Itch can be a side effect of taking some medications, such as aspirin, prescription-strength pain relievers called opioids, and some blood-pressure drugs. It can also be a side effect of cancer treatment. How to get relief: Ask the doctor who prescribed the medication or treatment if itch can be a side effect.
Itching on the whole body might be a symptom of an underlying illness, such as liver disease, kidney disease, anemia, diabetes, thyroid problems and certain cancers. Nerve disorders. Examples include multiple sclerosis, pinched nerves and shingles (herpes zoster). Psychiatric conditions.
It's a wonder anyone takes their blood pressure medications when you look at the required package inserts that list all of a medication's possible adverse effects: headache, diarrhea, hair loss, rash, itching, cough, weakness, dizziness and more -- the lists are long and intimidating.
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.
skin problems, such as acne or an itchy red rash. sexual problems, such as loss of libido (reduced sex drive) or erectile dysfunction.
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.
does not get better with self-care or it keeps coming back. is caused by a new rash, lump or swelling that you're worried about. is all over your body – this could be a sign of something more serious.
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.
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.
If your skin is dehydrated, you may notice itchiness, dullness, under-eye circles, sunken eyes, and/or more noticeable fine lines.
However, as your liver loses its ability to function properly, you're likely to experience a loss of appetite, nausea and itchy skin. In the later stages, symptoms can include jaundice, vomiting blood, dark, tarry-looking stools, and a build-up of fluid in the legs (oedema) and abdomen (ascites).
Urine that is dark orange, amber, cola-coloured or brown can be a sign of liver disease. The colour is due to too much bilirubin building up because the liver isn't breaking it down normally. Swollen abdomen (ascites). Ascites happens because fluid is retained in the abdomen.
As liver failure progresses, you may experience some or all of the following symptoms: Jaundice, or yellow eyes and skin. Confusion or other mental difficulties. Swelling in the belly, arms or legs.
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.
When the kidneys fail, the build-up of waste in your blood can cause severe itching. Patients also accumulate excessive phosphorus which contributes to itching. Uremic frost is a description for crystallized urea deposits that can be found on the skin of those affected by advanced kidney failure.
The symptoms of high potassium are usually none. If high potassium has symptoms, you may experience muscle weakness. Occasionally, the only symptom of high blood potassium is a sudden heart arrhythmia that can result in heart attack. High phosphorus usually causes itching of the skin.
Vasodilators, a common class of blood pressure medications that open up the blood vessels, have been linked with increases in acne and rosacea, although there's no scientific consensus. Drugs in this category are benazepril (Lotensin), hydralazine (Apresoline), and minoxidil (Loniten).
Statins have also been associated with a number of cutaneous conditions (e.g. eczematous skin rash, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, porphyria cutanea tarda, bullous dermatosis, UV-B phototoxicity, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, cheilitis, photosensitivity and dermatomyositis-like syndrome).
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.