Here’s why hot showers feel so good when you’re itchy
PRESCRIPTIONS AND HOME REMEDIES
Q: I’m dealing with intense body itching, especially on my legs. My allergist prescribed hydroxyzine, and that helps somewhat. The best temporary relief, though, is a hot shower.
While somewhat counterintuitive, as health professionals say hot showers dry the skin too much, I find the sensation euphoric for a few seconds. Then the itching subsides for a few hours. Why do hot showers feel so good?
A: Dermatologists have known for decades that uncomfortably hot water can alleviate itching for hours. We found a reference to this remedy in the textbook, Dermatology: Diagnosis and Treatment (1961).
Doctors did not understand the mechanism for this approach until fairly recently, though. Now we know that transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are essential in the perception of itch (Allergology International, January 2017). These same channels found on nerve cells are crucial for sensing temperature. Overwhelming those nerve cells with heat can interfere with their ability to transmit itch for quite some time.
You do need to be careful not to use water so hot it will harm your skin. Ultimately, you and your doctor will need to get a good diagnosis so that the underlying problem can be addressed. In the meantime, hot water can offer temporary relief.
Q: For the first three decades of my life, I routinely had episodes of the common cold over the winter. At the time, vitamin C was being touted as a cold preventative. A supplement seemed simple to try, so I did. It worked like magic. I take 500 mg per day, and I have not had a cold for over 40 years.
Is vitamin C still supposed to prevent colds? Could it provide any protection against the COVID-19 variants?
A: Vitamin C for colds has been controversial for decades. An article appeared in the Medical Journal of Australia in 1947. It was titled “Vitamin C in the Prevention of Colds.” Ever since, doctors have been arguing about how effective this nutrient might be against respiratory tract infections.
A review in Frontiers in Immunology (May 10, 2021) concluded that: “There is strong evidence that vitamin C can shorten the duration of respiratory virus infections.”
The authors also report that people taking high doses of vitamin C may have shorter duration of symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Q: My doctor wants me to go back on statins even though they cause me muscle pain and cramping. I am also concerned about an increased risk for diabetes.
I take levothyroxine for hypothyroidism. Since coming off statins I have been eating more nuts, beans and whole grains. I have a salad every day with olive oil and vinegar dressing.
Do you think such a regimen could help control my blood sugar and my cholesterol?
A: Statins can raise the risk for diabetes. If not well controlled, your thyroid condition could contribute to elevated cholesterol. A new study reveals that olive oil can lower blood lipids and inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Jan. 18, 2022).
Beans, whole grains and vinegar can also help control blood sugar and cholesterol.