Hello! Our skin is an indicator of health. It is like a hand or a leg that is equipped with nerve endings and reacts sharply to any stimulus. Since diabetes is a metabolic disorder, the liver and kidneys cannot fully perform their functions, the body is filled with decay and toxins. The skin may react immediately to the changes taking place aggressively or give “slow signals”. In this article, you will learn why itching occurs in diabetes and how to treat it.
The liver and kidneys function as natural filters in the human body. They remove decomposition products, detoxify and break down fats. And it is the liver that controls the glucose levels in our body. If, for some reason, the pancreas has produced too much glucose, the liver collects it from the blood and stores it in itself.
When a malfunction occurs and there is little sugar in the blood, the liver throws it out of its stores. Thus, a balance is maintained in the body.
But as soon as the system is disturbed, the glucose level exceeds its norm — the skin immediately gives a local reaction in the form of itching.
Most often, itchy skin occurs in hard-to-reach places. In the intimate area in women, in the groin in men, itching in the perineum. Also, quite often it can occur in places on the bends of the legs and arms. It can also itch between the fingers, as with scabies.
When the body itches, you can also feel such itching symptoms as a burning sensation and tightness of the skin, which does not go away with applying a moisturizer. When scrathcing places of itching, the shield of the skin — the epidermis, is damaged. As a result, wounds and cracks appear, into which infections and bacteria can enter. Because of the high sugar level, the wounds heal poorly and slowly.
So, the cause of itching in diabetes mellitus can be:
- high sugar levels;
- complications of a vascular nature;
- an infectious disease;
- an allergic reaction to taking medication.
Skin diseases in diabetes
Skin problems can be caused by various dermatoses, of which there are about 30 types. They are conventionally divided into three groups:
- primary — occur when the circulatory system is affected: rubeosis, fatty necrobiosis, dermatopathy, xanthoma, etc.;
- secondary — occur when infection and bacteria enter;
- medicinal — due to the intake of hypoglycemic drugs: eczema, fatty degeneration, urticaria, etc.
In order to choose the right treatment, it is very important to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms, such as rashes, burning, flaking, hair loss in this area of the body, as well as the formation of wounds and cracks.
It is very important for any skin rash, itching of the skin to carry out a regular examination of the axillary zone, elbow. Examine the genital area.
Indeed, these places are the most favorable environment for the development of fungus.
The frequency of itching is also of no small importance. When the body constantly itches, symptoms such as irritability, insomnia, soreness and hypersensitivity of the skin are possible.
Therefore, you should not self-medicate, but it is better to immediately contact a dermatologist, who, if necessary, can appoint a consultation with an immunologist, endocrinologist or allergist.
Diseases that can cause severe itching, in addition to the presence of type 2 diabetes, are:
- neurodermatitis — a chronic disease of the immune and nervous systems that due to allergies;
- xerosis — excessive dryness of the skin.
- neurasthenia — a mental illness when itching occurs due to irritability, disturbances of consciousness and obsessions;
- hemorrhoids — itching, localized in the anus with severe burning;
- parasitic infections — when infected with any parasites;
- head lice — a symptom is an itchy head (when lice appear) or itching in intimate places (pubic lice);
- oncology — about 3% of types of cancer have a symptom of itching of the skin.
Itching is not a separate condition. This is the first sign of any pathology.
And you need to urgently contact a specialist if:
- due to itching, pustular wounds and rashes appeared;
- a high temperature has risen;
- itching is accompanied by swelling;
- change in behavior or mental disorder;
- difficulty breathing or showing signs of anaphylactic shock.