Itchy skin and rash under stress
Several studies now show significant correlations between the human psyche and the condition of the skin. Stress can trigger an exaggerated immune reaction of the body and thus aggravate if not cause existing skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, psoriasis and skin rashes. The skin itches, the affected person sleeps poorly and thus suffers from a constant restlessness, which in turn causes even more stress.
But how exactly does stress cause such a reaction of the skin? The body reacts to stress with a complicated defense reaction. First, the hormones norepinephrine and adrenaline are released.
These are also called “stress hormones“. They increase blood pressure and pulse rate and put the body in a generally very alert state. In addition, stress triggers an immune reaction in which cells of our body’s own defense system migrate from the blood into the tissues and skin to render pathogens harmless.
Since these reactions are not supposed to last forever, the hormone cortisol is now used. It is intended to curb the inflammation triggered by the immune reaction. It therefore has an immunosuppressive effect.
However, if there is an imbalance, it can happen that not enough cortisol is released and the immune reaction virtually overshoots the mark. The inflammation persists and makes the skin more susceptible to neurodermatitis, psoriasis and rashes and thus to itching. Above all, stressful and traumatic life events in early childhood can throw this defense system out of balance and thus promote stress-related itching.
However, there is another approach to the development of psychosomatically caused itching. This approach is called neuropeptide-neurotrophin axis. It has been proven that under long-lasting stress the protein “substance P” is released from nerve cells.
This “substance P” stimulates so-called mast cells to empty their content, the histamine, into the tissue. Mast cells are a component of our immune system. Histamine is involved in the development of allergies and allergic reactions and causes severe itching, swelling and redness of the skin.
Possible therapeutic approaches can be both medicinal and the learning of relaxation techniques. As already mentioned, the skin is considered the largest and most versatile organ of the human body in terms of its functionality. Its main purpose is to provide mechanical, chemical and thermal protection for the tissues underneath it (the so-called covering organ).
In addition, the skin is one of the most important messengers between the inside of the body and the environment, i.e. it fulfills important tasks in the field of communication. The skin is also indispensable as part of the immune system, and for many germs and pathogens it is the first barrier that must be overcome to infect an organism. This in turn means that the skin already fends off a large part of possible infections in a particularly effective way.
An intact skin is the prerequisite for an ideally functioning body. Defects in the area of this protective coat are not only perceived as particularly disturbing but can also have an unfavorable effect on many processes inside the body.
