The fact that a person can itch one or another part of the body is quite natural and not pathological. Another thing is if this desire arises systematically, on the same part of the body, it intensifies over time. And other symptoms are added to the itching. Why do the legs itch in this case?
There are quite a few reasons - from uncomfortable clothes to serious illnesses. In the article, we will get acquainted with this symptom in more detail, consider the causes of itching in the shins of the legs. We will also present the directions for diagnosing and treating diseases characterized by a similar symptom.
Symptoms
As a rule, with pathological causes of itching of the legs, a person notes not only a persistent desire to scratch. Along with this, other symptoms also make themselves felt:
- Redness on the lower leg. Skin color may change to pinkish, reddish. This is both a solid area and small specks.
- Dry skin on the shins of the legs (the causes of the condition here are also pathological - we will consider them later). The dermis can peel off, exfoliate.
- Severe or moderate pain (may be caused byphysical damage during brushing).
- Dryness and itching of the lower legs may be accompanied by cracking of the skin in this area.
- The formation of purulent vesicles. The symptom differs in that an unpleasant smell of decay emanates from these rashes. Note that such bubbles cannot be popped or otherwise removed by yourself.
- Burning in the lower leg.
Such symptoms can be supplemented by signs of diseases that do not spread to the shin alone. For example, with an allergic reaction, the patient simultaneously suffers from a severe runny nose, cough. This condition is often perceived as an acute respiratory viral infection or a cold, and a person does not pay attention to the skin itching of the lower leg.
With diabetes, along with such local symptoms, the patient may suffer from strong unreasonable thirst, increased urination. With neurological diseases - additionally suffer from mood swings.
Non-pathological causes
Yet, in most cases, the causes of itching of the legs are non-pathological. And associated with the impact on the body of any external factors. In most cases, this is the following:
- Not drinking enough fluids. To ensure normal life, a person needs to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. If he consumes much less liquid, this ultimately affects his he alth. In particular, the lack of moisture adversely affects the condition of the skin. They becomedry, begin to peel off, because of which a person experiences itching, a strong desire to scratch any part of the body.
- Cold climate. One of the common non-pathological causes of itching of the legs is a long stay of a person in conditions of low temperatures. An unpleasant sensation appears, in particular, with a sharp temperature drop. When a person enters a warm room from the cold. It also causes flaking of the skin, a desire to scratch it.
- Using the wrong skin care products. Creams, shaving foams, shower gels may contain elements that individually irritate your skin, or even cause allergic reactions.
- Wrong diet. This is a common cause of not only itching of the legs, but also problems with the body in general. We are talking about addiction to fatty, sweet, smoked, flour, fried, spicy, s alted foods. Such food negatively affects the functioning of the digestive tract, it is not completely digested. One of the consequences of this is persistent skin itching. Which, including, can be felt in the area of the lower part of the legs. In addition, a rash appears on the lower leg (in adults and children). In this case, you need to either completely limit yourself in eating junk food, or eat it rationed, in small portions, make sure that it is not the main food.
- Addiction to alcohol and smoking. Such bad habits negatively affect the entire body. One of the consequences is the appearance of skin itching, rashes on various parts of the body.
Why do my feet itch? case maybe in a serious pathological cause.
Skin diseases
It is various skin diseases that are a common cause of itching, various redness, rashes. Including, they can hit the lower leg area.
The most common pathology in this vein is dermatitis. Such a disease of the skin can occur as a result of the influence on the body of a variety of factors: chemical, biological, mechanical. In particular, dermatitis is a consequence of mechanical skin injuries, burns, bruises, allergic reactions, animal bites.
At its core, dermatitis is a chronic disease. Itching and other unpleasant symptoms occur in the same place. The main signs of dermatitis are as follows:
- Persistent itching, a strong desire to scratch this or that part of the body.
- Formation at the site of the lesion of redness, pinkish spots.
- Small rash.
- The skin on the shins of the legs is cracking.
- Formation on the surface of the dermis of small water or purulent bubbles.
Another popular skin disease that can manifest as itching is psoriasis. This is a non-infectious, chronic pathology that affects certain areas of the body. As a result of such a disease, characteristic reddenings that rise above its surface, which are called psoriatic plaques, appear on the skin. In some cases, the disease develops without them.
Psoriasis can provoke stress, systematic nervous strain, malnutrition, addiction toalcohol and tobacco. Depending on the stage of the disease, red itchy spots cover either a certain area of the body (in this case, the lower leg), or spread over all skin integuments.
Allergy
Itching in the shins, knees, inner thighs is one of the manifestations of an allergic reaction of the body. The list of allergens is quite extensive. Moreover, it is not common to all people. Each person has their own list of allergens. For some it is small, for others it is large. Note that the susceptibility to allergies also depends on the state of immunity of a particular person. The more actively the defenses of his body work, the less likely it is that allergic reactions will occur.
There are several groups of allergy pathogens:
- Food. In particular, these are dairy and sour-milk products, citrus fruits, vegetables, sweets, etc.
- Medical supplies.
- Animal bites (especially insects).
- Household allergens. These are household chemicals and cosmetics, synthetic materials, dust, etc.
- Pollen from flowering plants.
Allergy can manifest itself not only as itching in the lower leg area. This is constant lacrimation, frequent sneezing, coughing, the appearance of rashes on the skin in the form of small pimples, and so on. The condition brings the patient a lot of inconvenience, worsens the quality of his life. Moreover, when scratching, it is easy to bring an infection into the wound, which will add big he alth problems.
Vascular disease
Varicosis on the legs in menand women can also begin to manifest themselves with itching in the lower leg. With this disease, the venous walls lose their elasticity, the ability to narrow and stretch. The integrity of the venous valves may be disrupted, due to which the pressure in the vessels increases, blood stagnation occurs.
The causes of varicose veins in men and women are usually as follows:
- Hard physical work.
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- Systematic lifting of weights.
- Overweight.
- According to the male line - a genetic predisposition.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Wrong diet.
- High blood viscosity.
- Having bad habits.
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
At the initial stage, the disease can manifest itself with itching in the lower leg area. But it is rarely the only symptom. The patient also complains about the following:
- The appearance of a feeling of fatigue in the legs.
- Feeling of heaviness in the lower limbs.
- Swelling after exercise.
- Feeling of "swelling" of the legs.
- Desensitization of the skin of the lower extremities.
- Feeling like the legs are full of fluid.
- Appearance of vascular networks.
Diabetes
With this disease, there is a violation of the liver and kidneys. From here, a large amount of toxins and other harmful substances accumulate in the patient's body. Metabolism (metabolism) worsens, hormonal failure occurs, the activity of the endocrine system is disrupted.
Of course, all of the above has a negative effect on the skin. Including, and on performance by a skin of obligatory functions. It begins to peel off strongly, which is accompanied by severe itching. The skin is also very dry, in some cases covered with purulent vesicles. The lower leg may also be the affected area.
In some cases, unbearable itching appears in the thigh area. Redness may occur, the skin becomes flabby and inelastic. The problem is that it is impossible to get rid of diabetes forever. The patient can alleviate his condition by excluding alcoholic beverages, nicotine, foods containing a large amount of sugar from the usual diet.
Liver and kidney disease
Failures in the work of these organs are the causes of pathological changes in the condition of the skin. They have small blemishes. The latter irritate the upper epithelial layer, the manifestation of which is itching, the desire to scratch the affected area.
This problem is accompanied by other characteristic symptoms: a constant feeling of bitterness in the mouth, fatigue, the appearance of a network of blood vessels on the skin. Such symptoms can be used to identify fairly serious diseases: cirrhosis of the liver, cholelithiasis, hepatitis.
As for kidney diseases, their development may be accompanied by the release of excess s alts through the skin, mucous membranes. S alt has a negative effect on them - it tightens, dries. The skin begins to peel off and from that it itches a lot. itmay also be accompanied by swelling of the face and legs.
Neurological problems
We analyze the causes and treatment of itching of the skin of the legs. Such a condition can also be provoked by various neurological conditions - periodic stress, depression, anxiety, nervous breakdowns.
Skin problems can also become one of the answers to a strong emotional shock. In particular, the occurrence of severe itching. In some people, this is a chronic phenomenon, moreover, affecting the same areas of the skin. In response to a strong experience, the skin on the hands or, as in this case, in the area of the shins begins to itch.
Status Diagnosis
If you are very worried about itching in the shin area, the problem returns to you periodically, then you need to visit a dermatologist. Medical assistance begins with diagnostic measures:
- First of all, the doctor gets acquainted with the patient's medical history, his outpatient card. Based on this information, it is easier to understand what exactly triggered the itch.
- Visual inspection of the affected area.
- Questioning the patient about the symptoms that bother him, describing his general condition, diet, lifestyle, etc.
Laboratory studies are carried out if necessary:
- General and biochemical blood tests.
- Urine and stool analysis.
- Laboratory examination of a scraping from an itchy area.
In some cases, instrumental diagnostics will be required:
- Ultrasound.
- X-ray.
- Endoscopic procedures.
- CT.
- MRI.
The above is prescribed if serious pathologies are suspected - diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, varicose veins.
Treatment
How to relieve itching of the lower leg? In this case, conservative (i.e., medication) treatment is prescribed. Medicines are selected individually for each case. In particular, the doctor may prescribe the following to the patient:
- Antioxidant drugs.
- Vitamin complex.
- Detoxification agents.
The main treatment is not aimed at the symptom itself (scabies), but at eliminating its cause - a certain disease or pathology. If itching of the legs was detected with varicose veins, then drugs are prescribed that improve the condition of the veins. Designed for both outdoor and indoor use.
If the cause of the symptom is diabetes, the patient is prescribed a certain dosage of insulin, a special diet. If the cause is nervous diseases, sedatives and tranquilizers are prescribed.
Treatment of skin diseases here is more complicated, it takes place in several stages. At the first stage, drug therapy is prescribed, the use of external preparations - ointments, creams. At the next stage, an individual diet is compiled, physiotherapy procedures are carried out.
Folk remedies
If you are sure that the cause of itching in the shin area is non-pathological, refer to proven folk remedies that will alleviatesymptom manifestation:
- Baking soda compresses.
- Lotions with infusions of medicinal plants - aloe, chamomile, calendula, sage.
- Compresses based on apple cider vinegar.
But in this case, you should not turn to self-treatment. Use these products only with your doctor's approval.
Problem Prevention
Itchy skin is a small, but in the truest sense of the word, annoying problem. In order not to suffer from it, we recommend that you pay attention to these recommendations:
- Watch your diet - reduce the intake of junk food that has a negative effect on the entire body.
- Watch your drinking regime - it is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
- Use a moisturizing, nourishing cream specifically for the skin of the legs, which does not contain allergenic ingredients.
- If you feel itchy after a nervous breakdown, do not scratch the affected area. An unpleasant symptom can be relieved by applying a cold compress to the skin.
- Prefer clothing made from natural materials. Synthetics cause discomfort on the skin, including itching.
Do your shins itch all the time? There are many reasons for this state of affairs. From synthetic clothing, stress at work to diabetes, varicose veins, liver and kidney damage. Therefore, you should definitely contact a dermatologist with such a problem.
