The duration
Both the duration and the prognosis of nocturnal itching depend largely on the underlying disease. Parasitic pathogens can be effectively eliminated by household sanitation and appropriate skin therapy, whereby the itching can be treated quickly. In chronic skin diseases, itching can occur in recurrent episodes interrupted by symptom-free intervals.With progressive diseases of the liver, kidney and bile ducts and with malignant diseases, causal therapy is often only possible to a limited extent. The itching can become an agonizing symptom in the long term. In this case it is extremely important for those affected to take advantage of the therapeutic possibilities.
The localization
Nocturnal itching, which occurs all over the body, is often a sign of a systemic – i.e. affecting the whole body – disease. Possible examples are allergic reactions caused by food, pollen, house dust mites, animal hair or similar. Diseases of various organs such as hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), cholestasis (bile stasis) or severe kidney function impairment (renal insufficiency) with urinary ingestion (uremia) can also lead to itching that affects the whole body.
The same applies to diabetes mellitus. Itching in the genital area can have various causes. The causes can be infections caused by bacteria, fungi or parasites.
The type of pathogen can be identified more precisely by means of a physical examination or by smears or mucous membrane samples. Therapeutically, antibiotics or antimycotics (drugs against fungi) are used. In women, the menopause with its hormonal changes can also lead to itching in the genital area.
Therapeutically, ointments or gels containing hyaluronic acid can have a soothing effect. Alternatively, there are estrogen-containing creams, vaginal suppositories or tablets that can often significantly reduce itching. A worm infestation can also lead to itching in the genital area, as this is very close to the anus, especially in women.
Itching of the anus can be an indication of poor hygiene. In this case it is sufficient to clean the anus thoroughly with warm water after each visit to the toilet. The itching then usually disappears quickly.
However, a worm infestation also often leads to itching of the anus. At night in particular, itching of the anus and – in women – in the genital area can be excruciating. Sometimes the worms can be seen with the naked eye.
In addition to drug therapy with tablets, it is essential to adhere to hygiene measures. Itching of the anus? Itching of the legs can have various causes.
If the itching occurs exclusively on the legs, this may be due to new care products that are only used on the legs. Also different skin diseases, which only exist in the leg area, can be the cause. But also various other diseases can cause itch-like symptoms on the legs.
These include, for example, the restless legs syndrome, also known as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), which occurs mainly in the evening and night hours. This leads to tingling, pulling or burning sensations in the legs which lead to a pronounced urge to move. Sleep disorders are often the result.
Polyneuropathy, i.e. damage to the nerve endings in the feet and legs, can also lead to itchy, itchy sensations in the legs. The cause of such polyneuropathy is often diabetes mellitus or chronic excessive alcohol consumption. Itching that occurs exclusively in the area of the arms can be caused by dry skin or other skin diseases as well as allergies.
There are no specific diseases in which itching occurs exclusively in the arms. Nevertheless, many of the above mentioned diseases can cause itching, which is also localized in the area of the arms. Itching of the scrotum can have different causes.
One of the most common causes is the combination of moisture and warmth as it can occur especially in the summer months. Regular washing and “airing” usually helps. Another cause can be allergic reactions, for example to a new detergent or shower bath.
If (under)pants are too tight, chafing of the intimate area can occur, which in turn leads to unpleasant itching. Infections with bacteria or fungi can also cause itching of the scrotum. In this case a therapy with appropriate medication – usually in the form of an ointment – must be carried out.
