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Extreme Itching Throughout Body

Asian Male of 20 years of age.

Symptoms: Extreme itching all over body if exerted in any way. The itching seems to be almost within the skin.

The problem seems to have started around 2 years ago. I would run or excercise and when my body was a little exerted or I sweated I would become very very itchy for about 20 minutes, and then the itchiness would disappear for the rest of the day. Ignored problem is trivial or even a normal symptom of dried skin.

Now: The itchiness seems to have elevated to another level, although it is the same itching, it does NOT go away, and starts with anything as trivial as taking a walk, to even moving my arm or stretching out. It seems to be associated with heat, because if my body is cold, it is not itchy whatsoever.

Tried: dove soap,all types of lotion (seems to make it worse), consumption of large quantities of water (seems to help a little but might be psychological), stopping the eating of fried foods/sodas/etc, even allergy pills and vitamin/nutrition pills. Regular doctor checkups and Dermatologists shrug it off as nothing but a dry skin problem, but this CANNOT be normal.

Time: The itchiness seemed to almost stop at the beginning of summer, but slowly growing it again has reached it's peak at the end of summertime. It is completely ruining my days with endless scratching and embarassment, as well as making it hard to workout/run/ or even socialize.

Please help with this problem, because it is truly ruining my life.

Thank You.
76 Responses
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139792 tn?1498585650
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buteyko_method

The above is the link to Buteyko method. I searched vikepidia. It has not mentioned about itching. Other website or Buteyco will contain the same.
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139792 tn?1498585650
Recently I came across some suggestion on breathing technique.  It is based on Beutico ( Dr Beutico sp?).  In this technique you create hunger for air in the body. Take a breath , hold it, and take few steps. You will need to breath out after 15 to 20 steps. breath out and now take a small breath and exhale long. Inhalation is less and exhalation is longer. Causing more carbon dioxide in the body. whenever whole body is itching this technique work. Details are complicated. we are making our body hungry for oxygen. this we are doing through long exhalation. This situation demands oxygen from the brain. Brain supplies assimilable (sp?) oxygen and this relieves itching. I am trying this technique. As I have itching problem since last 3 years. Inhale short and exhale long.= in short.
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Avatar universal
I have been leaving with the itches since 2005 while i was at high School.
Since I see there is still no cure discovered I will just provide what works for me to coupe through the day.

Is either you exercise hard in summer before the itches start and throughout winter when you normally get the itches.

My second solution that helped me get through my day was sitting on the sun and bare the pain from the itches. " It is extremely painful but it seems that once the itching reaches it maximum and drops or lessens then you can bare the heat for the whole day. I basically learned to live with the condition and it no longer stops me from leaving.

If there is ever a solution please let me know on: ***@****

Thanks
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Avatar universal
What about soaps and washing powders, could you be allergic to different fabrics like jeans denim, fir example, sprays powders
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Avatar universal
I don't guarantee this is a cure all, but I hope this helps someone..
I could write pages over the past ten years about all the problems I've had, (yes the itching when hot, hard bumps and blocked follicles, acne, contact dermatitis) and it was only recently that I noticed a pattern. My shampoo, my dish soap.. I started reading the back of my products and it all had the same thing, and apparently its one of the most common now, and even Whole Foods used this in their dish soap..  Methylisothiazolinone
http://www.naturalnews.com/041203_skin_allergies_toxic_chemicals_personal_care_products.html
Just shampooing my hair with this (and it rinsing down my body) made my body intensely itch... Not to mention caused a number of other issues.
Check/change your soaps- your skin is an organ and absorbs everything.
Again, maybe it's not this, maybe it's a different chemical but don't rule out topical products. Read the backs of everything and start to notice if you see the same reoccurring ingredient (maybe for you it's something different).
One last thing, your digestive system is your immune system (so to speak) make sure it's healthy, this will cut down your "allergies" and sensitivities to things. Sometimes we get or develop hypersensitive reactions because our immune system is weak and needs a little help.
Best of luck to you and don't lose hope!
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Avatar universal
I'm a 17 year old male from Australia and I have this. I was walking down a street a few weeks ago and a dog barks at me that scared the crap out of me, all hell broke loose and my back just tortured me with stinging sensations all over my back and my neck, it was painful so I tried to calm my nerves so I walked across the street and then the same thing happened. A dog barks at me that I didn't see and it scared the **** out of me again and the prickling sensation goes on another rampage, the rest of the walk home I was still itchy and prickly, I wanted to take my jumper and my shirt off and lay on the freezing cold footpath and just lay there until it went away. The rest of the walk was very uncomfortable, it didn't go away even when I applied my freezing cold hands to my back, it did nothing. BTW the weather was cloudy and freezing.

I also get the sensation when I take hot or even warm showers, hell I was just on Youtube a few minutes ago watching a funny video and the moment I laugh the sensation comes, I can't even laugh or show excitement? :/ what a life.

I haven't gone to the doctors yet I wanted to try a diet change because perhaps I'm allergic to gluten or something. The hives didn't really go away but yesterday morning I decided to apply sunscreen all over my body to keep it moisturised and nothing happened when I got overheated from sitting next to the heater with jumper on, I thought it was interesting but I didn't get my hopes up. I had a shower yesterday night and I was curious to know if it's gone or not so I had a shower and I was observing my skin, no itchiness, no flushing nothing at all. I had a hot shower so I was excited nothing happened so today I had a shower and I applied my sunscreen and no itchiness or hives, it was around 1pm when we had dinner. Nothing fancy just chicken, peas, baked potatoes and pumpkin so I ate some chicken and peas and I was a little hesitant to eat the potatoes but I did take a bite, all of a sudden the itchiness comes back. I've been itchy all day today after I ate that dinner, I have no idea if it was the dinner but I'll check things out in the next few days.


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Avatar universal
i decided not to comment but im soo glad i had that idea in the first place to just Google search what disease it was that has been worrying me. my case is no different. i came to Australia just last February to study law at UC and my itchy skin disease started i think last month. anything that can result in bringing sweat to my skin triggers this itchy thing all over my skin. GOD it is soo painful beyond words. i get it all over my body including my head. where ever i am, when it starts i just cant control it, ive been to the doctor trice and they all dont know what it is. i really need help. i wil be making a presentation just this Wednesday and im planing to drink some alcohol before i go so that i will be able to control the pain when it starts because i know in front of people im  definitely gonna panic and then  the sweat will plan on coming and i know it will itch really bad. ive never taken alcohol but i think i really need some before i go for the presentation. i disgrace my self every where . mine is soo itchy i literally take of my shirt anywhere i am to scratch my body and they most awkward part is i also put my hands in my pants too because its very itch . its crazy and its true and please if uve not experienced it, don't think u know what im talking about because ive literally had people tell me they don't think i should be behaving the way i do when it starts, its just too painful to here such comments.
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Avatar universal
so many people here suffering from this god awful and mysterious itching! for me it started about two months ago - If you'd asked me a week ago I would have bet my house that it was caused due to Styrofoam or Polyurethane exposure. now I'm not so sure - Is certainly still high on the list but keeping an open mind in relation to diet and potential nerve based/neurological issues that could also be a causing factor.  

I've never in all my life experienced this kind of itching! It feels so unnatural and goes beyond being an itch - It's something I don't feel compelled to scratch though and I have previously experienced hives as well as the kind of itching associated with liver cleansing. I've been practicing Qi Gong for twelve years and must admit have become a little complacent - to a certain extent almost thinking I'm invincible because of my Qi Gong background. because of the Qigong I rarely get colds and feel that I have strong and high energy levels. I've always taken pride in the fact that I rarely feel the need to go to a GP. If memory serves correct prior to all this itching commencing I think the last time I was at a doctors was well over ten years back. anyway I ended up going to a dermatologist and she seemed to suggest that it wouldn't be the Styrofoam creating such problem. I walked out of the doc's office quite skeptical and just felt she was towing the corporate line. I was hell bent on the Styrofoam theory and because the symptoms felt so unnatural and nothing like I'd ever previously experienced - was quite adamant that there was something embedded in my skin - hence these tiny toxic/synthetic particles had to be at fault.

It plays so much on the mind and constantly has me second thinking. at one point I thought it could be mercury poisoning given that I have about 4 mercury fillings which I received back in the 70's as child. I threw my matress/doona/pillows/sheets out in a huff of rage, cursing those that that put me forward to the job. I was holed up at one point in the office of the man that got me the position almost coming to blows because I was hellbent that this last two months of my life being completely turned upside down was all his doing.

I was finding these tiny particles all over my clothing, I'd even (as far as could determine) cross contaminated a new pair of jeans. I wouldn't even have to wear those new jeans or other contaminated clothing - all that was required was to just be near it and I would suddenly feel the itching take over. It is now at the point of me just having to walk into my room, not make contact with anything and I will start to itch. so I'm now sleeping and pretty much living in the living room - so it's not just making life difficult for me but also for the people I live with.

I mentioned to Dermatologist that I wanted to file a work cover/work safety report - and she immediately advised that I don't even bother. explaining that it's so difficult to prove such cases and that the majority of the time the person filing the case ends up losing because of such 'degree of difficulty' to find hard proof. I guess there's so many variables at play it makes sense that it would be a no win scenario.

and I completely hate that whole approach anyway - I'm never even interested in the legal approach as an option. for me to even consider that suggests how much this 'mysterious itch' has me rattled.. I guess I've just never felt as if I'd been slowly poisoned by some invisible monstrosity! surely I couldn't be to blame? It would have to be someone else's fault!  

I would wake in the middle of the night literally as if on fire. eyes burning, skin burning, itch, pins and needle like sensations - as if someone had put sandpaper underneath my dermal layers.. I couldn't understand why there was no redness and why I felt no need to scratch! over two months of this weird arse itching hoodoo voodoo nightmare and not once have I scratched. go figure!

Intuitively I was saying to myself 'it seems toxic' and 'my body definitely wants to rid itself of something' - hence the styrofoam/polyurethane embedded particle theory - as time has progressed the itching on the surface of the skin has become more of an extreme pins and needles deeper into the skin, sometimes creating abdominal pain and definitely feeling as though it or something is attacking my nervous system. I was only at this job for two weeks before I quit and I'm certain that during that period I inhaled these dry foam particles (strange bitter taste in mouth for about two months also). That to me is a concern in itself! even if there was no itching at all - the idea of inhaling synthetic, potentially toxic substances is just a complete and utter absurdity - to think that in 2015 people would still be operating this way in a workplace environment had me completely gobsmacked! anyway I've recently found work again as a freelance photographer - but it of course is bittersweet given that I'm still being held captive by Beelzebub and his evil space dust! I certainly don't want it to interfere with my new work - hopefully I'm able to find a solution ASAP! next in line blood test and a trip to the Acupuncturist - finger's crossed!

anyway rant over.. here's to all that have shared experiences and I sincerely hope that the issue is also resolved for each and everyone one of you  
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Avatar universal
My God! I can't believe I am not the only one with this problem. The itching starts if I walk in the sun and get a bit tired, when I am stressed, embarrassed, after a hot bath or when I feel some heat, I have to look for a shade if I am walking or switch on the fan and stay right in front of it if it happens at home and this itching hinders me from doing a lot of things in my life. It doesn't happen to my wife and kid and I thought I was in a world of mine till I found this website. I am really tired of this. I was thinking of going to see a doctor but from all I have read, it is going to be a complete waste of time.
My suggestion is we stay away from hot water for 2 weeks and see if it cools off. Someone told me sometime ago that he had the same problem and when he stopped taking his shower with hot water, it stopped! I thought how can I go on without hot water but now it has come to the point where I have to try it and see. If it works for me, I will come back to testify.
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Avatar universal
Oh my gosh. After reading all this, I have to comment. This is such an annoying and mysterious affliction. Here goes.

I'm a 43-yr old mother of 3, half-Asian, living in Holland. Around my 20th (give or take a year), it started, but very light. It's slowly gotten worse over the years. When my body temperature quickly rises (sports, emotional stress like anger or nerves, etc), then the itching starts. First, red blotches, and if I don't stop right away, then it will develop into little bumps that grow and become hives. This is all over my body, and it drives me NUTS!!!! Sometimes, it begins with my hands and feet tingling, burning, and itching on the inside. I will become unreasonably irritable and every little thing that looks dirty or stained, will send me into fits (I'm a natural slob, by the way). The only thing that seems to help is sitting still and getting my body to calm down. Then, it's gone again. After more severe attacks, I'll feel a little chilly and worn out.

This is a real obstacle in my life, and I'm so sick of it. The doctors haven't been much help ("sweat allergy?" Nope. Sorry, that ain't it.) Taking an anti-histamine (Desloratadine) before long bike trips or similar helps minimize it.

A QiGong Master once suggested a Liver/Gall bladder cleansing. After reading all of these posts, I might try it sometime. It supposedly clears the filters and helps allergies to calm down.

I really wish I knew what this is. I hate biking into town and then spending the next 15-30 minutes scratching at my scalp, arms, and torso.

Other info: Holland is temperate. Wet, cold in Fall en Winter, warm and sunny (if we're lucky) in Spring and Summer. Fast metabolism, but I'm sometimes borderline Anemic. Very quickly tired. I don't do sports, for obvious reasons. Although, I did Tai Chi for a while with minimal itch.

So maybe this info is useful to someone. I hope so. And if you have any ideas, please let me know. Thank you and good luck, fellow Itchers.
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Avatar universal
Yeah same here when I'm around people and get embarrassed i get itchy and tingly and almost painful all over my body and I can't scratch it all.
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Avatar universal
Holy cow, sorry for all the typos.
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Avatar universal
Chronic itching, flushing now, too! Yay. Skin measures about 10° hotter where I'm flushed than the rest of my skin. Liver panels are fine, cholesterols are perfect, I'm apparently healthy as a horse by my blood panels.

My nurse thinks it may be cellulitis, I've had that before, but not on my face. Still, perhaps a lingering infection would just make me itch and not have the other symptoms. Of course, I need a doc to give me the antibiotics for that, so for now, it's just an idea.

Something that worked when I had severe poison ivy and nothing could stop the itching - wash with bleach. A little clorox on a washcloth, spread it all over you in the shower (careful of membranous tissue, though - that burns) let it sit for a couple minutes, then wash off with some sort of mild soap, plenty of lotion....the bleach calmed the skin with nothing else did. Probably not a good idea for long term therapy, but it can sure dave your sanity.
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Avatar universal
I have this thing, i itch several times in a day, it's my hands and feet most of the time but when im nervous/anxious my whole body uncontrollably itches.
I have tried antihistamines and moisturisers but they don't help at all, whenever someone questions me or anything that makes me feel any sort of way (angry,annoyed,laughter,embarrassed) It just starts and it's already taking over my life, I can't go out, the only thing I can do is stay at home and deal with it, really hope there is a solution to this because it's ruining my life
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Avatar universal

I have suffered with this condition for over forty years and I have not found a solution. I have seen doctors -  traditional and non traditional -  with no solutions. I can't walk one block before it starts. I live in fear of having to walk anywhere that requires more than walking a half block. When I tell people they think that I am a little nuts. I avoid activities that require me to walk or exercise. It has literally taken over my life. It is a silent hell. I did not know that anyone else had this problem. I can not wear clothes that are slightly tight to my skin because it seems to accelerate the start of the itching. Once I feel it coming on there is nothing that I can do but let it run its course and stop whatever I am doing. It seems to be worst in winter but occurs year around. I have tried medicines but they do not help and make me sleepy and unable to function. I would love to be a part of an effort to unite to try to find a solution to this nightmare.
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Avatar universal
Hi there,

This comment might be little too late but just in case some of you guys still suffer from this annoying condition.
I suffered from the exact same thing for over a year and my doctor did not have a clue. I used to get it when I exercise, walk too fast, laugh or get angry. it affected my arms, back, neck and face. As I had never experienced anything like that in my life I suspected, it must be some kind of allergy.
I was right. it turned out to be EGGS! the moment I cut out eggs and egg products out of my diet, the condition nearly disappeared. The really strange thing is, Organic eggs do not have any negative impact on me, its only normal or otherwise called "free range eggs" that brings the condition to resurface again. I hope this was helpful.
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Avatar universal
This sounds like:
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA) or
Exercise-induced urticaria

anaphylaxis = serious allergic reaction
urticaria = hives

It can also be caused by sweat, which activates histamine, making you itch.

Once you start itching even if you stop exercising you may experience itching just by being active, like walking. It can also continue even if you no longer exercise as often, which is why it is hard to diagnose and most dermatologist may not even consider it.

You may not be allergic to exercise, or sweat, or food on their own, but when you eat certain foods and exercise or sweat this may trigger allergic reaction or makes it worst (acid foods, sweet/sugar foods including healthy fruits can cause a reaction).

I am not saying this is what original poster and a few others have, but it is a possibility and should CERTAINLY be highly considered. Research it and discuss with doctors.

Some drugs may stop the itch cycle. Some foods such as green vegetables, flax seeds and sunflower seeds may strengthen the skin to limit infections from itch, as itch is not healthy to body.

Cut your nails and wear gloves to allow skin to heal.

You could also read Dr. Fuhrman's water fasting book, and there are alo many tips online on water fasting. This may reset immune system. At a minimum, body should be more alert after water fast so you are more sensitive, and it is easier to find out which food you are sensitive to.

It is also possible to be allergic to environment. You will need to be tested based on your region, with each region having a set of possible allergens. Allergies come and go. It is possible not to be sensitive to a food or chemical or animal or insect and one day you are allergic to it.

I am really sorry. Itch can be overwhelming. Doctors don't know it all and you will need to bring these possibilities up on your next visit. Exercise, sweat can trigger itching, sometimes on their own at at times when combined with food in the gut.

Shalom to all.
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, Extreme itching under skin all over body was started.
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  I've been using coconut oil instead of lotion on the dry skin.  it does help some... but I found that a beeswax/jojoba oil lotion from Paradise Potpourri works better.   it does not stop the itch - only the dry skin.
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Avatar universal
I wanted to thank everyone on here. I thought I was suffering alone with this pain. I cant write much because anyone who is experiencing this knows that thinking and talking about it brings it on. It almost seems unfair that something like this exist, since it destroys your spirit and controls every move & decision you make. I can make it through the day with a cold wet rag filled with ice and taking probably more benadryl than I should. Lately the itching has starting to occur while I'm sleep, as if I can't even escape the pain in my dreams. Using hand lotions seems to make the symptoms worse. I've stopped all together, but now hands are getting too chapped to the point of bleeding. Can anyone suggest a brand of lotion to use? For anyone whose family and friends (even though they mean well) says it just in your head, please do your best to ignore it. The triggers may be psychological, but the pain is 200% physical. This may be a stretch, and really just looking for something to explain why, but living in the southern U.S. we have "cicadas" (similar to locust) which are only seen every 13 or 17 years. When the cicadas came out last year, my symptoms began again, and when I go back 13 years prior is when I first started these symptoms Thoughts????
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Avatar universal
thank you for the reply, and I'll check on the gold bond lotion. I've started wearing "Hanes X Temp" undershirts; they seem to help with the heat, but not other stress triggers.
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Avatar universal
   I've been itching for the last 7 years.  But I also have "threads" that come out of the itchy sores on  my back.  I was bitten by a kissing bug and have been itching ever since.  I have tried everything and even antiparasite lotions, potions, and creams.  I use Gold Bond anti itch lotion which seems to help the most.  Lanacane and the others are no help at all. -  
     When I itch I use a boars hair bath brush from Walmart to scratch with.  It calms it down better than using my fingernails.
     It is possible that I was bitten by a kissing bug while I was in the Caribbean.   I think that a lot of us get bitten by bugs while we vacation in the tropics - Bahamas, Haiti, Panama, Florida, or Louisiana - hot steamy areas.  And I think that we don't put any gravity behind it until years later when the "bugs" wake up and start biting.
  Any thoughts?
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Avatar universal
I wanted to thank everyone on here. I thought I was suffering alone with this pain. I cant write much because anyone who is experiencing this knows that thinking and talking about it brings it on. It almost seems unfair that something like this exist, since it destroys your spirit and controls every move & decision you make. I can make it through the day with a cold wet rag filled with ice and taking probably more benadryl than I should. Lately the itching has starting to occur while I'm sleep, as if I can't even escape the pain in my dreams. Using hand lotions seems to make the symptoms worse. I've stopped all together, but now hands are getting too chapped to the point of bleeding. Can anyone suggest a brand of lotion to use? For anyone whose family and friends (even though they mean well) says it just in your head, please do your best to ignore it. The triggers may be psychological, but the pain is 200% physical. This may be a stretch, and really just looking for something to explain why, but living in the southern U.S. we have "cicadas" (similar to locust) which are only seen every 13 or 17 years. When the cicadas came out last year, my symptoms began again, and when I go back 13 years prior is when I first started these symptoms Thoughts????
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, itching was started.
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