eTopical Precious Finds
Which diseases cause itchy skin? What causes itchy skin at night exactly? Are the causes of itchy skin with rash the same as causes of itchy skin without rash?
- Reasons for itchy skin
- What causes dry itchy skin?
Itchy skin can simply be described as the kind that makes you want to scratch. While scratching is often not a serious thing, sometimes it maybe caused by a condition that you least know about. This is why it is important to consult with physician or dermatologist if the itching persists for more than four weeks. Some itching may also be associated with symptoms such as a skin rash, patches or redness.
It is important that you understand the causes of itchy skin so that you can know how to get relief. This article will give you itchy skin causes whether you itch on dry skin without leaving rash and the diseases than cause itchy skin. The tingling sensation also becomes worse at night. Learn why such is the case and the main cause of itching at night.
What Causes Itchy Skin?
Itchy skin can be embarrassing especially if you are amidst friends or colleagues at work. The first thing that comes to mind in most people is that you are either unhygienic or your body is infested with parasites. While there, could be truth is some of these speculations, they do not actually pinpoint the actual cause of your skin problem.
What causes itchy skin? There are various causes of itchy skin. Some you can identify on your own at home and others you may require the intervention of a doctor because you may need tests and biopsies. It is always important to start identifying at home and making using of home remedies for itchy skin. However, should the itching persist, then the intervention of a professional doctor or dermatologist is needed.
What really causes itchy skin? I am sure you are dying to know and put your fingers or fingernails to rest from all the scratching. However, I must warn you, you had better make use of your fingertips instead of your nails. You could damage your skin and end up with a bacterial infection on your skin from all the scratching.
The causes of itchy skin include:
Skin Problems
If you have skin conditions such eczema, psoriasis, and even fungal infections, you will tend to scratch your skin. All these conditions present themselves differently; therefore, it is important that you find out what skin problems you have before looking for relief. Bacteria, viruses and fungi among other parasites are the major culprits for skin conditions.
Inflammation
Healing scars from burns cuts and even surgery whether it was cosmetic or corrective, can leave your skin itchy. Similarly, beauty treatments using laser machines such as laser hair removal may leave your skin inflamed. As the skin heals, you may be subject to scratching. Of course, this will go away after the scar has healed and if that does not happen, you ought to consult a doctor.
Age
Elderly people have itchy skin more than younger people. This is caused by menopause in women when the hormone levels decline and in both sexes, they could suffer from delusional parasitosis, where they imagine their bodies are being infested by bags. If you are not in menopause, or above 60 then age is not the reason your skin is itchy.
Dry Skin
Do you find it hard to keep your skin moisturized? Then, there is the answer to, what causes itchy skin? This is a problem for hard to reach areas such as the back. Similarly, the feet, which tend to have no oil glands, are generally dry. Here are remedies for dry itchy feet.
Allergens
These could be from the food you eat to things you wear next to your skin. Identifying what fabric or product is causing your itch will be a good starting point to finding long lasting relief. Sometimes an old skin care or hair product you have used for many years could be starting to react on your skin; it is not necessarily a new product.
Diseases
Sometimes there is an internal cause for your itchy skin. People who suffer from chronic diseases may itch from the condition or the medications taken to treat the disease. Therefore, you may want to discuss the possible reactions of any prescribed medicine with your doctor before you head to treat a disease you are suffering from. Itching on skin could also help you identify chronic diseases such as cancer on their onset.
Dry Itchy Skin Causes
If you have dry skin, you will be prone to itching. If you can control the dryness in the first place then you can prevent the dry itchy causes. These include how you like to take your baths and for how long. How you dry your body and moisturize.
You should take lukewarm baths if you cannot stand cold baths, instead of hot ones. Hot baths and showers are drying to skin. Similarly, you should not spend more than 10 minutes in the bathroom, furthermore, once you are done bathing your should just dab the water from your skin with a towel instead of rubbing and moisturize while your skin is still damp.
Baths and drying your skin are not the only causes of dry itching skin, lack of moisture in the air from using the air conditioner on high setting or heaters in winter could cause you to have dry itchy skin.
Causes of Itchy Skin Without Rash
Discover the Itchy skin no rash causes. Itching without a rash simply means the burning feeling is there and you reach out to the location to scratch but nothing appears on the skin. Most conditions leave red rashes and others will just cause you scratch without changing the texture or color of your skin.
Causes of itchy skin without rash include:
- Reactions to drugs such as antibiotics, antifungal, and narcotic pain relievers
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Dry skin
- Scabies
- Sunburn
- Jaundice
- Celiac disease, which is the mal absorption of wheat
- Cholestasis during pregnancy, which is the lack of flow of bile from the liver
- Polycythemia
- Lymphoma, a type of skin cancer
It is easier to identify allergens of food. However, for skin cancer you will have to make use of a doctor to give diagnosis.
Common Diseases That Cause Itchy Skin
Itchy skin caused by diseases may not be treatable at home. Therefore, you will need to visit the doctor in order to get treatment for the internal condition causing your skin to itch. Sometimes even the medications you are using for certain chronic diseases may also cause itchy skin.
Discuss any medications with your doctor on the possible side effects. If you are not on medications on the other hand, and have been itching all over the body or on localized spots, you need to find out whether you have the following diseases by visiting a doctor:
- Diabetes mellitus
- Candidiasis
- Liver problems
- Stroke
- Brain tumors
- Sclerosis multiplex
- Abscesses
- Renal diseases
- Iron deficiency or anemia
- Intra or post hepatic cholestasis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Lymphonma
- Myxoedema
- Jaundice
- Hepatitis
- Shingles
- Pinched nerves
- Measles
What Causes Itchy Skin at Night?
Some of the conditions described above may cause you to itch throughout the day. However, the burning sensation intensifies at night. Some other conditions may cause you to itch only at night. What causes itchy skin at night?
- It could be bedbugs, ticks, and fleas if you sleep with your pets on the same bed
- It could be the hot showers or baths you love so much before bed
- You could be showering hard water
- Allergies of food, medications soaps for bathing or the softener or detergent used on your laundry
- You could also be going through menopause
- Eczema, psoriasis, dandruff and dermatitis could be some the skin conditions that you have
