Itchy skin can be annoying, but did you know it can also be a message your body is trying to send you? You might not realize it because having an itch once in a while is a perfectly normal thing, but the fact is that if you have itchy skin a lot of the time, it might be that you have an underlying health issue and your body is alerting you to that fact – that’s why it’s vital not to ignore itchy skin and to speak to a doctor about it. To help you understand more about why getting expert advice is so important, here are some of the things your itchy skin could be telling you.
Allergies
One of the most common reasons for having itchy skin is allergies, so if you’re itchy, it might be that you’re allergic to a type of food, your medication, something in your home, or even something in the environment – it’s hard to tell a lot of the time, unless there are other symptoms as well.
The key here is to take notice of your itching and see if you can spot when it gets worse – does it happen after you eat or drink something specific, for example, or when you wear a certain fabric? It might be hard to notice at first, but try to hone in on what causes your skin to itch, and you might have a better idea of what you’re allergic to. No matter what, though, your best course of action is to see a doctor to get tested so you know for sure.
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
It might be rarer than some of the other items on this list, but the fact is that itchy skin can be a sign of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer. You’ll need to look out for other symptoms as well, including swollen lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, and more, and if you experience any of them, the best thing to do is to get a checkup from your doctor to find out whether or not you have the disease.
It might be a scary thought, and it’s not pleasant to think that something as seemingly harmless as itchy skin could be a sign of cancer. Still, it’s far better to know about it and to get treatment from experts at places like the Moffitt Cancer Center than it is to ignore the symptoms and let the disease get worse. The sooner you can start treatment, the better.
Dry Skin
A very simple condition that can fairly easily be fixed and that leads to itching most of the time is dry skin – it might even be the most common reason for itching. The problem is that when your skin doesn’t have enough moisture, it becomes flaky and tight, making it itchy, and the more you scratch, the worse it can all become. When the weather is cold, there’s low humidity in the air, or you like to take hot baths and showers, the problem can get even worse, so it’s crucial to be careful.
To help yourself, you can use moisturizers to make your skin less dry and less itchy, and it’s also a good idea to drink more water. As well as that you can also use humidifiers in your home to put a little moisture into the air to help in general. Again, it’s often worth getting professional help from a dermatologist, for example, if the symptoms won’t go away.
