Summary: <p>In this podcast, I’m going to share 15 underlying causes of itching. Pruritus is the medical term for itching. Itching usually involves a superficial nerve that is aggravated to some level. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Here are 15 causes of itching: </p> <p>1. Body lice</p> <p>2. Scabies</p> <p>3. Hookworms</p> <p>4. Herpes</p> <p>5. Insect bites</p> <p>6. Yeast infection</p> <p>7. Poison ivy</p> <p>8. Tick bites</p> <p>9. Diabetes </p> <p>10. Polycythemia</p> <p>11. Problems with the parathyroid glands</p> <p>12. Uremia </p> <p>13. Liver issues</p> <p>14. Cholestasis</p> <p>15. Dry skin</p> <p><br></p> <p>Itching is often a symptom of diabetes because of circulation problems. Poor circulation causes the nerves to die, which can feel like itching or burning pain and even cause severe pain.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Polycythemia is a condition where you have too many red blood cells. This can decrease circulation and the amount of oxygen in your skin, causing itching. </p> <p> </p> <p>The parathyroid gland consists of 4 glands around the thyroid that control calcium. If the thyroid works too hard, you could develop too much calcium in the blood. This can lead to calcification of your skin, which can affect your nerve endings.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Liver issues like cirrhosis, hepatitis, or cholestasis can cause itching. You can develop cholestasis if the liver’s function is impaired and it can no longer make bile salts. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Dry skin is a common cause of itching, often caused by a lack of vitamin A or vitamin D.</p> <p><br></p> <p>There is a high correlation between people who have itching and people with liver or gallbladder issues. This is typically caused by irritation to the gallbladder and decreased omega-3 fatty acids.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Dietary changes can help eliminate itching. TUDCA, a bile salt that helps thin the bile, has been found to significantly decrease itching in people with cirrhosis. </p> <p><br></p> <p>DATA: </p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0011393X99800642" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10226044/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9609979/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...</a></p>
