What are some internal conditions and infections that can cause itching?
Widespread itching may be a manifestation of an underlying, internal disorder. Kidney failure, for example, often causes severe, widespread, intractable itching and is known as uremic pruritus. Some forms of liver disease including cholestasis and cholecystitis, as well as viral hepatitis, and thyroid dysfunction can cause the skin to itch. Certain disorders of the blood including lymphomas (cancer of the lymphatic system), leukemias (cancer of the blood or bone marrow), anemia (low red blood cell count), polycythemia vera (high red blood cell count), multiple myeloma (cancer of the immune system), and neurologic conditions such as pinched nerves can cause itching. Infectious diseases including HIV, varicella zoster virus (the cause of post-herpetic neuralgia) and skin boils due to methicillin sensitive or resistant staphylococcus aureus (a form of bacteria) can cause severe itching. What can be done for pruritus? Often the dermatologist will be able to diagnose the cause of itching wi
