Itching with a rash

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Itching with a rash

Rate the severity of your itching or your child's itching on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being slight itching and 10 being severe itching that has interrupted activities of daily living.

• Severe itching: 8 to 10
• Moderate itching: 6 or 7
• Mild itching: 1 to 5

A rash that itches is usually not serious, but can be annoying. Home treatment usually will relieve itching.

Dry skin is the most common cause of generalized itching. Dry skin will crack, which worsens itching from a rash. Preventing dry skin may help reduce itching even if the dry skin is not the primary cause of the itching.

Sometimes localized itching can actually be caused by scratching. Repeated scratching can lead to a gradual thickening and darkening of the skin, which then itches even more. This is seen most often on the nape or side of the neck, the inner surface of the elbow, the back of the knee, or the shin, but it can develop anywhere.

In rare cases scratching will injure the skin, and an infection may develop. Avoid scratching and keep fingernails short and clean to prevent skin infections.

When there is no sign of a rash, itching "all over" can be a symptom of a more serious problem. Itching may be caused by a disease, such as cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease, or some types of cancer.

Credits

Last updated:	August 01, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer