Severe itching on the palms of the hands. Itchy palms: what does it mean? Diseases of internal organs, manifested by itching of the palms

Among the reasons why palms itch are skin diseases, allergies, vitamin deficiency and a number of external factors that also lead to itching. It may be accompanied by other symptoms that make it possible to more accurately identify the problem. If itching in the palms constantly torments, then it is simply necessary to establish its cause. Only eliminating the irritating factor will help cope not only with the symptoms, but also with the disease itself. The reasons why your palms itch are discussed in detail below.

What is itchy palms

Unpleasant sensations that are caused by internal nonspecific or external irritants of the external skin. This is the definition of itching. As a result, there is a desire to comb or rub a certain area of the skin or mucous membrane. Many nerve endings reach the surface of the epidermis, which is why such sensations can arise as a result of a variety of reasons - external and internal. The nature of itching is not fully understood. It is believed that this is a modified pain syndrome that provokes nerve endings.

Why do my palms itch?

The reasons why your palms itch can be very diverse. In some cases, itching is caused by serious diseases, the treatment of which can only be prescribed by a doctor. Among the more general reasons for the appearance of such sensations are the following:

Allergy. This could be a negative reaction to the food eaten or substances with which the hands came into contact. Among the latter are powder, soap, cream, and dishwashing detergent. If the palm, fingers and other parts of the body itch, then such an allergy can be caused by animal hair, cold, dust or food.
Psycho-emotional stress. Itching here is the body's reaction to external irritants.
Increased sweating. For some it is hereditary, for others it occurs due to anxiety. This also leads to itching and even redness on the skin.
Dry skin. A lack of water in the body also leads to the fact that the palms begin to itch, because the skin dries out and cracks, which can even cause pain.

More serious causes of itching include a number of skin diseases. They may be characterized by other additional symptoms, for example, burning or burning foci of inflammation. Such pathologies include:

scabies (the spaces between the fingers begin to itch);
eczema (added by a burning sensation and small rash);
dermatitis (redness of the skin with itching is noted);
lichen (redness and peeling occur);
hives (accompanied by redness and then blisters that burst);
fungal diseases (skin becomes thickened, nails and hair are additionally affected).

lupus erythematosus;
syphilis;
diabetes;
psoriasis.

Itchy palms, red spots

The presence of red spots on the palms, which are accompanied by itching, most often indicates an allergy or skin disease. They are characterized by rashes. Dermatitis is common in this case. They are caused by contact with irritants, such as cleaning chemicals. Allergies can manifest themselves in the form of pimples or larger spots. They itch and sometimes burn.

The combination of rash and itching is characteristic of hyperhidrosis, i.e. increased sweating. In this case, there is itching and spots on the feet. Palms often itch due to metal poisoning. The appearance of red spots on the palms is also accompanied by some diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. These include:

meningitis;
chicken pox;
hepatitis;
leukemia;
cirrhosis;
rubella;
measles.

Burn and itch

liver diseases, stones in the bile ducts (dry skin is a concern);
excessive alcohol consumption (palms itch and burn);
diabetes mellitus (burning hands and feet are observed along with thirst, increased appetite and headaches);
vitamin B deficiency (accompanied by burning of the feet and hands, hair loss, brittle nails);
polyarthritis (along with burning palms, morning stiffness of the joints is noted);
carpal tunnel syndrome (sweating and burning of the palms).

Itching with peeling

If peeling appears along with itching, we can talk about a skin disease, for example, eczema. It is accompanied by dryness, cracks, and sometimes large blisters. The skin may be moist or dry. Another skin disease that is characterized by flaking is psoriasis. It may cause red spots of varying sizes to appear on the palms of your hands. Peeling will be observed in their center. The itching can be so severe that you want to rub your skin until it bleeds.

The degree of peeling is slightly lower in atopic dermatitis, a chronic hereditary disease characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation. Other causes of itching and peeling skin:

age characteristics;
increased skin dryness;
failure to comply with drinking regime or strict hygiene rules;
low indoor humidity.

Baby's itching

In children, itchy palms are not often associated with very serious diseases, but they also cannot be excluded. It is better to seek help from a doctor who will determine the cause of such painful sensations. A child may complain that their palms itch if:

enterovirus infection (accompanied by a rash on the arms and chest);
allergies (to animals, food, medications or cosmetics);
fungal infection (added by peeling and dryness);
scabies (especially the spaces between the fingers itch);
lack of vitamins (irritation, dry palms are noted);
dyshidrosis (itchy blisters appear on the palms, soles, between the fingers);
bites of ticks, bedbugs, often living in old furniture, toys, carpets;
burns from certain plants;
severe stress or hormonal imbalance.

Diagnostics

To determine the specific cause of such sensations, the doctor conducts a visual examination of the palms. He is interested in how long ago the symptoms appeared and studies their severity. If a serious illness is suspected, blood and urine tests may be ordered. If the cause is a skin pathology, then to confirm it, a sample is required, most often a smear from the source of inflammation on the palms.

Treatment

Therapy depends on the disease that has been diagnosed. If you have allergies, it is recommended to limit contact with the allergen. To improve the condition, the doctor prescribes special histamine blocker drugs. They neutralize the effect of the allergen. In other cases, treatment is carried out as follows:

If the itching is psychogenic in nature, then antidepressants are prescribed.
Skin diseases are treated with creams or ointments, for example, antifungal agents are effective for fungus, and corticosteroids or even more severe hormonal ones are effective for psoriasis.
More serious diseases, such as diabetes or cirrhosis, are treated comprehensively only under the supervision of a doctor.

Medicines

The prescription of medications is directly related to the reason why your palms itch. In general, the patient may be prescribed anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antihistamine drugs. They are presented as medicines for internal use and for external use. Some of them may be available with a prescription. Among the particularly effective external agents are:

Bepanten;
Elokom;
Lokoid;
Fenistil;
Radevit;
Advantan;
Nizoral;
Ketoconazole.

Traditional treatment

Some folk recipes can significantly alleviate the condition. More often they are represented by masks or baths. Among the particularly effective folk procedures are the following:

Pour about 3 tablespoons of chamomile, string and oak bark into a glass of water, boil, then leave for a couple of minutes. Soak your hands in the resulting broth until it cools completely.
With a lotion based on menthol, camphor alcohol, coconut or almond oil, wipe your palms with a moistened cotton swab.
Oatmeal with honey. Mix these ingredients in equal parts, then apply to the skin, and after 20 minutes, rinse with warm water, then apply moisturizer.

First aid

If the itching is very severe, even to the point of numbness in the hands, it is imperative to take action. The first aid here may be washing under a contrasting stream of water, preferably with antibacterial soap, or a calendula-based bath with chamomile and string. This method is especially effective after contact with nettles or poison ivy. If itching from an insect bite or allergies, you need to take an antihistamine, for example, Suprastin. A cold compress quickly reduces discomfort. To do this, apply a damp cloth with ice to your palms for several minutes.

Video: itchy palms

Sometimes a person’s palms itch, and the causes of this symptom may be skin diseases, allergies, vitamin deficiencies and a number of external factors that can lead to itching. Itching may be accompanied by other symptoms that can more accurately identify the underlying problem. If your palms itch constantly, then you simply need to identify the main reason for this.

Itching and peeling of palms

Unpleasant sensations that are caused by internal nonspecific or external irritants of the outer skin are called itching. As a result, a person has a desire to comb or rub a specific area of the skin or mucous membrane. Nerve endings extend to the surfaces of the epidermis, which is why such sensations can arise for a variety of reasons: internal and external. Experts have not yet fully studied the nature of itching. It is assumed that this is a modified pain syndrome that provokes nerve endings. Very often, during itching, the skin on the fingers begins to peel off.

Reasons why your palms itch, can be very diverse. Sometimes itching can be caused by serious diseases, the treatment of which should only be prescribed by a specialist.

The most common common reasons for the formation of such sensations are:

More serious causes include some skin diseases. As a rule, such diseases are characterized by other additional symptoms, for example, burning or burning of inflammation. Such diseases include:

Scabies, in which the areas between the toes begin to itch.
Eczema, which is accompanied by the formation of a small rash and burning sensation.
Dermatitis, in which there is redness of the skin along with itching.
Ringworm, which causes peeling and redness.
Hives, accompanied by redness, after which blisters form, bursting after a while.
Fungal diseases in which the skin becomes thickened, and hair and nails are also affected.

Syphilis.
Lupus erythematosus.
Psoriasis.
Diabetes.

The presence of red spots on the palms, accompanied by itching, most often indicates an allergic reaction or skin diseases. Such diseases are characterized by rashes. The most common in this case are various dermatitis. Dermatitis is caused by contact with irritating substances, for example, detergents or other chemicals for cleaning the apartment. Allergies can manifest themselves in the form of pimples or voluminous spots. Sometimes such tumors burn and itch.

Combination of itching and rash characteristic of hyperhidrosis, which is excessive sweating. In this situation, spots and itching still appear on the feet. Palms often itch after metal poisoning. The formation of red spots on the palms is accompanied by some diseases that are caused by fungus, viruses or bacteria. Such diseases include:

Hepatitis.
Meningitis.
Leukemia.
Chicken pox.
Rubella.
Cirrhosis.
Measles.

If, at the same time as itching, the skin on the palms begins to peel off, peel, then in this case we can talk about a skin disease, for example, eczema. This disease is accompanied by the formation of cracks, dryness, and sometimes large blisters may appear. The skin may be dry or weepy. Another skin disease that is characterized by flaking is psoriasis. With this disease, red spots of varying sizes form on the palms, and the palms begin to peel off. Peeling is observed in the center of the formations. Sometimes it can be so strong that you want to rub your skin until it bleeds.

Slightly less often, the skin peels off with atopic dermatitis, which is a chronic hereditary disease characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission. Other causes of peeling skin and itching:

Increased dryness of the skin.
Age characteristics.
Low indoor air humidity.
Failure to comply with hygiene or drinking rules.

Itchy palms in children are not often associated with any serious diseases, but their presence cannot be ruled out. It is best to seek help from a specialist who can accurately identify the root cause of such painful sensations. Most often, children complain that their palms itch when:

Diagnosis of an unpleasant illness

To identify the main cause of peeling and itching, the doctor should perform a visual inspection of the patient's palms. Orally, he should inquire about how long ago the symptom appeared and study its severity. If serious illness is suspected, urine and blood tests may be ordered.

If the main cause is considered to be a skin pathology, then it is necessary to submit material to confirm the diagnosis. Most often, a smear is taken as a material from areas of inflammation on the palm.

The prescription of medications will directly depend on the reason why your palms itch. In general, a specialist may prescribe antiseptic, anti-inflammatory or antihistamine drugs to the patient. They can be presented in the form of medicines for internal use, as well as in the form of various ointments and creams for external use. However, some of them can only be sold with a doctor's prescription. Particularly effective external agents are:

If your palms itch, it is allowed to use alternative medicine. Traditional methods of treatment can relieve attacks of itching, and also act as an auxiliary therapy for the main treatment. Traditional recipes use substances of plant origin. The most effective are non-traditional recipes:

Before using any folk remedies, it is necessary to consult with a specialist, excluding the occurrence of allergies or aggravation of the condition. If severe itching occurs, even to the point of numbness in the hands, it is imperative to take action. The first aid here can be washing under a contrasting stream of water, it is recommended to use antibacterial soap. Baths based on calendula, string and chamomile are also effective.

It is not easy to immediately identify the reasons why your palms itch. Especially when there are no other symptoms other than itching.

Quite often, such sensations go away on their own without any consequences. If your palms itch constantly, you should still determine why this is happening. Moreover, some diseases manifest themselves as such signs.

Causes of itchy palms

Often, palms begin to itch due to environmental influences. The influence of low or high temperatures can cause itching sensations.

Creates a lot of inconvenience hyperhidrosis– increased sweating. One of its common forms is palmoplantar. The cause of hyperhidrosis may be lack of personal hygiene or the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia (more on that below), and the consequence is itching of the palms.

Other possible causes of discomfort:

Allergy often causes unpleasant and obsessive sensations. Too high sensitivity of the body to certain substances can lead to a painful condition. Itching of palms is one of its manifestations.
Allergens are often those materials that a person has touched with his hand. It is possible that the irritant is hidden in soaps, creams, household cleaners or washing powder. Allergies can be caused by certain foods, dust, pets, running water saturated with chlorine, and even odors.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for managing life support processes: energy balance, digestion, metabolism. Under the influence of negative emotions, stress, and nervous fatigue, disruptions can occur in the ANS, to which the body reacts differently. In addition to tachycardia, digestive problems, and pressure surges, the palms may also itch.
Depression and neuroses– these mental disorders can cause itchy palms. There are no other skin manifestations (rash, blisters, redness). Itching intensifies with the development of conflicts and stressful situations.

The following diseases can cause itchy palms:

skin – fungal and infectious;
liver – hepatitis, cirrhosis;
kidneys and gastrointestinal tract;
caused by metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, gout;
endocrine organs;
blood and lymphatic system - leukemia, lymphogranulomatosis.

The palms of women who are carrying a baby may itch. This usually occurs in the later stages of pregnancy. In addition to itching, skin rashes are also possible.

It happens that itchy palms bother people in old age. This condition is explained by constant dryness of the skin.

Healing wounds and scratches can also itch.

What to do

When the palms of your hands itch constantly, creating discomfort, and in addition to this redness and rash appear, you should consult a doctor immediately. First of all, you need to visit a dermatologist.

If it turns out that the culprit of the problem is an allergy and it has arisen for the first time, you should observe exactly when the desire to scratch your palms arises. If an irritant is detected, all contact with it will have to be limited. If the detergent turns out to be an allergen, then it is enough to wear gloves before using it. To avoid contact with irritants, all housework should be done in them. The condition of the gloves also needs to be monitored. They must be clean and dry, otherwise they can also contribute to allergies.

But creams, soaps, and gels that cause irritation should be abandoned, replacing them with other types.

In addition you should:

Avoid dry skin, keep it moist at all times. Special cosmetic and medicinal creams, masks and herbal infusions will help here.
Take medications that suppress allergies.

When skin problems are not the cause of itching of the palms, it is necessary to visit an endocrinologist, gastroenterologist and psychotherapist. They have their own methods to help pinpoint the cause of discomfort and eliminate it.

First aid

If the cause of itchy palms is external irritants, the following procedures may help:

After contact with plants such as nettle or poison ivy, you should block the unpleasant and intrusive sensations. It is necessary to place your hands under running warm water and wash thoroughly. It is advisable to use antibacterial soap. After warm water, turn on cold water and hold your palms under it. This will help clog the pores and temporarily relieve the itching. Then it is advisable to lubricate your hands with a rich cream (ordinary butter will do) and let it absorb. After such procedures, itching of the palms may go away completely or significantly decrease.
Often the skin dries out when exposed to cold and moisture. The process spreads to the entire hand and causes peeling and redness. If regular hand creams do not improve the situation, you should consult a cosmetologist. He will recommend other remedies, including warm baths with infusions of medicinal herbs. For example:
- Brew a mixture of chamomile, plantain and motherwort (in equal quantities). Strain through several layers of gauze. Add two drops of olive oil. Place the brushes in the bath and hold until the infusion has cooled completely. If you repeat this procedure every day for 5-7 days, the itching will most likely go away.
- prepare the same infusion, but with string and oak bark. It is better to take soothing baths in the evening during the week.

Lotions made from viburnum berries and fresh cabbage, turned into pulp, and compresses from a decoction of burdock leaves are effective.

You can rub almond or avocado oil into the skin, which can soothe the skin.

A contrast shower helps fight itching. It is especially useful in the morning.

There can be many culprits for the constant desire to scratch your palms. The itching condition is unpleasant, and you should not put off visiting a doctor to determine the causes of the discomfort. Paying attention to the signals your body sends will help protect your health for many years.

Itching that occurs in the palms is common and if it is not particularly annoying, then people try not to notice it. But in the case when the palms of your hands itch for a long time and additional symptoms appear on them in the form of redness, pimples or blisters, you need to visit a dermatologist. Why do my palms itch, reasons?

Itching: a symptom or cause of the disease

Unpleasant symptoms in the body, be it pain, itching or skin rashes, do not appear on their own. This requires serious reasons. Itching of the palms is a symptom that may signal a certain disorder in the body or an external effect on the skin. The skin, as the largest organ of the human body, is closely connected with the entire body. There are many nerve endings concentrated on the palms, reflecting the condition of each organ.

Damage to one of the organs is reflected on the skin. In addition, the skin plays the role of protecting the entire body, and therefore is exposed to external influences. It follows that the causes of itching can be both internal and external.

When the palms of your hands itch, the reasons can be very different. It has not yet been possible to establish the exact mechanism of itching, but practice shows that it is similar to the occurrence of pain, that is, it is the body’s reaction to a certain irritant. In most cases, palms begin to itch due to external irritation.

Allergy to external irritant

This is the most common reason why palms itch. Appears as a result of the interaction of unprotected hands with substances containing chemical components that can cause an allergic reaction on the palms. In most cases, there is itching and slight irritation, but sometimes the hands itch severely and accompanying symptoms appear: redness, blisters, pimples, incessant itching.

Irritation can be caused by: washing powder, antibacterial soap, kitchen detergents, plumbing products, low-quality or expired hand care products and much more. If the irritation is not very strong and does not progress, then a simple antihistamine and the use of soothing chamomile decoction baths will help. When using household drugs, you should follow simple rules:

Blood-sucking insect bites

When bitten by insects: mosquitoes, bedbugs, fleas, ticks, the palms of the hands may also itch, but other parts of the body will also be bitten - the face, feet, back and chest. When bitten, characteristic reddish tubercles appear, with traces of bites, and in some cases swelling. The bite sites are very bothersome and itchy. It is necessary to treat them with antipruritic ointments and sprays.

If you are bitten by bedbugs or fleas, you need to treat the entire apartment with special preparations, as they can be in carpets, beds, furniture, under wallpaper, in floor cracks, and baseboards. It is advisable to treat the bitten areas with alcohol solutions or cauterize them with iodine in order to avoid infection.

Scabies mite infestation

The hands, including the palms, are most susceptible to infection with scabies mites. The symptoms of scabies are characteristic: severe itching, intensifying in the evening and at night, the presence of double bite marks on the skin: the entry and exit points, small pimples filled with clear liquid.

If they are detected, you should consult a dermatologist, since scabies is a contagious disease. In addition, excrement from mites remains under the skin, which, when decomposed, poison the skin with toxic secretions.

Metal poisoning

People involved in metal processing by profession often suffer from rashes on their hands. Poisoning caused by salts of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc, mercury, etc.) can pass through the skin of the hands. It is worth noting that these compounds are included in drugs aimed at killing insects and rodents, and are also intended to control weeds. When the surface of the hands comes into contact with these drugs, they become covered with blisters, redness and itching appear.

In these cases, self-medication is unacceptable, since dangerous compounds penetrate the blood and spread throughout the body, which can cause serious consequences.

Other causes of itching

The palms of the hands and feet can itch for other reasons that affect the development of symptoms on the palms and soles, causing itching and, in some cases, rashes:

Late pregnancy.
Burns caused by plants.
Profuse sweating.
Elderly age.
Cold effects on hands.

Diseases caused by infection

Diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, along with other skin areas, also affect the palms of the hands. These diseases include:

Therapy in this case is carried out comprehensively. Internal drug therapy is aimed at combating the disease. External treatment is aimed at eliminating external symptoms located on the skin.

Skin diseases

With certain skin diseases, characteristic signs appear: itching, peeling on the body, including on the hands. Let's look at some of them:

Stressful conditions

In some cases, itching in the hands appears as if for no reason. There are no rashes, pimples, or redness, but the palms and whole body itch and itch. This happens during nervous overstrain and stress.

Diseases of internal organs

Palms begin to itch and itch due to certain internal diseases. This is due to the peculiarity of the course of the disease affecting the palms. These include.

Itching and redness can cause a lot of problems at any age, and if it’s a child, then the problem even grows to a universal scale. However, before you start to panic and run to the pharmacy in search of miracle drugs, you should calm down and remember that all the most dangerous diseases, as a rule, go away without pronounced symptoms. When redness is detected, the main thing to remember is that under no circumstances should you allow a child to scratch the inflammation - this can lead to damage to the skin, the formation of hyperemia, and even infection.

Almost all parents have encountered the problem of red palms, since redness is a relatively common reaction of the child’s body to any environmental influences. There is no need to be scared - instead, you need to calm the redness, for example, by wiping your palms with a cotton swab dipped in cool water, and make an appointment with a doctor.

Causes of redness and itching

There can be many reasons for the appearance of such a reaction, but they are all accompanied by approximately the same symptoms: redness of the skin, the appearance of small transparent watery pimples, slight swelling, as well as moderately extensive hyperemia. The main causes of inflammation and itching are:

Allergic reactions

Allergies can appear at any age and completely unexpectedly: last week you happily devoured oranges, and today you don’t understand why your child’s palms itch. Some parents overlook the fact that allergies are sudden and do not usually consider them as a cause. But in vain, because basically it is allergies that are the source of trouble.

Food

Allergic reactions can be caused by completely different products. So, if a child’s palms are itchy, the reasons, first of all, should be looked for in the diet. If there were no new products for him in the baby’s diet, and familiar ones certainly could not cause such a reaction, then you should pay attention to hygiene products.

Household chemicals

Incredibly, but true, hypoallergenic soaps and powders are not always hypoallergenic. Your baby’s palms can seriously turn red from powder, including children’s powder, and this can happen completely unexpectedly. For example, if bed linen is not rinsed well, it can cause skin irritation in the long run.

The same problem applies to soap accessories. Rarely, a familiar product can cause itching of a child’s palms and feet, however, this does happen. If soap is used too often, or the child has spent a long time in soapy water, characteristic redness and itching may appear on the palms and feet. This explains why a child’s palms itch after a bath. This problem can be solved simply by selecting other hygiene products.

Atopic dermatitis

This disease still remains the most common among allergic diseases. The main symptom is itching and it can be caused either by disorders of the body’s immune system or by being a common reaction to the manifestation of diseases that occur in a latent form. If the suspicion of atopic dermatitis is confirmed, you should undergo a full examination in order to eliminate the cause of the appearance, and not fight the effect. Treatment in this case is prescribed by the doctor taking into account the medical history.

Fungal diseases and scabies

Much less commonly, the cause of a rash on the palms is a fungal infection. This option can only be considered if the child could actually interact with the source of fungal inflammation. If not, there is no need to worry. However, you shouldn’t worry even if it’s really a fungus - such an infection is treated quite quickly and won’t bother you in the future.

Firstly, scabies spreads throughout the body, and not just on the feet and palms.

Secondly, with the naked eye you can see the so-called “scabies ducts” along which the mite moves.

Thirdly, scabies is often accompanied by loss of appetite, lethargy, and in rare cases, fever. If none of this is present, the alarm goes off.

Vitamin deficiency and urticaria

Vitamin deficiency is often not taken seriously, but few people know that a lack of essential vitamins can cause increased sensitivity, restlessness and even sweating, which sometimes cause a child’s palms and feet to itch in the morning or at night.

In this case, it is important not to self-medicate, but to select a vitamin complex under the guidance of a qualified specialist!

As for urticaria, everything is extremely simple: if in recent days the child has been in a stressful situation for him, for example, he visited kindergarten for the first time, was left without the attention of his parents for a long time, or made a long flight, then nervous tension can result in severe itching and redness that will result from it. In this case, it is worth creating the most comfortable conditions for the child, contacting a specialist to select antipruritic drugs and a mild sedative. If the situation ever happens again, there is no need to worry - this is how your child reacts to external stimuli and nervous tension.

Treatment and prevention

To prescribe treatment, you should contact a specialist - only he will be able to choose the remedy that is most suitable for eliminating the symptoms. If you are unable to get an appointment in a short time, it is recommended to use Sinaflan ointment: of all the products presented in pharmacies, only Sinaflan is a relatively harmless, relatively cheap and surprisingly effective drug.

To relieve itching, you should use chamomile baths. Preparing the solution is quite simple - you need to brew a couple of tablespoons of the herb (or bags) and let it brew for a while, after which the decoction can be used to wipe the inflamed area.

Cold water lotions or coconut oil, which has antiseptic properties, can help soothe itching. But it is not advisable to make vodka compresses and lotions from soda solution. Contrary to popular opinion, they do not relieve irritation, but only increase the focus of inflammation, up to the formation of painful hyperemia.