Itchy and cracked skin

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Itchy Skin at Night, Reasons, Legs, No Rash, Bed, How to Get Rid

September 14, 2017

Why do I itch all over my body at night? Is itchy skin a sign of cancer? Get more insight about the causes of itchy skin at night, on legs, the appearance of itchy bumps, the effect of malfunction of the liver, hormonal imbalances and some of the remedies to ease the symptoms.

Why Does My Body Itch At Night?

The reasons include:

itchy skin

Bed Clothes and Linen

The personal items that are used during bedtime could be the cause of nighttime itching due to irritation and may be the presence of parasites. There is sometimes the body undergoing some changes and in the process, it begins to react to some laundry soaps, body soaps, and shampoos.

Also, the infestation of bedbugs, fleas, or other insects in the bed linen could be the cause of irritation and itching of the skin throughout at night. Again, changes in the system of the body could develop some intolerance to certain components of the jewelry which is seen as an allergen resulting in itching.

Decreased Stimulation

Improper REM cycle can result in changes in the moods and physical symptoms that cause an individual to wake up at night due to itching especially to an individual with skin condition problem. In a real sense, an individual level of stimulation should be low at night even the mildest of the condition itching should not wake them up.

Stress

According to the studies, chronic stress and anxiety could result in itching of the body skin especially when sleeping at night. Also, the high level of stress in the body can worsen the existence itching skin problem.

Medical Condition

The underlying medical condition of an individual could result in itching of the body at night and even daytime. Some of the common medical conditions are chronic kidney disease or liver failure that result in the skin inflammation and scarring causing the body to itch especially the palms of hands and soles of feet.

Medications

There are certain medicines when prescribe can result in the itching of the body as one of the side effects. Most of these medicines are meant to treat a certain medical condition that causes itching of the skin. The itchiness could also be due to an allergic reaction to the medication that results in skin rashes or hives.

Athlete’s Foot or Ringworm

Individuals with athlete’s foot or ringworms on the skin are the most victims who experience itchy skin. The infection is due to fungal development on the skin and it is marked by painful, itchy blisters on the ball and/or the arch of the foot.

Pitted Keratolysis

This is infections that usually attack the skin of the soles of the feet and palms of hands. The infection results in the formation of white patches or lesion with shallow pits on the superficial layers of skin those are itchy and even painful.

Dyshidrotic Eczema or Dyshidrotic Dermatitis

The skin condition results in the appearance of small, itchy and fluid-filled blisters that comes and goes with reoccurring episodes especially during warm weather. The condition usually affects the skin of the hands and feet and it may or may not result in skin redness.

Psoriasis

According to the recent studies, the skin condition is triggered by excess stress, skin injury, infection, and certain medications that result in the formation of thick, red and scaly patches on the skin. The skin condition is associated with the itching effect.

Pregnancy

There are some women during pregnancy period experience itchy skin at night due to changes in the hormonal balance in the body especially around the abdomen and the thighs. Also, women with an itchy skin condition such as dermatitis, can worsen during pregnancy.

Nerve disorders

There are some conditions that can affect the functioning of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, pinched nerves and shingles (herpes zoster) and in the process, it causes itching of the skin.

Dry skin

Dry skin is caused by several factors ranging from old age to environmental factors such as long-term use of air conditioning or central heating, and washing or bathing too much. An individual will experience frequent itching of the skin especially at night when the mind is settled.

Circadian rhythm

This is the process involves that body on how to regulate hormones and chemicals in part for about 24 hours cycle. The process is therefore associated with few changes in the body that could result in increased night time skin itchiness.

These fluctuations or changes include:

Increased blood flow to the skin
Increased skin temperature
Increased cytokine, molecules that coordinate cells communication during immune responses, which may increase inflammation
Decreased corticosteroid, hormones that help reduce inflammation
Disrupted prostaglandin (PG), hormones that cause blood vessels to widen
Increased water loss from the skin (sweat)

Other rare causes of the itching nighttime problem include the following:

Thyroid conditions, especially an overactive thyroid
Skin cancer
Other cancers, in particular, immune and blood cell cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia

Itchy Skin at Night on Legs

The common causes of itchy legs include:

Dry skin

This condition results when the skin of the legs excessively loses its natural oils. Skin dryness is also caused by too much showering, dehydration, and swimming, dry weather, cold weather and heating systems, excessive sun exposure, and laundry soaps containing perfumes or dyes.

The dry skin appearance will trigger skin itching at any time of the day whether at night or daytime. Here are some of the ways to help get rid of dry skin on legs that causes an itching effect. The treatments include:

The use of creams that contain lactic acid and urea.
Minimize the number of bath and showers
Install humidifier in the house
Wear gentle fabric clothes at night
Use detergents that do not contain perfumes and dyes
Maintain body hydration

Chicken Skin (Goose Bumps)

The medical term for the condition is known as keratosis pilaris that appear as goose bumps on the skin. The condition is due to excessive buildup of keratin on the skin and according to the recent research, it is said to be hereditary.

Treatment and prevention

Avoid skin dryness
Use creams that contain alpha-hydroxy acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, or urea may help by both moisturizing the skin and loosen the dead skin cells to help clear hair follicles.

Folliculitis

This is a condition that results in the infection of the hair follicles. The condition causes the development of bumps on the skin that are red and itchy. They can also be painful and may be filled with pus. The condition mainly appears on the thighs and buttocks.

Treatment and prevention

Adopt proper personal hygiene and in the process, the bumps heal on their own within several days.
Use over-the-counter anti-bacterial soaps or ointment (containing the antibiotic mupirocin) in case the rashes persist.
For widespread infections, oral antibiotics may be the most effective treatment.

Leg Itch in Unfit Runners

This is a condition that develops when an individual takes a long break from running or doing exercise and in the long run after commencing, they may experience intense itchiness in the skin of the legs and abdomen. The itchiness will disappear when the training continues.

Acne

The condition results in the development of a cluster of pimples that are either whiteheads or blackheads on the skin. Some of the pimples may or may not itch and they mostly develop around the thighs and the buttocks. The acne develops due to poor personal hygiene psychological stress, or inappropriate diet.

Cholinergic Urticaria (Hives)

This condition results in the development of bumps on the thighs, arms, upper trunk and these bumpy rashes are triggered by a range of different events or activities. The recent research shows that hives are due to an allergic reaction to your own sweat. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid running during hot weather.

Itchiness after Showering

The loss of natural skin lubrication due to too much bathing and showering. The loss could result in skin tightness and itchiness. Too-frequent hot showers and overuse of soaps that remove the protective skin fat and oils.

Jock Itch

This is a fungal infection on the skin and it is also known as tinea cruris. The infection usually attacks the inner thighs, genitals, or buttocks. The infection is characterized by red or brown itchy rash.

Itchy Skin At Night No Rash

What causes itching without a rash? The following are some of the common causes:

Allergic Reactions

Skin irritation and itchiness can be caused by chemicals, wool, soap and other substances. There are also some instances where an individual can have an allergic reaction to foods, cosmetics or poison ivy and in the process, the body develops itching on the skin.

allergic reactions

Drugs

Different individual’s bodies react differently to some drugs induced into the body through an injection or oral administration of drugs. Some bodies can react to antibiotics, narcotic pain medications or antifungal drugs and in the process causes the development of rashes and widespread itching.

Kidney Failure

This is a condition that resulted in the damage of kidney due to high blood pressure or diabetes, leading to the kidneys to stop working properly. During the stoppage of the kidney to function, the condition results in acidosis where the blood becomes increasingly acidic.

Home remedies for itchy skin without rash

The remedies include:

Adopt Proper Diet

It is recommended to drink plenty of water to maintain skin hydration. Also, stop or reduce consuming plenty of pineapple or mango as they can cause itching to become more severe. Also, increase intake of leafy green vegetables and cut down on consuming fried, oily foods, fast food, eggs and red meat.

Moisturizing Cream

Apply recommended moisturizing cream on the affected area to reduce the itching effect on the skin. It is recommended to use creams that contain Eucerin, Cetaphil, Vanicream, CeraVe.

Anti-itch Cream/Lotion

Use hydrocortisone creams to the itchy skin with no rash to help temporarily relieve the itching. It is also recommended to take an antihistamine to help relieve itchy skin.

No Scratching

It is recommended to avoid scratching the skin in order to minimize the level of itching on the skin.

Mild Soaps

Rinse soap completely off the body and avoid using soaps with perfumes or dyes that can irritate your skin. Apply moisturizer after you have washed to keep your skin of moist.

Mild Laundry Detergent

Use mild launder detergents that are unscented when you are washing your clothes, bedding or towels. Using an extra rinse cycle when you wash these items to remove as much of the soap as possible.

Itching At Night in Bed

The common causes of itching in bed at night include:

Use of perfumed soaps

Most people consider taking bath at night just before bedtime; they mostly use perfumed soaps that cause irritation on the skin aftermath. Some of these perfumed soaps can also cause skin dryness which in turn leads to itching.

Poor personal hygiene

There are some people after doing evening workouts or jogging goes to bed without having a short bath. The sweat on the skin triggers skin irritation that can result in itching throughout the night and in the process makes an individual discomfort.

Hot rooms

Feeling hot and sweating can contribute to itchy skin. Avoiding the heat entirely may not be possible but if a person have an air conditioning or it is safe to sleep with a window open, then an individual should consider cooling down the room throughout the night.

Lack of change of bed linen

People who do not have adequate bed linen may fail to change their used linen more frequently and in the process, it causes some irritation on the skin. It becomes soiled with perspiration, dead skin cells, and bacteria from your body, let alone the dust in the environment.

Bedbugs

The presence of parasites in the bed can result in skin biting and in the process it causes a lot of discomforts while sleeping. It is recommended to find a pest exterminator to help control the spread of these nuisance mites.

Itchy Skin at Night with Bumps on Skin

The following are the common skin condition that results in bumpy itchy skin:

Hives

This is a condition that results due to allergic reactions from foods, environmental factors or use of certain medicines. It results in the formation of annoying rashes and raised itchy welts that can also burn.

Psoriasis

The skin condition results in a thick red rash that develops as white patches or silvery scales and it mostly affects the elbows, knees, and lower back. The recent research shows that the condition is not contagious.

Acne

This skin condition is common among many teens due to hormonal changes and in the process, it results in the formation of either whiteheads or blackheads on the facial skin. Most of these acnes are referred to as pimples or zits.

Other common causes of itchy bumps on the skin include:

Formation of shingles
Skin tags
Warts
Herpes Stomatitis

Itchy Skin at Night Liver

The recent research shows that itchy skin can occur with a wide variety of medical conditions and can be very distressing. Liver diseases with bile obstruction commonly have itching effect, but the reason for itching is not clearly understood.

It is recommended for an individual to seek for medication to help in suppressing the condition or seek treatment that can reverse the bile obstruction. Some of the symptoms associated with liver disease are; yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine and light stools.

Itchy Skin at Night Hormone Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance commonly happens amongst women during pregnancy and ovulation periods. During menopause the level of estrogen decreases and in the process, it causes dry itchy skin.

Lowered estrogen levels also decrease the body’s ability to retain moisture and slow down the body’s production of natural skin oils, which also contributes to itchy skin.

It is recommended to consult a medical professional in case an individual notices itchy dry skin that is accompanied by other unexplained symptoms.

Home Remedy for Itching In Whole Body – Get Rid

The remedies include:

Baking Soda

This home remedy is known to have a soothing effect that helps to alleviate the itching sensation as well as treating the appearance of rashes.

Directions

Add one cup of baking soda to a bathtub filled with cool water.
Stir it well to distribute the baking soda thoroughly.
Soak in this water for about half an hour.
Pat skin to dry instead of rubbing the skin with a towel.

Colloidal Oatmeal

It helps soothe and comfort itchy skin. It contains anti-irritating, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that provide instant relief from itching.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has antiseptic, anti-itching, antifungal and antibacterial properties that help get rid of itching.

Cool Water

The sensations of both cold and itching travel along the same nerve fibers in the body, so applying cool water on the affected skin can bring instant relief from itchiness.

FURTHER REFERENCES AND SOURCES