Itchy Skin

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by Guest Posts on Tue Sep 24, 2024 9:00 am

Itchy Skin

My forearms have been itching for about 12 months. It's like a nipping itch. It's almost every night. Drives me absolutely crazy.
Please help. Thanks M
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Dr Catherine O'Leary
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by Dr Catherine O'Leary on Fri Sep 27, 2024 10:42 pm

Re: Itchy Skin

Hello - Sorry to hear about the itching. As someone with an itchy skin condition, psoriasis, I know how frustrating that can be, especially if it disturbs your sleep at night.

First, please see your doctor or general practitioner to see if they can identify what's causing the itching and suggest some treatments that might help.

In the meantime, there are a few techniques that can help you cope with the itching. The National Eczema Association has some great tips here: https://nationaleczema.org/blog/mind-body-tec ... cratching/ as do the Allergy and Asthma Network here: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what-i ... th-eczema/
They advise several practical strategies to break the itch-scratch cycle like wearing loose fitting clothes, keeping your fingernails short and using cool packs.

If you think that anxiety or stress is making the itching worse, you could try relaxation or meditation before bed. There are lots of great apps available like Headspace or Calm. Or you could try the Palouse Mindfulness Programme which is a free, online 8 week course: https://palousemindfulness.com/

Hope that helps!

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