Medications that help relieve itching include: Antihistamines (allergy pills): Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Zyrtec (cetirizine), Claritin (loratadine), Clarinex (desloratadine), Allegra (fexofenadine).
Traditionally, antihistamines are used to treat the itching. Examples include diphenhydramine (Benadryl), hydroxyzine (Atarax), and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton and others).
Itching on the whole body might be a symptom of an underlying illness, such as liver disease, kidney disease, anemia, diabetes, thyroid problems and certain cancers. Nerve disorders. Examples include multiple sclerosis, pinched nerves and shingles (herpes zoster). Psychiatric conditions.
Dry, itchy skin is often a sign of a vitamin D deficiency. As vitamin D is created through skin exposure to the sun and cholesterol in the skin, in the winter months, when sunlight exposure is less, people often experience dry, itchy skin attributing it to the cold weather.
The causes of skin itching, or pruritis, are usually harmless. They are often temporary issues such as dry skin or a bug bite. Less commonly, nerves, kidneys, thyroid, or liver issues can cause itching sensations without necessarily causing a rash.
In the evening, the body releases more heat, and blood flow to the skin increases, which may contribute to nighttime itching. In addition, skin loses water at night, resulting in dryness that can make you itchy.
The best antihistamine to take during the day to help with allergic skin rashes is Curist Allergy Relief (levocetirizine) or another antihistamine like fexofenadine or loratadine, which can provide 24-hour symptom relief without making you feel sleepy.
Louis report that allergens in the environment often are to blame for episodes of acute itch in eczema patients, and that the itching often doesn't respond to antihistamines because the itch signals are being carried to the brain along a previously unrecognized pathway that current drugs don't target.
Cetirizine is an antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, itching eyes/nose, sneezing, hives, and itching. It works by blocking a certain natural substance (histamine) that your body makes during an allergic reaction.
Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Claritin (loratidine) are two popular brands. They contain different compounds but appear to be equally effective. Antihistamines can reduce allergy symptoms, such as watering eyes, itchy skin, hives, and swelling.
“Zyrtec is found to be more potent, or stronger, in laboratory studies, compared with Claritin,” says Dr. Kung. “It also reaches a higher concentration in the skin, which can be more helpful for skin-related allergies. However, Zyrtec has a greater chance of making you sleepy while taking it.”
Not only is itch associated with greater anxiety, but stress has also be shown to exacerbate itch, leading to a true itch-anxiety cycle. Many chronic itch patients report that psychological stress is a factor that aggravates their itch.
Itching with kidney disease can be generalized, or it can occur in specific parts of the body. Common areas for this type of itching include the head, arms, back, and abdomen. It also tends to be worse at night, which can disturb your sleep.
What does diabetes itching feel like? If you have diabetes, itching can be intense. It's an irritating feeling that makes it hard not to scratch, but scratching can make the itch worse. You can itch anywhere, but if you have nerve damage (neuropathy) associated with diabetes, your lower legs may itch.
Dry, itchy skin
If you have diabetes, you're more likely to have dry skin. High blood sugar (glucose) can cause this. If you have a skin infection or poor circulation, these could also contribute to dry, itchy skin.
Yes, it really does make itching worse
Scratching an itch, left, causes minor pain, top, prompting the brain to release serotonin. Serotonin reacts with neuronal receptors that carry itch signals to the brain, making itching worse.
ZYRTEC® Allergy Dye-Free Chewables
Adults and children 6 years and older Chew and swallow 2 tablet (10 mg) once daily; do not take more than 1 tablet (10 mg) in 24 hours. A 5 mg product may be appropriate for less severe symptoms. Adults 65 years and over Ask a doctor.
The onset of effect occurs within 20 minutes in 50% of people and within an hour in 95%. Effects persist for at least 24 hours following a single dose of Zyrtec. No tolerance has been found to Zyrtec's antihistaminic effect.
Zyrtec (cetirizine) is the strongest of the second-generation antihistamines, says Dr. Garcia-Ibáñez. And because there is less chance of toxicity with this medication, the dosage can be increased substantially, at the discretion of your doctor, he says. Zyrtec is an effective treatment for allergy symptoms and hives.