Itching

Itching is the irritation of the skin. There is a yearning to scratch the affected area. Almost everybody meets up with this disease at one point of life. Scratching the affected area can create further problems as the skin might get bruised and sore. It can even be painful at the later stages. There are various causes for itching. Dry skin is one of the prime causes for itching. Others include exposure or contact with chemicals, sunburn, cold weather, overexposure to water, insect bites or stings and hot baths. From being limited to a specific area, to being generalized, itching can occur at any part of the body. The desire to scratch the affected area is the symptoms of itching. The best way to deal with it would be to retreat to the natural remedies. In the following lines, we provide how to cure/treat itching at home.

• Bumps
• Dry, cracked skin
• Leathery or scaly texture of the skin
• Tendency to scratch continually, to relieve itching sensation
• Redness of skin
• Scraped skin, as a result of vigorous scratching
• Thick and scarred skin
• Red spots
• Scaly patches
• Blisters

• Stress and anxiety
• Dry skin
• Prolonged exposure to UV radiation from the sun
• Metabolic and endocrine disorders, such as liver and kidney disease
• Various type of cancers, such as lymphoma
• Reactions to drugs
• Diseases of the blood
• Allergic reactions
• Insect stings and bites, such as from mosquito or flea
• Infections and infestations of the skin
• Fungal infection of the crotch (tinea cruris)
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Body lice
• Hormonal changes in women
• Strong chemicals like detergents, solvents
• Parasitic infestations
• Eczema
• Cold weather
• Overexposure to water and hot baths

• A simple way to treat itching would be to have bath putting 2 cups of oatmeal in a tub with lukewarm water.
• Dust the affected area with cornstarch. Alternatively, some cornstarch can be poured in the bath water as well.
• In the bath water, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. This would work well to provide relieve from itching.
• Apply cold compress to the affected area. This is likely to reduce the itchiness caused.
• A good remedy to get relieved from itchiness would be to apply fresh stinging nettle oil on the affected area. Otherwise, drink 1 to 2 cups of Nettle tea daily. For this, add 1 tsp of the dried nettle leaves in a cup of boiling water. Allow it to steep for 15 minutes.
• Soak 2 large handfuls of fresh chickweed in water. When the plant softens, cool it and apply on the affected area.
• Taking bath with lukewarm water is also beneficial in treating the problem of itching.
• Include foods rich in Vitamin C, beta-carotene, Vitamin E and zinc in the diet.
• Take honey and cinnamon powder in equal proportions. Make a fine paste out of it and apply this on the affected area. This would stop itching.
• In a bathtub filled with water, add a cup of white vinegar. Soak the body for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Coat the affected area with a light paste of coconut oil and limejuice. This is a good remedy to cure itching.
• Mix some baking soda with water. make a paste and apply this on the affected area.
• Neem is very useful in treating itchiness. Boil some neem leaves and pour the decoction in the boiling water. Applying neem oil on the affected area is also helpful.