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.
Some common causes are: Allergic reactions to food, insect bites, pollen, and medicines. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin. Irritating chemicals, cosmetics, and other substances.
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.
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.
See your health care provider or a skin disease specialist (dermatologist) if the itching: Lasts more than two weeks and doesn't improve with self-care measures. Is severe and distracts you from your daily routines or prevents you from sleeping. Comes on suddenly and can't be easily explained.
Dry, itchy 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.
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.
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.
Dry skin: Your body loses moisture at night, which can make your skin itchy. Hormonal changes: At night, your body doesn't produce as many hormones as it does during the day and certain hormones reduce inflammation (swelling). As you have fewer hormones at night, your skin could be itchy.
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.
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.
If your skin is dehydrated, you may notice itchiness, dullness, under-eye circles, sunken eyes, and/or more noticeable fine lines. Severely dehydrated skin symptoms may include dizziness, dry mouth, lightheadedness and/or weakness.
Itching of the feet, legs or ankles is a common complaint in people with diabetes that may occur as a result of a period of too high sugar levels. Itching can range from being annoying to severe. Itching can be relieved through treatment, and may be eliminated if the underlying cause is treated.
Itchy skin is not usually a sign of anything serious. You can often treat it yourself and it will usually go away after a few weeks.
Extremely itchy skin is a common symptom of advanced kidney disease. The itch can range from irritating to life-disrupting. Your skin may itch all (or most of) the time. Some people have itch on one area of their skin.
yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice) swelling in the legs, ankles and feet caused by a build-up of fluid (oedema) swelling in your abdomen caused by a build-up of fluid known as ascites. a high temperature and shivering attacks.