Home Remedies for Itching

Itching, also known as pruritis, is a skin condition that is not associated with a specific condition, but is considered more to be a prominent symptom of a number of underlying conditions. Medical research considers the signals sent to the brain when itching occurs or pain is felt as more or less the same. However, the major difference between the two is the reaction that the body develops to these signals. To elaborate, while pain will cause the individual to withdraw, itching usually draws the individual towards the affected area – prompting the reaction of scratching.  The exact cause of itching is still largely unidentified, but is known to originate in the nervous system with the reaction in the nerves being triggered by a group of substances known as histamines coming in contact with the skin. When suffering from a chronic case of pruritis, it is important that you make it a point to visit your doctor in order to carry out a few tests to be able to identify the root cause of the problem as this will help significantly in the treatment phase. However, one should also keep in mind the fact that the constant itchiness could also be caused simply by having excessively dry skin, anxiety, stress. Some of the other common causes of itching include eczema, allergic reactions to substances like soap and detergent, hormonal changes in women, a variety of cancers including lymphoma and diseases of the blood.

Treatment for Pruritis

Because of the fact that the condition is such a common one and can be attributed to a host of other underlying conditions, most home remedies for itching will only serve to help ease the discomfort caused by the problem. However, proper treatment for pruritis can only be looked at after the root cause of the problem as been identified and treatment undertaken to take care of the underlying condition has been employed. One of the best and most effective treatment options when dealing with pruritis is to dust the affected area with corn starch. Putting some amount of cornstarch in your bath water will also help significantly. Baking soda is known to be a very effective option when it comes to treating irritated and itchy skin. You could either mix some amount of water in it to make a paste and apply it over the affected areas or even simply add some of the powder to your bath water and soak your body to equal effect.