Itching

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

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 may be over the whole body (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 may cause localized itching and skin irritation.

Either localized or generalized itching may be caused by:

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

Generalized itching may be caused by:

Infectious diseases (chicken pox)
Allergic reactions
Kidney disease
Liver disease with jaundice
Reactions to medications

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: 8/6/2004
Reviewed By: Jonathan Harding, MD, CPE, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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