieves itching quickly.
Lymphogranulomatosis (Hodgkin's lymphoma) - malignant disease blood, which begins with an increase lymph nodes, usually on the neck. Sometimes the first symptom of lymphogranulomatosis is skin itching, which intensifies in the evening and at night. The skin often itches in the area of the affected lymph node.
Some types of cancer, such as breast, lung or prostate cancer, also cause itchy skin.

Somewhat less often, itching is accompanied by a change in skin tone, which, for example, happens with subhepatic jaundice associated with a violation of the outflow of bile from the gallbladder. The skin begins to itch due to the accumulation of bile acids. This can happen with cholelithiasis, some types of hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, pancreatic cancer, etc.

Sometimes itching occurs as a result of neurological or mental disorders or diseases. For example, after a stroke, with postherpetic neuralgia, stress and depression.

Itching during pregnancy and menopause

Itching often occurs in pregnant women and goes away after childbirth. During pregnancy, a number of skin diseases, causing itching, including the following:

Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (multiform dermatitis of pregnancy) is a skin condition that occurs during pregnancy in which an itchy, red, raised rash appears on the thighs and abdomen;
prurigo gravidarum - red itchy skin rash, most often appearing on the arms, legs and torso;
itching of pregnancy - itching, without a rash on the skin, resulting from overload of the liver during pregnancy.

All these conditions usually appear on later pregnancy and disappear after childbirth. Their treatment is carried out jointly by a general practitioner and an obstetrician-gynecologist. If you experience itching or an unusual skin rash during pregnancy, consult your doctor.

Itching is also a common symptom of menopause. The cause of itching is considered to be a decrease in estrogen production and an imbalance of other hormones.

Itching in the anus

Causes of itching in anus or anal itching There may be a number of diseases, for example the following:

Itching in intimate area(itching in the vagina, perineum, itching of the penis and scrotum) is one of the painful and sensitive issues. The main causes of itching in this area are usually infection:

thrush (vaginal candidiasis and thrush in men) - fungal infection genital organs, can sometimes spread to the rectal area, causing itching in the anus;
sexually transmitted infections - sexually transmitted diseases;
bacterial vaginosis may be the cause intimate itching in women;
lice pubis - infestation with pubic lice;
allergies, including to latex condoms, to products intimate hygiene, for sperm, etc.

Why do my feet itch?

Besides common reasons, local itching of the legs may be associated with:

varicose veins lower limbs- accompanied by swelling, pain and heaviness in the legs in the evening;
fungal infection of the nails and skin in the spaces between the toes; in addition to itching, peeling of the skin, changes in the shape and color of the nails may occur.

Treatment of itching

Depending on why your skin itches, treatment recommendations will vary, however there are several general rules, following which will help relieve itching. Special attention you need to pay attention to the rules of personal hygiene. When taking a bath or shower, do the following:

Use cool or slightly warm water(not hot).
Avoid using soap, shower gel or deodorant with fragrances. Fragrance-free lotions or water-based creams can be purchased at your pharmacy.
Apply a moisturizing lotion or cream without fragrance after a bath or shower to prevent your skin from drying out.

Regarding clothing and bedding, adhere to the following rules:

Avoid wearing clothes that irritate your skin, such as those made from wool or synthetic fabrics.
Buy clothes made from cotton whenever possible.
Avoid tight-fitting clothing.
Use soft remedies for washing, non-irritating to the skin.
Sleep in light and loose clothing.

Anti-itch medications

Regarding medicines, adhere to the following rules:

Apply a rich moisturizer to dry or flaky skin;
If prescribed by a doctor, you can use steroid (hormonal) creams for several days, applying them to inflamed, itchy areas of the skin;
accept antihistamines(antiallergy medications) to stop itching - consult your doctor before use.

Antihistamine tablets may also cause severe drowsiness, therefore, after taking them, you should not drive, use power tools, or perform complex work that requires concentration.

Some antidepressants, such as paroxetine or sertraline, can relieve itching (if your doctor prescribes them, it does not mean you are depressed).

If you have itching in hairy areas, such as your scalp, your doctor may prescribe a special lotion instead of using sticky creams.

Which doctor should I consult if my skin itches?

Using the NaPopravku service, you can quickly find doctors who usually diagnose and treat itchy skin. This:

dermatologist - if itching is associated with skin disease;
allergist - if you are prone to allergies;
therapist/pediatrician - if the cause of the itching is not clear and initial diagnosis is required.

If you are not sure which doctor to see, use the Who Treats It section of the website. There, based on your symptoms, you can more accurately decide on the choice of a doctor.

My whole body itches! Unpleasant sensations throughout the body, itching, dry skin - everyone has encountered such symptoms at least once in their life. And if you are not in the habit of neglecting your own hygiene, then these symptoms should prompt you to act. There is only one way out of the situation - see a doctor.

Itching and the desire to scratch - only external manifestation diseases, symptoms of a malfunction in one of the body systems. However, the disease itself does not necessarily have to be caused by a dermatology-related illness. Often itching appears without the usual accompaniments - skin rash, pimples, redness and peeling of the skin.

Why does my whole body itch and itch?

The reasons for such troubles can be very diverse - from external irritants invisible to you to problems inside the body, including chronic diseases and neuroses.

To correctly determine the cause, the following possible triggers of itching should be excluded.

But in addition to the disorder of internal organs and systems, itching can also be caused by less obvious factors. Thus, psychologists and neurologists note that prolonged exposure to stress, nervousness and psychosis almost always at a certain stage lead to itching throughout the body. In this case, the root cause of the itching will need to be treated - in the office of a neurologist or psychologist.

A common cause of itching is Allergy

One of the common causes of itching is an allergy to any external irritants. Even if you have not previously suffered from allergic reactions on food, pollen, dust, animal hair, it can begin suddenly. Allergies are the cause of 90% of cases of itching on the body and it is easy to treat with the drug Allegard, which is drunk during itching and for prevention.

In addition to all of the above, you should also check for the presence of small invisible pests - lice and bedbugs - in clothes and home furniture. They can appear even in the cleanest house literally out of nowhere, and no one is immune from their effects. Their bites also cause the entire body to itch and itch.

What to do if your whole body itches

The first and most logical thing to do is see a doctor. Only a specialist can exclude the entire “bouquet” of diseases that itching signals. And only when the cause is discovered, we begin to eliminate it.

In addition, to relieve pain and the desire to scratch the skin, you should use moisturizing gels and soaps, try to choose creams, ointments and other skin products with menthol - this can soothe the itching for a while.

Because in most cases itching is also associated with poor nutrition , fatty, salty, spicy, fried foods and sweets should be excluded for a while. The same should be done with the main food triggers of allergies - citrus fruits, chocolate, coffee. In addition, this will be a good chance to improve digestion and lose a couple of extra pounds.

Itching all over the body- this is only a consequence of deeper disorders, malfunctions of the body, and they need to be dealt with with the help of professionals and proven medical means.

Itching is an unpleasant sensation that forces a person to scratch the affected area of the skin. If the skin itches slightly, this is normal and occurs often, but sometimes this sensation can be strong and cause many problems. Constant and intense itching is usually a symptom of some disease of the skin, body organs or nervous system.

rub the affected area of skin with your fingertips or press on it with your palm;
moisturize itchy skin with emollients, then you will damage it less when scratching;
make cold compresses, for example, from a damp cloth, take cool baths;
use external antipruritics in the form of lotions, ointments, etc., for example, calamine lotion, antihistamines and steroid creams;
buy fragrance-free cosmetics and hygiene products;
Avoid clothing that irritates the skin: synthetic fabric, coarse wool, etc.

Nails should be clean and short, especially for itchy children. The ends of the nails should be filed rather than cut. The cut ends of the nails are sharp and uneven, causing more damage to the skin.

Causes of itching

In most cases, the sensation of itching occurs when sensitive nerve endings in the skin and mucous membranes - receptors - are stimulated. Receptor irritants can be: mechanical, temperature, influence of chemicals, light, etc. One of the main chemical irritants is a biologically active substance - histamine, which is produced in the body during allergies or inflammation.

There is also itching of central origin, that is, it develops without the participation of the nerve endings of the skin. The source of central itching is the focus of excitation of nerve cells in the brain, which occurs in some neurological diseases.

Finally, it is known that there are factors that can make the skin more sensitive to itching. For example, when exposed to heat in hot weather or when body temperature rises, the skin itches more, while cold, on the contrary, relieves the itching. People suffer most from itching in the evening and at night, which is associated with daily fluctuations in the diameter of blood vessels, and consequently, skin temperature.

The immediate causes of itchy skin can be various diseases of the skin, internal organs, nervous system, blood and even malignant tumors. Itching in a child is a common symptom of varicella (chickenpox) - a childhood infection, the main manifestation of which is a characteristic rash on the skin.

Itching due to skin diseases

Often the cause of skin itching is various chemicals that affect the skin, for example:

cosmetics;
paints or fabric coatings;
some metals, such as nickel;
juices of some plants (nettle, hogweed).

Under the influence of ultraviolet rays from the sun, it is easy to get a sunburn, after which itching appears, the skin turns red, and sometimes becomes covered with watery blisters. Another cause of itching can be excessive dry skin. If the above diseases occur, consult a dermatologist.

Itching of the skin due to diseases of the internal organs

A symptom of some diseases of the internal organs is generalized (general) itching. In most cases, the skin remains unchanged: normal color, without rash or peeling. Such diseases include:

Diabetes mellitus. Severe itching of the skin and thirst are sometimes the first symptoms of diabetes. Particularly severe itching usually occurs in the genital area and anus.
Hyperthyroidism is sometimes accompanied by complaints of itchy skin. This is due to an acceleration of metabolism and an increase in temperature. With reduced thyroid function, general itching associated with dry skin is also possible.
Kidney failure may cause itching. This is due to damage to the nerve fibers of the skin and a decrease in the sensitivity threshold of nerve endings. That is, weaker irritants begin to cause a sensation of itching.
Polycythemia is a blood disease associated with excessive production of blood cells, which thickens the blood and increases the risk of blood clots and blockages in blood vessels. With polycythemia, itching is a common problem; the skin itches especially severely after taking a shower or any other contact with water. Polycythemia is treated by a hematologist.
Iron deficiency anemia is a blood disease associated with impaired hemoglobin production. Taking iron supplements usually relieves the itching quickly.
Lymphogranulomatosis (Hodgkin's lymphoma) is a malignant blood disease that begins with enlarged lymph nodes, most often in the neck. Sometimes the first symptom of lymphogranulomatosis is skin itching, which intensifies in the evening and at night. The skin often itches in the area of the affected lymph node.
Some types of cancer, such as breast, lung or prostate cancer, also cause itchy skin.

Somewhat less often, itching is accompanied by a change in skin tone, which, for example, happens with subhepatic jaundice associated with a violation of the outflow of bile from the gallbladder. The skin begins to itch due to the accumulation of bile acids in it. This can happen with cholelithiasis, some types of hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, pancreatic cancer, etc.

Sometimes itching occurs as a result of neurological or mental disorders or diseases. For example, after a stroke, with postherpetic neuralgia, stress and depression.

Itching during pregnancy and menopause

Itching often occurs in pregnant women and goes away after childbirth. A number of skin conditions that cause itching can develop during pregnancy, including the following:

Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (multiform dermatitis of pregnancy) is a skin condition that occurs during pregnancy in which an itchy, red, raised rash appears on the thighs and abdomen;
prurigo gravidarum - a red, itchy skin rash that most often appears on the arms, legs and torso;
itching of pregnancy - itching, without a rash on the skin, resulting from overload of the liver during pregnancy.

All these conditions usually appear in late pregnancy and disappear after childbirth. Their treatment is carried out jointly by a general practitioner and an obstetrician-gynecologist. If you experience itching or an unusual skin rash during pregnancy, consult your doctor.

Itching is also a common symptom of menopause. The cause of itching is considered to be a decrease in estrogen production and an imbalance of other hormones.

Itching in the anus

The causes of itching in the anus or anal itching can be a number of diseases, for example the following:

Itching in the intimate area (itching in the vagina, perineum, itching of the penis and scrotum) is one of the painful and delicate problems. The main causes of itching in this area are usually infection:

thrush (vaginal candidiasis and thrush in men) is a fungal infection of the genital organs that can sometimes spread to the rectal area, causing itching in the anus;
sexually transmitted infections - sexually transmitted diseases;
bacterial vaginosis can cause intimate itching in women;
lice pubis - infestation with pubic lice;
allergies, including to condom latex, intimate hygiene products, sperm, etc.

Why do my feet itch?

In addition to general causes, local itching of the legs may be associated with:

varicose veins of the lower extremities - accompanied by swelling, pain and heaviness in the legs in the evening;
fungal infection of the nails and skin in the spaces between the toes; in addition to itching, peeling of the skin, changes in the shape and color of the nails may occur.