The reasons for which itchy hands to the elbow can be of a different nature: from simple dryness of the skin to serious internal pathologies. Knowing them, you can choose the appropriate therapy and get rid of the unpleasant manifestation.

The etiology of itching of the skin of the hands, not associated with diseases:

1. Dry skin. This is especially evident in the cool season, as well as in people who are constantly in contact with soap and other cleaning products. The use of rubber gloves is recommended to minimize alkali exposure. Be sure to use a nourishing hand cream (you can also find its protective analogue). In winter and late autumn, it is recommended to wear warm mittens or gloves to protect the skin from chapping.
2. mechanical effect on the skin. This can be: contact with unsuitable fabrics (fur, synthetics), increased sweating, excess temperature (the reaction can be both cold and warm).
3. Emotional tension (stress). With strong excitement, a person can involuntarily clench his hands into a fist, provoking increased sweating, which causes itching. Sensations gradually affect the area from the hands to the elbow.
4. A bite of an insect. At the same time, the hands itch from the shoulder to the elbow, if this particular area was affected. Insect venom, penetrating under the skin, can cause not only itching, but also redness, burning or swelling.

The causes of the symptom associated with internal pathologies are presented in the table:

Cause of itching	Description
Psoriasis	The disease is characterized by the appearance of peculiar plaques from dry skin (due to increased cell division of the dermis). At the same time, the hands itch up to the elbow (some forms of the disease cause itching of the whole body). Other symptoms: Symptoms: rashes in the form of blisters and small bubbles; puffiness; burning; dry skin and its peeling. Removes the manifestations of the disease with an antihistamine and the cessation of contact with the allergen.
Fungal or bacterial infection	The disease can affect not only the skin of the hands, but also the nail plates. In addition to itching, there is: change in skin tone; the appearance of peeling; redness and cracks in the dermis.
Lichen	It is characterized by the appearance of characteristic flaky spots on the skin, which cause itching.
Diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract (tumors) and kidneys	Hands itch due to the accumulation of a large amount of toxins in the blood, while the body temperature may rise. This can also include disorders of the endocrine and lymphatic systems.

Itching of the skin of the hands should not be ignored. In addition to unpleasant sensations, it can lead to disorders of the central nervous system (insomnia, irritability, absent-mindedness) at best, and at worst be a signal of a serious illness, the treatment of which is best started as early as possible.

Life with constant itching on the hands is unpleasant and uncomfortable. When hands itch, it is impossible to work normally, relax and even sleep at night. The main foci of itching are observed from the hand to the elbow. It can be complicated by the appearance of spots, acne, cause redness and irritation.

To get rid of such unpleasant sensations, you first need to find out the causes of their occurrence. Such a phenomenon as itching can occur under the influence of various factors. These include both external causes and various diseases and pathological processes in the body. Most often, the hands itch as a result of a reaction to something. What exactly caused itching on the hands? By establishing the causes of the problem, you can find the right approach to solve it.

Causes of itching

Itching of the skin of the hands in modern medicine is not considered to be an independent disease. Most often it acts as a reaction to the influence of some factor. A dermatologist can help you deal with this problem.

The causes of itching are varied.

The most common in medicine are:

External causes of this problem can be eliminated independently. When the irritant disappears, as a rule, the hands stop itching and you can return to normal life. However, there are a number of diseases, the symptoms of which are itching on the hands. Learn more about the most common ones.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disease that occurs in people of all ages. It occurs as a result of excessive division of skin cells. Excess cells come out and form plaques. Part of the arm from the hand to the elbow is most often affected by psoriasis. In addition to severe itching, psoriasis is characterized by painful sensations in the joints, sometimes swelling. When scratching, skin irritation occurs, and new plaques appear.

Scabies

Such a disease is dangerous due to its spread rate. The cause of scabies is scabies lichen, it occurs as a result of microscopic bugs moving along the skin that lay eggs. With scabies, small pimples appear on the skin and itch a lot. Hands are one of the most common areas of scabies, as the skin of the hands is affected by tactile contact. The area of ​​the elbow and between the fingers is especially affected.

Eczema

A common inflammatory skin disease. It has several forms, it is dyshidrotic eczema that affects the skin of the hands. In addition to severe itching, there are other unpleasant symptoms, redness and peeling. With eczema, the hands itch very much and blisters may appear on the skin. Eczema spreads very quickly throughout the skin, and the process of treating this disease can take years.

Diabetes

Itching of the hands is sometimes a symptom of diabetes. The hands and elbows are most commonly affected. In addition, small yellow pimples appear, which are very itchy and redness is observed around them. These manifestations quickly disappear with proper treatment.

Having established the causes of itching on the skin of the hands, it is urgent to solve the problem. If the hands itch as a result of external factors, they must be excluded. But if various diseases became the causes, in this case a visit to the doctor will be necessary.

Treatment

Treatment of itchy skin of the hands depends on the cause that caused it. However, there are a number of recommendations that will allow you to temporarily relieve discomfort. They will not help get rid of the problem, but will reduce the itching.

For this you need:

• exclude from the diet spicy, salty or exotic foods that can cause an allergic reaction;
• give up alcohol for a while;
• wash your hands often, if it is not possible to use natural detergents, you can use just water;
• temporarily abandon synthetic clothing;
• if possible, reduce the number of tactile contacts with people;
• take antihistamines;
• take calcium and iodine;
• use a moisturizer, preferably with a natural composition.

If the hands itch as a result of diseases, then only a doctor can prescribe specialized treatment. To do this, it is necessary to evaluate all the symptoms and the stage of development of the disease. Most often, the treatment is local in nature, and preparations are used in the form of creams or ointments. To renew the skin, it is worth using preparations with vitamins A, D and E.

Among the most popular drugs are Fenistil, Sinaflan, Lorinden, Fluorocort.

Traditional medicine

For the treatment of manifestations on the skin of the hands, you can use traditional medicine.

They mainly consist of infusions of various herbs:

Folk remedies are used when hands itch as a result of allergies or the action of external stimuli. Nettle infusion is used in the treatment of eczema. Baths with mint and burdock are used by dermatologists as additional methods in the systemic treatment of skin diseases.

Itching of the hands - very unpleasant feeling. To protect yourself from this symptom as much as possible, you must adhere to the rules of personal hygiene, use antibacterial agents and, if a problem occurs, consult a doctor.

The reason that itchy hands up to the elbow can be a huge number of factors, but it is necessary to determine the true provocateur. If the reasons are not established, then it is pointless to take any measures, since they will not bring results, itching on the hands will appear again. Most people underestimate the feeling of itching, but when the hands itch from above and below, it causes great discomfort, a person cannot work normally, relax and even sleep, because the skin also itches at night. Today we will look at why the hands itch up to the elbow, and how to eliminate the causes of itching of the extremities.

Possible etiology of itching

The skin of the hands and feet can itch for the following reasons:

• fungal infection;
• psoriasis;
• scabies;
• allergic reaction;
• diabetes;
• eczema;
• dry skin.

First, I would like to consider the most banal of the causes of itching - dry skin. The feeling of tightness and dryness, as a rule, provokes frequent washing of hands with soap. Of course, there is nothing wrong with the fact that a person strives to constantly keep his hands clean, but soap dries out the skin and leads to its dryness.

Very often, dryness in the limbs is provoked by frost and wind. If you walk without mittens and gloves in the cold season, then you can also easily encounter a similar situation. The solution to the problem will be just as banal - use a moisturizer at home, and when you go outside, spread nourishing preparations. Modern medicine and cosmetology offers a huge number of hand skin care products, so you can easily choose something for yourself.

Provocative diseases

The second most common cause of itching is psoriasis. This is a very serious disease that cannot be completely cured. Conducting regular therapy, you can stop the development of the disease for some time, but under the influence of provoking factors, it can manifest itself again. The essence of the disease is that skin cells begin to divide incorrectly and form characteristic scales. Not only do they constantly itch, they also do not look aesthetically pleasing, delivering to a person, in addition to physical, also moral discomfort. Red spots will help to recognize psoriasis, which will increase in size and spread from the hands all over the arm. It is impossible to treat this disease on your own, you need to contact qualified specialists for help.

A disease such as eczema also often begins with the usual itching in the upper extremities. A characteristic sign of this disease are red vesicles. After a certain time or under the influence of mechanical factors, these bubbles burst and form ulcers, which cause severe pain to the patient. It is very difficult to treat eczema, especially taking into account the fact that cracking, the liquid from the bubbles enters healthy areas of the skin and spreads the disease further. Treatment of eczema lasts a long time, while the patient needs to use anti-inflammatory, hormonal and restorative drugs.

This condition can be caused by a number of reasons:

• A number of extracutaneous diseases. For example, jaundice, diabetes mellitus (pronounced and latent), disorders in the liver. Itching may be the first symptom of cirrhosis, including alcohol. It is also included in the symptoms of a number of diseases of the kidneys, lymphatic system, thyroid gland. Tumors of the gastrointestinal tract may also have this feature;
• Skin diseases. In this case, other symptoms of the disorder usually appear. Such diseases include pediculosis (lice), urticaria, scabies, neurodermatitis, etc.;
• Chemical, mechanical, temperature irritating effect. If a person has too dry or very sensitive skin, then it will react sharply to cold, heat, excess sunlight, excessive sweating, wearing synthetic and woolen clothing, and some cosmetic and hygiene products. In this situation, it is enough to stop contact with the irritant, then redness and itching, other phenomena on the hands will disappear by themselves;
• Severe psychological stress, emotional upheaval;
• Vegetovascular dystonia;
• Taking a number of medications.

If none are found, then a more thorough examination is carried out to identify pathologies of the kidneys, liver, and endocrine system. In the case when those are not found, the remaining reasons are sequentially considered.

When to See a Doctor Urgently

Itching and rash can appear on the hands and on other parts of the body. In this case, help is indispensable, since other symptoms (eg, a rash) indicate the presence of some kind of disease. If, for example, but also the feet, or the stomach, while discomfort occurs regularly, dryness, blisters, redness appear, then, as a rule, allergies, scabies or eczema are the culprit.

In more difficult cases Such symptoms indicate a violation of the internal organs.

Allergy

If the discomfort is felt only in the palms, then the culprit is usually a product or substance that has only been touched with the hands. Often these are various creams, household chemicals (detergents, powders), soap, etc. When the whole body itches, this may be due to an allergy to animal hair, dust, odors, food, etc.

In such a situation, you need to observe yourself and find out the cause of the discomfort. If this is an external irritant, then you need to limit contact with it, for example, replace cream or soap, use household chemicals with gloves.

People suffering from allergies, by the way, need to constantly monitor the condition of the skin, keep it moist. For this, it is recommended to periodically use various masks, baths, infusions of medicinal plants, moisturizers. In this case, the doctor will definitely prescribe anti-allergic medications.

Scabies

This is a rather unpleasant disease, familiar to many. The causative agent is the scabies mite, which affects the most delicate areas of the skin. It usually settles on the fingers, wrists.

In such places, small watery pimples appear, and the discomfort intensifies in the evening. Sometimes the rashes are completely invisible and do not bother, but with stress, the symptoms appear sharply.

If itching occurs between the fingers, then only a doctor should prescribe treatment, since in the vast majority of cases the cause is the scabies mite. First you need to undergo an examination and pass tests.

Treatment also includes preventive measures. Other family members will also need to visit the doctor and complete a series of activities.

Eczema

Refers to fairly common skin diseases. The skin undergoes an inflammatory process, itching is accompanied by redness, a rash and significant peeling may occur. It is worth noting that eczema is often a complication of an allergic reaction. First of all, you need to consult a doctor and do not comb the damaged areas.

Treatment for itchy hands

Therapy is selected individually and directly depends on the cause that provoked this phenomenon. Of course, there are some general recommendations that will help relieve or at least slightly alleviate the condition.

First you need to eliminate food that can cause irritation from the diet. This includes salty, spicy and spicy foods. It is advisable to stop drinking coffee, strong tea and alcoholic beverages for the duration of treatment.

Your doctor may prescribe additional calcium supplements and antihistamines. Elderly people often have the so-called senile itch. In this case, they will need to drink iodine preparations.

After the examination, identifying the root cause of the disease, local and general treatment is prescribed. If there are no contraindications, soothing hand baths are made. Natural ingredients are added to them, for example, string, oregano, oak bark.

The temperature of the water for the bath should not exceed 37 °. In some cases, it is useful to wipe the skin with alcohol solutions of medicinal plants (eg calendula), lubricate with creams containing antihistamines, menthol. A doctor with very severe itching may prescribe an ointment based on corticosteroid hormones.

To eliminate itching of the fingers and toes, other parts of the body, you need to properly care for the skin, regularly perform hygiene procedures use appropriate means.

Folk remedies

In the treatment of this disease, you can use the recipes of traditional medicine:

• Dill. Plant seeds (2 tsp) are poured hot water(2 cups) and leave for 10 minutes. Take such a remedy for only 2 days in equal amounts;
• Veronica officinalis. An infusion is prepared, as in the previous recipe, but one tablespoon of raw materials is taken and left for an hour. If you are concerned about itching on the toes and hands, then squeezes can be applied to the affected areas;
• Nettle. To prepare the product you need 2 tbsp. l. dry crushed leaves and 200 ml hot water. The mixed ingredients are left for an hour. Take in equal dose throughout the day;
• Mint. From it, not only infusions are prepared for ingestion (2 tsp leaves + 1 glass of water), but also used for rubdowns, douches, baths with lesions of the legs and other parts of the body;
• Burdock. You need roots or leaves. On a spoonful of raw materials you need 0.5 liters of water. The ingredients are mixed and boiled for 10 minutes. Drink this decoction 4 times a day in equal portions;
• Violet tricolor. For the infusion, you will need another 25 g each, lily of the valley flowers and, of course, the violet itself. For a tablespoon of the resulting collection, 200 ml of hot water is needed.

Conclusion

Itching, even if it is minor, causes discomfort. When it appears regularly, it is impossible not to pay attention to it. A recurring phenomenon, at best, indicates an allergy to household chemicals / cosmetics, at worst - about serious internal pathologies.

As already noted, itching is a symptom of many diseases and is often the first sign of a developing disease. Therefore, you should not self-medicate. Think about your health, as well as the well-being of loved ones, because some causes (eg, scabies mite) can spread to others.

Itching on the skin of the hands is a rather unpleasant phenomenon, unless, of course, it lasts only a couple of seconds. The reasons for it can be very different: from harmless and even pleasant signs (“for money or a meeting”) to serious diseases, accompanied by the appearance of rashes, blisters, and cracks on the skin. Therefore, let's figure out why the hands itch.

Causes of itching on the hands.

1. Various dermatological diseases.

It is in this case that the desire to scratch is not the only manifestation of the disease. A red spot may appear on the hand (it itches, I must say, mercilessly), rashes and other skin manifestations. These are diseases such as

• scabies (presence of scabies mite),
• pediculosis (the presence of lice),
• urticaria (nettle fever),
• neurodermatitis (chronic dermatosis), etc.

2. Chemical, mechanical and thermal effects that can irritate the skin.

If the skin of the hands is initially dry and highly sensitive, then itching may also appear due to excessive:

• cold,
• heat,
• sunshine,
• sweating,
• wearing fur or clothes made of wool or synthetics,
• use of a number of cosmetic products.

In these cases, as soon as contact with the irritant stops, the itching gradually disappears. Such a disease is usually classified as contact dermatitis.

3. Extracutaneous diseases.

There are a number of fairly serious diseases in which one of the symptoms may be itching. Among the most common:

• diabetes mellitus (can be not only pronounced, but sometimes hidden);
• jaundice (liver disease);
• liver diseases (partial violations of its functions), for example, cirrhosis of the liver;
• kidney disease (partial violations of their functions);
• diseases of the lymphatic system of the body;
• tumors in the gastrointestinal tract;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland.

4. Strong psychological stress.

Too excitable, psycho-emotional by nature, a person may well respond to stress with the appearance of itching on the skin of the hands. This is how his body reacts.

5. Taking various medications.

Many pills, ointments, injections can cause itching on the hands (as a side effect).

6. Insect bites.

A number of insects can "boast" a poisonous bite. Substances that get under the skin can cause a burning sensation and itching. It is important to remember that if itching on your hands has been bothering you for a long time, then you should definitely visit a doctor and, if necessary, be examined. For starters, it could be a dermatologist.

If the hands itch one-time, without consequences, it is quite possible that this itch just “tells” you about something. You just need to figure out what.

Why does the right hand itch.

Folk omens claim that usually right hand(especially the palm) itches to financial profit(money).

It is believed that this money will come unexpectedly for you: for example, someone will repay a debt or a bonus will be given at work. Moreover, the more actively the hand itches, the greater the amount will be. To lure money to you, scratch your palm from its edge to the center, as if you are collecting all the money in one pile. Then, says the sign, the money that came so unexpectedly will stay with you for a long time.

Why does the left hand itch.

But the itching of the left hand may indicate that:

• will soon have to give money:
• you have an important meeting ahead of you.

Actually, do you remember one good old joke?! No, but in vain - he is very on topic.

Once the Hedgehog came to the Wise Owl.

Dear Owl, help. My paw is itching, what is it for?

This, Hedgehog, is nothing but a fight.

Comes in five minutes:

Oops, now my pen is itching.

And this, Hedgehog, is probably for big money.

Five more minutes later:

Oh oh oh! And now my ear is itchy!

Would you wash yourself, Hedgehog, or something ...

It is extremely difficult to independently determine the cause of itchy hands.

If there is redness, blisters, a rash on the hands (it itches all the time).

Of course, when any manifestations of diseases become visible on the hands, then you need to go to the doctor.

Before going to him, you can slightly relieve the itch in these ways:

1. Apply cold (temporarily relieves itching and anesthetizes). You can take a small towel and wrap ice cubes in it, or simply dip a clean, sterile gauze in ice water and apply such a compress to your hands.

2. We prepare an oatmeal solution. In a small bowl, you can prepare an oatmeal solution and hold your hands in it (no more than 15 minutes). This composition has a calming effect on overly irritated skin.

3. We minimize contacts with possible irritants. Try to stay away from all kinds of skin irritants, especially:

• scented and antibacterial soaps,
• detergents,
• synthetic and woolen fabrics.

4. Do not contact with hot and cold. Wash your hands only in cool or warm water. From hot itching can only intensify, and the rash will worsen.

5. Use herbal decoctions if you are not allergic. Baths with a decoction of chamomile, string or celandine can also temporarily relieve itching. If there are bubbles on your hands (they itch badly and hurt), you need to do all the procedures carefully, without damaging them.

And remember, the main prevention of skin diseases is considered compliance with hygiene rules: regular hand washing, and if this is not possible, treatment with wet sanitary napkins.