ITCHING -- IMPORTANT CAUSES

ITCHING – KANDU

WHAT IS ITCHING??

By definition itching means an unpleasant sensation on the skin for scratching. The medical name of the itching is pruritis. It is a type of tingling or irritating sensation on the body that compels the body to scratch. This can be simple for a very less time but sometimes it can be all over the body and can be chronic for many months or years and keep on coming again and again. Itching can affect any area of the body. It can either be--

--Generalized – where itching occurs over the whole body

--Localized – where itching only occurs in a particular area

Sometimes, there is a rash or a spot where the itching occurs.

WHY ITCHING HAPPENS??

Itching is the stimulation of the free nerve endings in the ends of the nerves those are coming from the nervous system. These nerve endings are present in between the outer part of the skin, epidermis and the inner layer of skin called dermis. The release of histamine from cells in the epidermis is usually considered to incite most sensations of itching. Scratching may temporarily relieve itching by interrupting the rhythm of nerve impulses or by inflicting transitory damage to the nerves.

Itching associated with skin lesions (such as vesicles and papules) generally indicates a dermatologic disease.

Generalized itching without skin lesions can occur in systemic diseases such as those that occur in metabolic and endocrine conditions, malignant cancers, drug reactions, and renal, blood, and liver diseases.

Excessive drying of the skin caused by pregnancy, old age, or weather often produces itching.

A psychological cause for itching is considered only after all other possibilities have been sufficiently excluded.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF THE ITCHING??

LOCAL CAUSES---

CONTACT DERMATITIS—it is a condition in which there is itching, redness, selling and inflammation of the skin in response to a stimulus which causes a reaction in the skin. This irritant can be a perfume, a chemical, a plant, pollens and many more.

ECZEMA—it’s a chronic itchy, scaling skin disease

PSORIASIS—it’s an autoimmune disease represented by reddish white, scaling, dry, itching patches on the skin.

DERMATOGRAPHISM--a raised, red, itchy rash caused by pressure on the skin

INFECTIONS that cause itching include--chicken pox, measles, lice, pinworm, scabies, fungal infections like candida,

DRY SKIN--Dry skin can occur for many reasons and is marked by scaling, itching, and cracking. It is most common on the legs, arms, and abdominal area.

BITES AND STINGS--Insect and spider bites and stings may cause initial pain and are often followed by an allergic reaction to the animal's venom.

HIVES--Hives, or urticaria, are itchy, raised welts on the skin, often red and painful to touch. They are often caused by an adverse reaction to medication or allergens.

SYSTEMIC CAUSES—DUE TO A DISEASE AFFECTING THE WHOLE BODY—

HYPERPARATHYROIDISM---because it causes excesses of calcium in blood but less in bones.

DIABETES MELLITUS—due to neuropathy of the nerve endings

IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

JAUNDICE AND CHOLESTATSIS—bilirubin from the liver is an irritant for the skin in large amounts

MALIGNANCIES LIKE HODGKINS DISEASE

MENOPAUSAL CHANGES

DISTURBED THYROID FUNCTIONS

PREGNANCY

HEPATITIS—present in almost all types of Chronic Hepatitis

SARCOIDOSIS---Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease in which clumps of immune cells form in various organs, causing inflammation. Skin, the body's largest organ, is commonly affected.

POYCYTHEMIA VERA--In polycythemia Vera, the body produces too many red blood cells, possibly leading to clots. Fatigue, breathing difficulty, and tingling hands and feet are early symptoms

SICKLE CELL ANEMIA---Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disease affecting red blood cells. Symptoms include abnormal heart rhythms, pain, anemia, and itching.

THALESSEMIA--Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the body destroys red blood cells, causing anemia. Symptoms include jaundice, malnourishment, and enlarged spleen.

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE---Chronic kidney disease does not cause symptoms until the kidney is mostly destroyed. The list of symptoms is extensive and includes skin reactions, such as itching, color changes, and brittle nails.

END STAGE RENAL DISEASE--In the final stage of kidney disease, the kidneys are functioning below 10%, producing a wide range of serious symptoms, some of the visible, like changes in skin color and dry, itchy skin.

GLOMEROLONEPHRITIS---Glomerulonephritis occurs when blood filtering vessels in the kidneys are damaged. This may contribute to kidney failure, which causes fatigue, insomnia, itchy skin, and other symptoms.

SCARLET FEVER---Scarlet fever is an infection that sometimes occurs after strep throat, causing a bright red rash, sore throat, and fever. It mainly affects children between the ages of five and 15.

TREATMENT OPTIONS---

The treatment for this symptom will depend on the individual cause.

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