So You Don’t Know What Causes Itching? You’re Not Alone!
Do you ever get an annoying itch that comes out of nowhere? You probably ask yourself, “Hey…what causes itching anyway?”. A lot of people have the exact same question. We all experience the distinct sensation of itching throughout the day. Sometimes it is barely noticeable, and sometimes it is impossible to ignore. Itching can be distracting, annoying and even painful. Itching can occur anywhere on your body. It is seemingly random and will often times manifest spontaneously, without any provocation. Most of the time, people have no idea what causes itching. They just scratch the itch and move on with their day.
People can experience itching anywhere, but often times people complain about:
- Itchy legs
- Itchy ears
- Itchy eyes
- Itchy nose
- Itchy back
- Itchy face
- Itchy bottom
What causes itching is usually a mystery for the average person. It can be very embarrassing to experience persistent itching, especially in a sensitive area like the genitals or rectum. But you can take comfort in the fact that itching is normal and usually not a sign of any serious medical issues.
So What Causes Itching? Here Is a List of the Most Common Causes of Itching:
- Dry skin – Our bodies generate moisture as a natural barrier between our skin and the environment. When our skin dries out, we feel itchy.
- Soap – Many soaps dry out your skin by removing all of its natural oils, leaving you dry and itchy.
- Sunburn – Being burned by UV rays dries out your skin and causes inflammation as your body tries to repair the damage.
- Fragrance – Found in many personal care products like deodorant, lotion, detergent and fabric softener, fragrances sometimes trigger an allergic reaction that causes inflamed, itchy skin.
- Dandruff – Caused by yeast or oil, dandruff is an inflammatory condition of the scalp that causes white flakes and itchiness.
Other common causes of itching that are more serious include:
- Eczema – This causes inflammation in areas like your knees, elbows and eyelids. The inflammation triggers the release of histamine, which is what causes itching.
- Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac – Several species of plants contain an oily toxin that causes swollen, red, itchy blisters that spread over your skin.
- Psoriasis – Normally occurring on the knees, scalp and elbows, psoriasis forms when skin cells multiply faster than the body can shed them, creating thick patches that itch.
- Hives – These are caused by allergic reactions to various things, such as animals, insect bites, heat or chemicals.
All of these causes of itching are treatable with simple lifestyle changes, creams, over the counter medicine and prescription drugs. If you think that something more serious is the source of your itching, you should call your doctor and schedule a thorough examination. He or she will be able to pinpoint what causes itching for you and come up with the best treatment solution.
Now You Know What Causes Itching
Knowing what causes itching can help you figure out how to stop it. Although it can feel good to scratch an annoying itch, most people would agree that feeling itchy is pretty uncomfortable and would prefer not to experience it at all.
If you are reading this because you are more itchy than usual, you’ve come to the right place. Check out the rest of What Causes Itching. There is a lot of great information that will help you figure out what causes itching for you and how to eliminate it.