Itchy Skin
Itchy skin, or pruritus, refers to the condition that gives you the urge to scratch to relieve the itchiness. Often, itchy skin will go away without any further medical treatments. In most cases, it’s triggered by some form of skin irritation. It isn’t uncommon to experience bumps and rashes too. However, there are also cases wherein no visible signs occur, making it much more challenging to identify what the underlying cause may be for it.
A common trigger for itchy skin is dry skin. However, it’s often mild and may result from specific environmental conditions like low humidity or cold and hot weather. Some activities that reduce skin moisture may also trigger it. In these situations, itchiness can be avoided or treated using humidifiers or moisturizers at certain times. It’s also a good idea to stop using skincare products like cleansers and soaps that dry the skin or they may cause complications.
Health conditions that may lead to itchy skin are diabetes, hepatitis, jaundice, shingles, pinched nerves, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It’s also not uncommon for itchiness to be a side effect of medications like statins, opioids, blood thinners, antimalarial drugs, diabetes drugs, and specific antibiotics.
