There are various ways and whole body itching drugs that are sold freely on the market, either medical drugs or herbal medicines. Here are some steps and medications that you can take to treat itching all over the body. But remember, the most important thing is to know what triggers the itching.
Some people must have experienced itching, either in certain parts of the body, or itching all over the body. In the medical world, itching is called the term pruritus. Itching can be accompanied by a red skin rash, lumps, blisters, spots, and dry, scaly and cracked skin. Itching can occur briefly, but it can also last a long time with intense itching and disturbing one's comfort. Under certain conditions, a person needs to take an itchy drug all over the body or use natural methods to overcome it.
Pruritus can be caused by skin disorders such as dry skin, eczema, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, allergic reactions, sun exposure, infection, and insect bites or stings. Some neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, pinched nerves, and herpes zoster can also cause itching. Other causes are chronic diseases such as liver disease, kidney failure, diabetes mellitus, iron deficiency anemia, thyroid disorders, and cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. During pregnancy, some women experience itching on the skin, especially in the abdomen and thighs. In addition, itching due to dermatitis can also worsen during pregnancy.
Safe All-Body Itching Medication
It is important for you to treat the underlying causes of the condition and the itching that you experience. However, you can consume some itching products throughout the body to help alleviate them.
- Antihistamines. When itching attacks, you can take antihistamines. This drug can reduce itching by reducing the production of histamine in the skin. Some antihistamines cause drowsiness and are recommended to be taken at night. Some types of antihistamines can be purchased directly from the pharmacy, and others can only be obtained by prescription. Second-generation antihistamines such as loratadine or cetirizine rarely cause drowsiness. If you are pregnant or have high blood pressure, you should consult with your doctor to get safe and appropriate treatment.
- Topical or topical medication. There are several cream, lotion, or powder products that can help relieve the itching that attacks. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the dosage and rules of use.
- Corticosteroid cream. Corticosteroid cream can be used as a whole body itching medication caused by inflammation, especially if the itchy part is reddish. To help the body absorb corticosteroid cream quickly, you can cover the part that has been smeared with a moist or damp cloth. It also gives a cold effect on the skin and reduces itching. Hydrocortisone is a mild type of corticosteroid, it inhibits inflammatory reactions in the body and can help relieve symptoms in inflamed and itchy skin.
- Antidepressants. Antidepressants Selective Serotonine Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline or fluoxetine can also help reduce various types of itching on the skin. This drug encourages the release of serotonin which can suppress the receptors in the body that trigger itching. But the use of these drugs must be under the supervision of a doctor, because this class of drugs is a special drug that is generally used to treat psychological disorders such as depression.
- Light Therapy (Phototherapy). Phototherapy can be a drug for itching all over the body. In this light therapy, the body's skin will be irradiated by ultraviolet light in several sessions to relieve itching. This light therapy can be an option to treat itchy complaints that previously did not subside after the use of drugs. However, light therapy has several disadvantages, which are relatively expensive and can cause side effects such as redness rash and burning or burning sensation on the skin.
- Alternative medicine. For stress-related itching, you can take several alternative treatment steps such as meditation, acupuncture, or yoga. The key is to stop the habit of scratching when itching arises and apply good stress management.
- Gel made from plants. Try plant-based products such as aloe vera for mild itching caused by sunburn or mosquito bites. You can buy these medicines at a drug store without using a doctor's prescription. But if you have allergies to ingredients in this drug product, you cannot use it.
The Right Steps Help Relieve Itching
For mild itching, the following methods can be done to help relieve itching throughout the body:
- Stop scratching. If you experience itching, scratching is the body's natural response. But, that method will not help the problem. Scratching can damage the skin layer and inhibit the healing process in the skin. In fact, this habit can cause infection. Try not to scratch the skin.
- Comfortable clothes. Comfortable clothing does not risk irritating the skin and keep your fingernails trimmed properly. Wash clothes with a little detergent or washing material that does not contain strong irritants.
- Avoid items or situations that cause itching. Try to identify what causes the itching symptoms to appear and avoid them. For example, rough clothes, a room that is too hot, taking too long a hot shower, soap or detergent, jewelry, or cleaning products that contain perfume.
- Compress the itchy area with a cold, wet cloth. This can help relieve itching, protect the skin and prevent you from scratching.
- Take a bath with warm water mixed with baking soda. This cannot be the same for everyone. There are people who say itching all over the body subsides when bathing in warm water, but there are also those who use cold water to relieve itching. You can try which method is suitable. But don't forget to rinse your body clean after taking a shower in this way.
- Use good quality moisturizers. Good quality moisturizers retain water content in the outer layers of your skin. This can help your skin stay hydrated so that the humidity is maintained, and you avoid dry and itchy skin.
- Colloidal oatmeal. This type of oatmeal is made from wheat which has been ground into a very fine powder. This natural ingredient is widely used in various types of soaps and lotions, or can also be added to the bath as a cure for itching throughout the body. This product is safe and helps treat itching from various causes. You can find products that contain colloidal oatmeal in many pharmacies, or make your own by grinding wheat into fine powder. But if you are allergic to wheat, this product cannot be used.
The most important thing in handling itching is knowing the originator and avoiding it. Comorbidities must be treated, for example in people with diabetes, blood sugar needs to be controlled. If itching is often scratched and has caused skin damage or infection, the doctor will give antibiotics to overcome it. Even though you can get many itching medicines all over the body, you are still advised to consult a doctor. Especially if the itching lasts more than two weeks and does not improve with self-care, affects activity, or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fatigue and weakness, weight loss, changes in bowel habits, unusual urinary frequency, fever, or redness of the skin.
