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For more than five years, I scratch my body at night. I was prescribed Phenergan but it makes me weak and hungry all the time. Is there a complete cure? Angella
An itchy skin whether at night or during the day is usually due to skin or body conditions that produce among others a substance called histamine leading to a need to scratch the skin.
Whether one is awake or asleep, scratching will happen at night through a scratch reflex which may lead to injuries since here the scratching is not controlled. Also, night itching may be so serious and interfere with one’s sleep.
Along with the body’s biological clock, different health conditions including kidney, liver disease or skin conditions such as psoriasis or skin allergy (atopic dermatitis) can become worse at night leading to itching of the skin which was not happening during day.
The fact that due to the body’s biological clock, one produces less substances that ease itching (natural steroids) at night leading to itching. Manufactured steroids such as prednisone are usually prescribed to treat the itching. Sometimes, however, one may itch both during the day and at night although being busy during the day may create a distraction.
Much as nightly skin itching may result from increased skin temperature that naturally happens at night, one may be reacting to the usual indoor allergens such as mosquito sprays, home soaps, or even foods eaten in the evening (or the food contents including preservatives).
Sometimes one’s bed, bedsheets and blankets may be infested with bed bugs or lice or someone may be suffering from bites from mosquitoes.
Since the causes of night itching are many, you require a medical investigation to find out and treat the cause.