What Is The Remedy For Severe Itching All Over The Body?

Topical itch treatments, those used on the skin, include cold applications, creams, and lotions. Cold applications: Because cold and itch travel along the same nerve fibers, the use of cold can jam the circuits and deaden itch. Methods of applying cold include the following: Cool water, either by running tap water over the affected area or placing a cold clean washcloth on the skin Cool showers A cool bath; products that contain colloidal oatmeal are available over the counter as an itch relief bath Ice packs, either the commercially available type or ice cubes in a plastic bag Anti-itch creams and lotions: Look for over-the-counter (OTC) remedies with these ingredients: Camphor Menthol Phenol Pramoxine Diphenhydramine Benzocaine (or one of the other caine anesthetics) You can apply these products over and over -- every few minutes if needed. These preparations help numb the nerve endings and stop you from a frenzy of scratching, which leaves the skin raw, sore, and even itchier. Although hydrocortisone-containing creams and lotions are often promoted as itch reducers, this ingredient only helps an itch that is caused by a rash responsive to cortisone, such as eczema and seborrhea. Since OTC hydrocortisone-containing creams and lotions are weak (even so-called maximum-strength products contain only 1%), they aren t too helpful for itch even in responsive conditions. When itching is caused by irritations of other sorts (insect bites, for instance), hydrocortisone doesn t help much at all. If you use hydrocortisone for 10 days and experience no improvement, you should see a physician to help determine the cause of your itch.