Itch in time saves nine

(China Daily/Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-28 10:55

When a person has an itch that lasts more than six weeks it should be examined by a doctor because chronic itching can drastically impair the life of the person affected, according to a health services research dermatology center in Hamburg.

The itch can cause not only difficulty sleeping and therefore impair the affected person's productivity, it also can result in open sores that can become infected. In addition the itching can also affect the sufferer's psyche: Many patients become depressed and close themselves off, which can lead to an inability to work.

The most common causes of pruritus - the medical term for itching - or accompanying illness associated with it are neurodermatitis, psoriasis, contact eczema, dry skin, metabolic dysfunction and neurological problems, a pruritus center at the university clinic in Muenster, Germany said.

In some cases a blood test or X-ray are necessary to make a diagnosis and in others patients must be checked into a clinic for treatment.