Symptoms of Feet Itching
Feet itching
Do you often find yourself scratching your feet incessantly, unable to find relief from that persistent itch? Itching in the feet can be incredibly bothersome and disruptive, but understanding its causes and exploring effective remedies can help alleviate this discomfort.
Feet can itch due to dry skin, fungal infections like athlete's foot, and pregnancy. Dry skin can lead to itching, while an athlete's foot thrives in warm and moist environments. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make the skin sensitive and prone to itching, and swelling can exacerbate the condition.
It's essential to identify the underlying conditions to determine the itching feet.
An itchy foot is a tingling, irritating sensation that makes you want to scratch. It can cause redness, swelling, pain, peeling, and scarring and is medically known as pruritus.
- The causes of itchy feet are numerous and can include insect bites, allergies, infections, and trauma. When wounds heal, they often begin to scratch, indicating improvement.
- Eczema, contact dermatitis, scabies, and pinworms are other causes of itching.
- Athlete's foot, a fungal infection known as tinea pedis, is a common cause of itchy feet. The fungus causes a dry, scaly rash that is passed from person to person. Exposure to infection occurs when walking barefoot on contaminated surfaces, such as pool facilities and locker room floors, hence the name.
- The heat and perspiration of the feet create a favourable environment for the growth of fungi. The condition can be easily treated with topical creams, but frequent fungal infections could indicate a more severe condition. People who have diabetes or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are especially prone to athlete's foot and other fungal infections. Frequent use of antibiotics can also predispose you to developing yeast infections.
Causes for Itching Feet
Underlying reasons for itching feet can include:
Peripheral neuropathy:
- Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the peripheral nervous system that is spread throughout the body.
- Nerve damage can cause sensations, such as itching, numbness, and pain, in various parts of the body, including the feet.
Dry skin
Dry skin can sometimes be itchy. Risk factors for dry skin include:
- age
- living in a dry climate
- regular exposure to water
- swimming in chlorinated water
- dry skin on their feet
- If regular moisturizers don't work, a pharmacist may recommend effective over-the-counter (OTC) products.
Psoriasis:
- Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes sore, red, and scaly skin. It can affect almost any part of the body, including the feet. Psoriasis can be very itchy and painful.
- It occurs when a person's immune system begins to attack healthy skin cells. This speeds up the production of these cells and causes a rash.
- Treatments generally include creams and lotions that may contain tar, salicylic acid, corticosteroids, or a combination.
Eczema
- Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a condition that is generally characterized by very dry and itchy skin.
- Dyshidrotic eczema is a type that often appears on the sides and soles of the feet. It causes small, deep, itchy blisters. Women are twice as likely to develop this form of eczema.
- People can treat the itching that results from mild dyshidrotic eczema by soaking their feet in cold water or applying cool, wet compresses to the area.
Athlete's foot
- Athlete's foot is a fungal skin disease that usually develops between the toes.
- An athlete's foot can cause itching and a burning sensation in the infected area.
- Fungi thrive in warm, humid, and dark conditions, such as inside athletic shoes. An overgrowth of these fungi can cause an athlete's foot.
- Antifungal medications, which come in the form of pills or lotions, are often very effective in treating athlete's feet.
Allergic reactions
- Skin allergies can be itchy. They can be the result of particular skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, or contact with a substance, such as latex or pollen.
- Taking antihistamines can help control the symptoms of an allergic reaction. These medications come in the form of pills or creams.
Hookworm infections
- Hookworms are parasites that live in the human intestines. People can get hookworms by walking barefoot in areas where the larvae are present. Hookworm infections are relatively rare in places with sufficient hygiene practices.
Diabetes
- Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects insulin resistance and how the body turns food into energy. It can mean that a person's blood sugar levels are too high, which can have serious health consequences.
- Diabetes can cause diabetic neuropathy, which can lead to tingling, itching, and numbness, especially in the feet.
- Poor circulation due to diabetes can also cause itching. Also, having diabetes can increase a person's risk of getting bacterial and fungal infections.
Burns
- Even after they have healed, severe burns can cause lasting damage and itching.
- According to 2013 research, more than 90 per cent of participants reported itching after a burn, and for more than 40 percent of the participants, the itching persisted long-term.
Diagnosis for Feet Itching
Your doctor may advise tests that include:
- skin scraping
- culture
- biopsy
- blood test
- Some tests can check areas in or on the skin for the presence of germs, such as a fungus.
Treatment for Itching Feet:
Your doctor will treat itchy feet based on the cause.Treatments that can relieve itchy feet include the following:
- Your doctor will treat itchy feet based on the cause. For allergic reactions, avoiding the product or products that cause the allergic reaction can help reduce itching.
- Treatments that can relieve itchy feet include the following:
- An H1-blocking antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), can help relieve itching. Antihistamines can have sedatives and other unexpected side effects. Older adults may need to avoid their use.
- If you have an athlete's foot, antifungal sprays or creams can help. Chronic fungal infections may require a doctor-prescribed antifungal treatment.
- Topical anti- allergic medications, emollients like petroleum jelly, and steroid creams can help reduce localized itching on the skin's surface.
- Additionally, prescription medications such as SSRIs, gabapentin, or tricyclic antidepressants may be beneficial in certain patients.
When to see a Doctor?
- See your doctor if your itchy feet do not improve with home care or if your symptoms get worse over time.
Your doctor will take a complete medical history and perform a physical exam to diagnose the causes of your itchy feet. Questions they might ask include:
Remedies for treating itchy skin include:
- applying cool, damp cloths or ice packs to the itchy area
- make an oatmeal bath by grinding 1 cup of powdered oatmeal and adding it to warm bath water
- using moisturizers regularly.
- applying menthol or calamine to the affected area, which can provide a cooling sensation
- A person should try to avoid scratching, which can often make itching worse rather than better. Scratching also increases the chance of infection.
