Itching

Disease	Injury	Nutrition	Poison

Special Topic	Surgery	Symptoms	Test

Head lice

Itching

Definition:

Itching is a peculiar tingling or uneasy irritation of the skin that causes a desire to scratch the affected area.

Alternative Names:

Pruritus

Considerations:

Itching can be all over (generalized) or only in a particular location (localized). There are many causes of itching, ranging from the simple to the complex.

Insect bites and stings can cause localized itching and skin irritation.

Both localized or generalized itching can be caused by:

Chemical irritation, such as from poison ivy or stinging nettle
Environmental causes (drying, sunburn)
Hives
Parasites (body lice, head lice, pubic lice)

Generalized itching can be caused by:

Infectious diseases (chicken pox)
Allergic reactions
Kidney disease
Liver disease with jaundice
Medication reactions

Common Causes:

Insect bites
Dry skin
Contact dermatitis (poison ivy or poison oak)
Contact irritants (such as soaps, chemicals, or wool)
Atopic dermatitis
Rashes (may or may not itch)
Childhood infections (such as chicken pox or measles)
Aging skin
Allergy caused by food or drugs (antibiotics)
Superficial skin infections such as folliculitis and impetigo
Pregnancy
Hepatitis
Iron deficiency anemia
Parasites such as pinworm
Pityriasis rosea
Psoriasis
Seborrheic dermatitis
Urticaria
Drugs such as antibiotics (penicillin, sulfonamides), gold, griseofulvin, isoniazid, opiates, phenothiazines, or vitamin A

Review Date: 10/31/2002
Reviewed By: Steven Angelo, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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