Are You Itchy?

Do you get episodes of itchiness which drive you crazy? Do you have so many itchy places that keep popping up and you don’t have enough fingers to scratch the itch? Well don’t feel alone, excessive itchiness is a common problem. Pruritus is the medical term for itchiness.

Chronic itch can originate from a variety of causes

The sensation of itch originates following the activation of peripheral sensory nerve endings in the skin which are exposed to inflammatory chemicals. These activated nerves send messages to the brain via the spinal cord. So, your brain knows you’re itchy.

Many different substances made in your body can stimulate these peripheral nerves leading to itch, including biogenic amines, protease enzymes, cytokines, histamine and peptides. Studies have demonstrated that sensitization of both peripheral nerves and the central nervous system (brain) can occur during chronic itch.

Pruritus is very common and will affect most people during their lifetime. Some people have occasional pruritis whilst some have severe and chronic pruritis.

I had a patient who was so itchy he could not sleep and had to spend hours lying in a cold bath. The only thing that reduced his itch was an elimination diet.

You may be more at risk of pruritus if you:

Are 65 years or older
Have very dry or dehydrated skin
Have allergies which produce a lot of histamine
Have a skin problem such as eczema or psoriasis
Are diabetic
Have had a lot of antibiotic drugs which cause candida
Are pregnant but this goes away after childbirth
Are on dialysis for kidney failure
Have a liver condition
Have jaundice (high bilirubin)
Have an infection in the skin such as candida or bacteria such as staphylococcus
Environmental: An irritant in your environment can cause itching. This could be mold, clothing material, chemicals, an insect bite, or a reaction to a prescribed drug,

Most cases of pruritis are not caused by serious problems, however if you have chronic or severe pruritis you should have a full blood count and biochemistry blood tests to exclude an underlying serious problem such as cancer. Some blood cancers can cause severe itching.

How to treat pruritis

This depends on the cause and conventional treatments include antihistamines, steroids (such as oral or topical cortisone) and powerful immunosuppressant drugs. These powerful drugs may have side effects and many people prefer a more holistic approach which treats the cause.
Drinking plenty of filtered water helps to reduce the itch
Moisturizing your skin daily or multiple times per day. Some people find organic castor oil is excellent to reduce skin irritation and itch.
Using warm (not hot) water when taking a shower or bath
Using a humidifier in your home if you have dry skin
Avoiding things you are allergic to such as animal hair, or certain foods. Common dietary allergens include gluten, and additives in processed foods. Keep a diary documenting what you eat and when you itch – this will help to pin point the foods to avoid.
Improve your gut health as a leaky gut leaks unwanted things into the blood stream and these can cause inflammation in the nerves and skin. The powder Ultimate Gut Health is designed to heal a leaky gut which is critical if you are chronically itchy. Take one scoop twice daily in water in between meals or on retiring to bed.
Do a trial of an elimination diet – you can try a low histamine diet and see how that works for 3 months. You can also try a low FODMAP Diet to starve the bad bacteria in your gut.
Stress and anxiety make all skin conditions worse. Magnesium is a wonderfully calming mineral. It reduces anxiety, improves sleep quality and reduces the negative impact of stress on your body.
Supplements to help the immune system and reduce inflammation include selenium, zinc, vitamin C and vitamin D.