Intense itching or stinging without any visible skin changes, triggered within minutes of contact with water.
A chronic inflammatory skin disease where intense pruritus is the defining symptom, leading to the 'itch-scratch' cycle and characteristic eczematous lesions.
A localized neuropathic itch on the dorsolateral arms, often associated with sun exposure and cervical spine disease.
Intractable, severe pruritus is a hallmark symptom of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, particularly in the erythrodermic stage (Sezary syndrome).
An irritant contact dermatitis from exposure to fiberglass spicules, causing intense itching and papules.
Generalized pruritus is a common symptom in HIV, and can be due to xerosis, eosinophilic folliculitis, or other HIV-associated dermatoses.
Cholestatic liver disease can cause severe, generalized pruritus due to the accumulation of bile salts, which is often worse at night.
Chronic hepatitis C infection is frequently associated with generalized pruritus, separate from pruritus caused by liver failure.
Severe, paraneoplastic pruritus is a classic systemic symptom of Hodgkin's lymphoma, sometimes preceding the diagnosis by years.
Can be a cause of generalized pruritus, which resolves with iron supplementation.
A localized, thickened plaque of skin that results from, rather than causes, a cycle of chronic, localized itching and scratching.
Pruritus and flushing are caused by the release of histamine from an excess of mast cells in the skin.
A neuropathic condition of burning and itching on the anterolateral thigh due to compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.
A condition characterized by multiple, intensely itchy, firm nodules that are created and perpetuated by chronic scratching.
Generalized pruritus can be a paraneoplastic sign of various non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, although less commonly than in Hodgkin's disease.
A common neuropathic condition causing a localized patch of intense itching on the upper back, typically just medial to the scapula.
Infestation with lice (head, body, or pubic) causes intense itching due to a hypersensitivity reaction to louse saliva.
A myeloproliferative disorder that characteristically causes aquagenic pruritus (itching after contact with water).
While typically causing pain, this complication of shingles can also manifest as a persistent, localized, neuropathic itch in the affected dermatome.
Intense pruritus, especially in the third trimester, can be a sign of cholestasis of pregnancy, requiring medical evaluation.
A diagnosis of exclusion for generalized itching related to a primary psychiatric condition, often with linear excoriations from scratching.
Uremic pruritus is a common and distressing symptom in patients with end-stage renal disease, causing severe, generalized itching.
A parasitic infestation causing severe, generalized pruritus that is characteristically worse at night, due to a hypersensitivity reaction to the mite.
Both hyperthyroidism (due to increased blood flow) and hypothyroidism (due to severe dry skin) can cause generalized pruritus.
Hives are defined by the presence of transient, edematous, intensely pruritic wheals.
