Pruritus is the medical name given to the sensation causing the want to scratch, according to Wikipedia and there are many things which cause this reaction in people and animals. It can be generalized, and occur all over the body, or in many cases it is localized, itching in just one or two areas, as happens in the case of insect bites.The causes can be as simple as dry skin, or it could be a symptom of a chronic disease, too much exposure to the sun, or the result of insect bites or even an infection.
Scratching itchy skin is not a good idea
It is important to discover the reason for itching all over, since the treatments vary depending on the cause. For example, skin infections are often treated with antibiotics, but an allergic reaction is relieved by taking antihistamines, so it is important to get the correct diagnosis so that the correct treatment can be started to relieve the itchiness. This often means a visit to a medical doctor or health care giver, and when in doubt, this is the way to go. However, even the specialists often get stumped by rashes which come and go and itchy skin because there are so many different causes and reactions that can cause produce the irritating itches.
Now, when you have itchy skin, you should try your best to avoid scratching as this can lead to the skin bleeding, allowing bacteria to enter the breaks in the skin, which can result in a nasty skin infection, and the need for antibiotic treatment. Unfortunately itching and scratching can be hard to stop, especially if it is all over the body.
It is important to notice whether there is a rash associated with the itching all over, and whether there are blisters, or red itchy bumps to be seen or felt, as their presence or absence can help diagnose the issue. But of course, identifying a rash can be a real challenge. It should be noted whether the itching is worse at night too. Bed bugs are getting a lot of attention these days, and they bite at night leaving red marks often in clusters over arms and legs. If this is the cause of your itchiness, then you need to get help to get rid of the bed bugs. Unfortunately, this can be a very difficult task as they are generally only seen at night, and hide in cracks and crevices during the day.
If allergies are the cause, then antihistamines can usually get the itching all over under control pretty quickly. Other causes can take longer to treat, but one common cause of itching all over is dry skin due to the way skin is treated these days. Many of us have hot showers and soap every day which removes the natural oils from the skin, and many times we do not use moisturizers to restore the balance. This can result in itchy skin, but easily resolved by using moisturizers regularly.
