Severe itching in the feet is a very unpleasant symptom that can ruin the life of anyone. If you encounter such a problem, you first need to find out why your feet and soles are itching, and then determine an effective course of treatment.
There are many reasons why itchy feet occur. These include fungal infections, insect bites, allergies, burns and much more. Moreover, one of the main causes of itching on the feet is mycosis, that is, a fungus. It can be infected in different conditions, but it is not easy to cure.
Infectious lesions
Mycoses of the foot
As already mentioned, the most common cause of itching of the lower extremities is mycosis. The exact type of fungal infection can only be identified by a dermatologist. Based on laboratory tests, the doctor can accurately diagnose this or another disease.
Along with itching, burning, pain and even an unpleasant odor may appear on the feet. Infected areas of the skin become wet and cracks form on the soles. The lesion also spreads to the heels and areas between the toes. Pathogenic microbes develop on the affected skin, complicating the treatment process.
Factors that can contribute to the appearance of fungal infections include:
- wearing cheap synthetic socks;
- tight shoes made of low-quality materials;
- excessive sweating;
- poor personal hygiene.
You can get a fungal infection in a public locker room, in the shower, or even while walking barefoot on the grass or sand at the beach. People with weakened immune systems and diabetics are more susceptible to mycoses, which cause itchy feet, especially at night.
When your feet are very itchy, this sometimes indicates a scabies mite. Tiny nodular lesions and rashes appear on the skin. You can become infected through contact with a sick person or through sharing common household items.
Viral diseases
On the soles of the feet, itching may occur simultaneously with the appearance of a rough growth. The so-called papilloma virus under certain conditions (high humidity levels, poor hygiene, weakened immune defenses) leads to the formation of warts on the feet. At first, the feet only itch, but then severe pain occurs.
Allergic causes
There is also allergic itching of the feet, which has various causes. It is accompanied by swelling, redness and rash. The situation is aggravated by household chemicals, low-quality cosmetics, synthetic clothing and even pet hair.
In addition to all of the above, you need to pay attention to shoes and socks, changing them to more comfortable ones if necessary, and also spend more time on personal hygiene using good body care products.
How to quickly relieve itching at home?
Regardless of the reason why your feet itch, you can try to relieve the symptoms of itching on your own before you see a doctor. Please note that all the remedies described below do not remove the real cause, but only temporarily make you feel better:
- Exposure to cold tightens the pores on the skin and relieves irritation, as a result of which the receptors are dulled. Under the influence of cold, blood flow slows down and histamine, which causes itching, stops being produced.
- Heat exposure can also help in certain cases. It opens the pores, causing the epidermis to relax and tension to go away. The activity of histamine is stimulated, and it stops accumulating and the itching subsides.
- Baking soda can quickly relieve symptoms of itchy feet. You need to make soda baths and then let your feet dry without rinsing them. If it is not possible to take a bath, apply a little soaked soda to a cotton pad and wipe the itchy areas with it.
- Sea salt against itchy feet is used in the form of baths: per liter of water you need 50 g of pure salt. You need to take these foot baths for a maximum of ten minutes.
- Honey with propolis also relieves itchy feet. They are especially effective for thermal damage to the epidermis.
Preventive measures
If you have gotten rid of your symptoms and the soles of your feet no longer itch, or you want to know how to prevent this disorder, you need to take care of your personal hygiene. All funds must be individual (this applies to all family members). When visiting public baths or saunas, be sure to wear your own replacement shoes. This way you will avoid infection with fungus and other skin diseases.
Do not wear other people's socks or shoes, and wash your own regularly. Sweat and humidity are the best conditions for the development of pathogenic bacteria that cause itching on the feet. If you do a pedicure in a salon, make sure that the instruments used are sterile. These are the main recommendations for preventing itchy skin on the feet. Remember them and stay healthy!
Many people have encountered a situation where their feet itch. An unpleasant feeling is accompanied by inflammatory processes - wounds, pimples, blisters appear. What is the cause of discomfort in the toes, heels and soles? Why do my feet itch? To figure out what to do about it, you need to figure out the problem of itching.
If itching constantly causes discomfort, it can be assumed that it is caused by an allergen. In this case, you need to analyze what food you consumed the day before. Perhaps the reason is poor quality products. Allergies can be caused by synthetic clothing. This is especially true for a child.
In colder months, the cause of itching may be a lack of vitamins in the body or dehydration.
Varicose veins and related diseases
Sometimes the foot itches due to a fungal disease.
In this case, discomfort occurs in one area.
If itching bothers you in the evening, this may be a consequence of overwork or neurosis. It happens that eczema develops as a result of the outflow of blood from varicose veins. At this point the skin becomes thin and can be easily scratched. The result is irritation that is difficult to eliminate. Tightening tights, special ointments, and walking will help improve the situation a little.
Itching can be calmed with novocaine combined with vodka in the proportion of 4 ampoules per 50 ml of vodka. By treating the problem area in this way, the unpleasant sensation can be temporarily eliminated. After washing your feet, it is advisable to treat the problem area with a solution of boric acid. Lemon juice will also help temporarily relieve discomfort.
Diabetes
In the case of diabetes, the entire surface of the body itches, but sometimes itching only bothers the feet or palms.
You can temporarily eliminate the problem with a bath to which starch or nettle decoction is added.
In the case of diabetes, the main thing is to control sugar levels, follow a diet, and folk remedies only help relieve symptoms.
Waiting for the baby
In the sixth month of pregnancy, the content of estrogen in a woman’s body increases. This slows down the flow of bile into the liver. During this period, the whole body itches, and the surface of the skin may appear yellowish. Often at this time the feet itch. Irritability and depression appear. What to do in this case?
A contrast shower will help solve the problem. After taking it, it is advisable to treat the body with cosmetic milk or cocoa-based butter. To make your liver work better, you can drink No-shpa. Before using medications, you should definitely consult with your doctor to avoid complications.
While expecting a baby, you need to drink a lot of water, moisturize your skin with substances based on cocoa butter and aloe.
To eliminate the symptom, it is also useful to drink activated carbon and use special talkatives. Products containing alcohol can aggravate the situation, so their use is contraindicated.
Sometimes pregnant women's feet itch due to allergies. To eliminate its symptoms, you should temporarily adhere to a special antiallergic diet.
Cause of itchy feet in children
A child's feet and palms may itch as a result of allergies. Itching can be bothersome due to the bite of mosquitoes and other insects. Pimples, redness or blisters appear in this area. A child may experience irritation after contact with certain medications or household products. A child who is prone to allergies should be kept away from harmful products and polluted environments.
Antiallergenic drugs are used for treatment. Allergic disease is inherited. It causes the neck to itch, the folds of the upper and lower extremities, palms, face, and knees to itch. If the patient is not provided with timely treatment, eczema may develop.
It is better not to let this happen, but to respond to the problem in a timely manner and, when necessary, resort to antibiotics.
Mycosis
Sometimes itching can occur due to mycosis (fungus). A person with mycosis has an itchy area in the area of the fingers and toes.
Later, peeling of the skin occurs, blisters appear, inside of which fluid accumulates.
A fungus that damages the nail plate is especially dangerous. If the disease starts, then the deformation of the nail cannot be corrected. But that's not even the problem. At an advanced stage, waste products of microorganisms release harmful substances, resulting in intoxication of the entire body.
Mycosis can be contracted through contact with a sick person. In any case, when the first symptoms appear, you should not ignore the problem.
Photo of the disease. May be unpleasant to watch
Scabbers
The scab causes painful itching not only on the feet, but also on the stomach and hands. It causes especially unpleasant sensations at night. Symptoms of scabs are small blisters connected by thin red stripes. These are the passageways for scab mites.
This disease is treated exclusively with medication.
No traditional methods can eliminate it. Moreover, it is contagious. If one of the family members gets sick, everyone will have to be treated. Children are most susceptible to the disease. You can become infected with it in any way, even on public transport.
Other causes of itching
Itching also occurs for other reasons:
- as a result of stress;
- due to a burn;
- as a result of frostbite;
- after wearing tight shoes.
There can be many reasons for discomfort. Lost time can negatively affect the general condition of the body. In order not to harm your health, it is important to do the necessary procedures, avoid complications and promptly contact specialists who will eliminate the problem and prescribe a course of treatment in a timely manner.
A sudden desire to scratch is not dangerous, but if scabies is accompanied by itching, bleeding or eczema, it is a reason to consult a specialist. When your legs itch below the knees and pimples appear, this is unpleasant, and the accompanying symptoms that arise indicate the seriousness of the disease. To understand why your legs below the knees itch and why discomfort occurs, you should get tested and consult a dermatologist.
At best, an insect bite provokes constant scratching of the lower extremities, but if the bloodsuckers definitely did not touch you, then this may be associated with the following symptoms:
- Dry skin. Shaving, hard running water or dry air. The problem lies in improper foot skin care. It is necessary to choose moisturizing lotions or cream soufflés that are suitable individually for you.
- Stress. Often, when nervous, unconscious mechanical movements are made, including scratching the legs. Try to relax, control your actions.
- Frostbite. Signs of the first degree of frostbite may not be noticed - pallor, turning into a red tint when warm, and itching begins.
- Infectious diseases. Even a slight fungus can spread from the area of the feet to the lower extremities, which will bring the desire to scratch, so make it a habit not to wear someone else's shoes and not to walk barefoot outside the house.
Itching in the cold season
In the absence of any diseases, in winter the skin of the legs itches, flakes and becomes dry. The skin is exposed to cold weather, and the body runs out of vitamins and minerals accumulated over the summer. Therefore, legs itch below the knees more often in winter than in the warm season.
To eliminate discomfort, apply rich and moisturizing creams to saturate the skin with vitamins, use a humidifier and drink more fluids.
Main causes of itching
Let's look at the main causes of itching:
Allergic rash
Appears as a result of eating low-quality foods, inappropriate medications, cosmetics or chemicals. Redness appears on the lower extremities, less often a rash or blisters appear, and you want to scratch. Get tested for allergies by a doctor who will prescribe medications.
Irritation from tights
If you are wondering why your legs itch after wearing tights, then know that this is one of the types of allergies. Perhaps the material from which the underwear is made is not suitable for you. This becomes the reason why women's feet itch, especially in the evening. Scabies turns into a burning sensation, turning into bloody marks. In this case, a visit to the doctor is mandatory.
Itching after shower
More often it spreads to the whole body. The cause may be chlorinated water, hard sponges, or hygiene products. If your soap or shower gel contains alkaline preparations, you are guaranteed dermatitis, along with burning, redness and blisters. Use natural washing products, thereby saving yourself from unnecessary problems. 
Hyper- or hypovitaminosis of the body
This is a deficiency or excess of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. My feet are constantly itching and flaking. It is possible to detect the development of the disease only in the clinic.
Skin diseases
The legs are very itchy from the knee to the foot due to skin diseases:
- - the skin becomes inflamed, the legs below the knees itch, and blisters appear. To avoid the chronic nature of the disease, immediately visit a dermatologist.
- - the skin swells, blisters form, then pustules. They are treated with complex therapy prescribed by the doctor.
- Fungus - occurs in the area of the feet, the feet sweat, the nails peel and turn yellow. If you do not delay treatment, then an ointment is prescribed and after a couple of weeks you can forget about the problem.
Varicose veins
The veins in the legs are visible to the naked eye; the outflow of venous blood is disrupted, which leads to unpleasant sensations and a spoiled appearance of the lower extremities. A painful itching develops, turning into bruising.
The more advanced varicose veins are, the more difficult it is for nutrients to reach the limbs. The itching attacks, the veins swell, the legs become bluish and peel. If you develop symptoms, please notify your doctor immediately. Most likely, you were prescribed the wrong treatment. 
Diabetes
Since the body is weakened with diabetes, any wound on the leg will take a very long time to heal, which can lead to burning, loss of elasticity and dry skin. Control the sugar level in the body, cleanse the blood and the problem will disappear.
Pathology of the liver and kidneys
External signs of the disease are rashes on the skin of the legs. At first there may be no desire to scratch, but then the burning sensation increases. Kidney failure in the legs is characterized by dryness, whitening, and itching. With cholelithiasis or cirrhosis, spider veins form, bitterness in the mouth, and malaise are noted.
Itching during pregnancy
The hormonal background of the body changes, the concentration of estrogen reaches maximum levels, the process of excretion of bile, which accumulates in the body, is disrupted, and the skin becomes drier, this will stop the reason why the legs below the knees itch during pregnancy. A burning sensation appears. Sorbents, antispasmodics and similar drugs are used as treatment. In the third trimester, the skin of the legs becomes yellowish, the expectant mother feels her legs itch in the evenings or wakes up from a burning sensation in the middle of the night, which leads to shallow wounds. Treat your feet with antiseptic preparations to eliminate the possibility of infection. Drink more clean water and take baths more often. 
Psychological reasons
Stress or recent stress can cause discomfort. Actions are performed automatically. With an advanced psychological disorder, a person can scratch his legs until he gets deep scratches without realizing it. Clean air, proper nutrition and timely treatment with sedatives will help restore nerves. At the same time, the problem of scratching your feet will go away.
Cause of itchy feet in children
Stale food or a mosquito bite can trigger the itching process in a child. Hives can cause not only the legs to itch, but also spread throughout the body, dense spots with a red tint appear. Be sure to take your child to the doctor and have your child examined for allergies.
Also, if the parents had eczema on the skin, the child is at risk of getting this disease as a result of genetic predisposition. If a child scratches himself beyond recognition, treatment can last a very long time. Therefore, at the first signs of eczema on the legs and body, consult a dermatologist.
Treatment with physical and psychotherapy
For varicose veins or diabetes, physiotherapy is used. If the skin does not have swelling, and the patient has no contraindications, the following types of physiotherapy are used:
- balneotherapy
- laser irradiation at low frequencies
- electrophoresis
- ultraviolet radiation
- reflexology
Long-term depression or stress can be treated by visiting a psychotherapist. After a few sessions, the burning sensation will subside, but don’t stop there! If you don’t want to come to the doctor in the middle of the course, you risk getting itchy again, so it’s important to finish the treatment.
What can you do at home?
Allergy sufferers or people who do not have the means or opportunity to visit a doctor can resort to home treatment. If unpleasant sensations occur after shaving, think about replacing shaving foam and cream after shaving. You should shave according to hair growth - the risk of irritation is significantly reduced. Salicylic acid (2%) or menthol tincture relieves itching. Diphenhydramine tincture or carbolic acid is also used. Don't forget about a high-quality moisturizing cream with natural ingredients - this is your main home assistant.
Drug treatment: ointments, creams, pharmaceuticals
Traditional methods of treatment
To relieve itching, use the following recipes:
- Mix the roots of valerian, licorice and burdock in equal proportions with violet flowers, elecampane and clasp leaf. Grind and brew 2 tbsp. l. mixtures with 500 ml. water. Insist in a water bath and leave overnight until completely cooled. Take within 3 months.
- Grind the dill seeds, then apply one gram of powder orally.
- Make lotions from boiled burdock root. Cooking takes 30 minutes.
- In 200 ml. Add a tablespoon of lemon balm to boiling water and drink 2-3 times a day for 30 days.
- 2 tablets dry or 3 tbsp. l. put liquid juniper extract into the bath. After use, do not rinse.
- Brew 10 grams of marjoram in a glass of boiling water. Use as a compress.
Why do my feet itch at night and what are the causes of itchy skin near the heel? Although a wide variety of dermatological conditions can cause itchy skin at night, it most often occurs due to dry skin.
Xerosis is the most common condition in winter, when there is little moisture in the air. This condition is not serious and can be treated with moisturizers.
If the skin itching at night is chronic or accompanied by a rash, inflammation or scales, another medical condition may be the cause.
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Why do my feet itch - reasons
Infections, kidney disease, hormonal conditions, and some types of cancer can cause itchy skin. A thorough physical examination and special blood tests can help determine the cause of the problem. Treatment in this case can be prescribed by a dermatologist who specializes in skin diseases.
Allergic dermatitis
Allergic dermatitis ( contact dermatitis) occurs when a person comes into contact with irritating lotions, soaps, chemicals, plants, or even jewelry. Itchy skin at night can be very unpleasant.
Washing powder or bleach used to wash or wash bed linens can also be a source of irritation. It is possible that a person may suddenly develop an allergy to certain chemicals, even if they have used them many times in the past.
Cosmetic products or plants (eg ivy) can cause allergies.
Bed bugs and fleas
Bed bugs are small, blood-feeding insects that can appear in homes, dorms, or hotels. Mattresses are a favorite hiding place for bed bugs and their eggs. At night, insects bite and feed on the blood of their hosts.
Even clean, immaculate homes can become infested with bedbugs, as these tiny insects move freely through walls and pipes. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, bedbugs leave behind skin lesions similar to mosquito bites.
Fleas can also be the culprit behind itchy feet. Most often they live in carpets, on the floor of your home. Red bumps, hives and severe itching may appear once you become sensitive to flea bites. If other family members and pets have itching and scratching, you should consider fleas as a possible culprit.
Chronic diseases
Up to 50 percent of older adults have itchy skin at night. This may be caused by a serious chronic disease such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic liver disease, or kidney failure. 30% of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma reported severe and chronic skin itching.
About 25 percent of patients with chronic kidney failure have itchy skin. People with a poorly functioning liver may also experience itchy skin at night due to the accumulation of bile acids on the surface of the skin.
Itchy skin on the bottom of your legs can be close to torture. There are quite a few possible reasons. Your dermatologist can help rule out many of them.
The Handbook of Clinical Dermatology describes several conditions that can occur in the lower legs and cause itching.
Xerosis
Xerosis is one of the most common conditions that is associated with dry skin. Xerosis often affects the lower part of the legs. It most often occurs in older people when the skin becomes drier.
You won't see signs of dry skin, but you can definitely feel it. You may experience red spots, cracks, and irritation from scratching.
You may also notice that itching from xerosis is more common in the winter, when the heating in your home makes the air dry. Your situation worsens when you take a hot bath. Itching may not only be on the lower part of the legs. The hands may also be affected. Usually the area that itches is scratched until it hurts. It's almost impossible to resist scratching the affected area, although it only makes it worse.
Autoimmune diseases and cancer
Sjögren's autoimmune disease syndrome can cause dry skin on the lower legs. The main problems associated with this disorder are dry eyes and dry mouth. According to the Mayo Clinic, Sjögren's syndrome attacks your own exocrine glands. These glands are responsible for lubrication of the skin, as well as the production of tears and saliva.
Itchy skin sometimes may be a symptom of cancer . Cancers of the vocal cords, breast, ovaries and gastrointestinal tract have all been associated with itching. Itching is most often caused by leukemia and other types of blood cell cancer. In fact, itching may be the first symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma. This type of cancer affects blood cells called lymphocytes.
Autoimmune disorders cause the immune system to attack a person's own organs. These disorders can lead to a range of symptoms, including itching. Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren's syndrome are also autoimmune diseases commonly associated with itchy skin.
Skin diseases
A number of skin diseases can cause itching. Eg, eczema accompanied by intense itching and red, flaky skin. Dry skin and psoriah - skin diseases leading to red, scaly patches.
Allergic dermatitis causes itching when the skin comes into contact with a specific irritant, such as detergents, soaps, cosmetic products or plants. An allergic reaction to certain foods or medications can also cause your skin to itch.
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Infection
Many of the infections most common in childhood, including measles, rubella and chickenpox, can cause itchy skin. All of these conditions are caused by viral illnesses and usually begin with flu-like symptoms accompanied by an itchy rash.
Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is another viral infection associated with itching. HIV infection can lead to itchy skin conditions such as eczema. In some cases, itching may occur in people with HIV without a rash.
People often have the problem of itchy feet. Basically, feet start to itch when the top layer of the leg (foot) is damaged. The main thing you need to know in this situation is that you don’t need to make diagnoses and treat yourself. It is unlikely that such amateur activity will do any harm, but the quality of treatment will be much worse. The sooner the patient consults a doctor, the sooner the doctor will be able to determine the causes and prescribe proper treatment.
And yet: “Are your feet itching?” There are many factors that cause itchy feet. Several reasons can be identified. These include: fungal infections, burns, stress or nervousness, insect bites, the body's reaction to allergies. These reasons can provoke severe itching in the feet.
Symptoms of itching in the feet
Itching in the feet can be caused by various reasons, it is worth noting that most are associated with diseases. These include: varicose veins, scabies, mycosis of the feet, allergies, stress. Depending on the disease, the patient may have different symptoms.
If scabies is cutaneous, then the patient will have it clearly expressed. In particular, the disease will reach not only the feet, but also the stomach and palms. The most severe itching begins to appear at night, when the body is calm. The itching can be so severe that it is simply impossible to sleep. The cause of severe scabies may be hidden in the scabies mite. Its appearance can be identified by the gray tracks under the skin on the body; these are tick tunnels.
Itchy feet are more common due to an allergic reaction. When scabies is caused by an allergy, the patient may itch the backs of their hands, nose, ears and, of course, feet. In some rare cases, the larynx may swell and nausea with headaches may occur. For complete healing, it will be enough to remove the causative agent of the allergic reaction.
The next cause of itching of the feet and legs most often occurs in the fairer sex and is associated with vascular diseases. In such a situation, the patient’s skin begins to peel, heaviness in the limbs and severe fatigue appear, as well as swelling of the legs. You shouldn’t joke or delay this; take the treatment of this problem seriously: be sure to make an appointment with a doctor for examination. Most likely, he will prescribe treatment for blood vessels, this will relieve the itching and discomfort that it causes.
For a long time, a person may be bothered by itching, which appeared as a result of mycosis. You can catch this infection in public places. For example: saunas, shared showers, swimming pools, as well as through personal hygiene items or items for general use: slippers, socks, towels, washcloths, scissors, tongs. A special characteristic of a fungal disease may be redness of the layer of skin between the fingers, as well as its uncharacteristic thickening. In addition, cracks may appear in the infected area. The trouble is that the affected area itches, and through the scratched crack an infection can enter the body and form an intertriginous type of mycosis. Due to the introduction of infection into the body, treatment can be very delayed, and the consequences can be more serious. The problem is that mycosis that is not completely cured will appear again and again. Because of this, the treatment process can be painstaking, as you need to make sure that the disease is eliminated and does not appear again.
Itching can also occur due to stressful situations, severe neuroses, constant irritability, and anxiety.
Treatment of itching
It has been repeatedly said that as soon as persistent and severe itching appears on the feet, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. Without a correct diagnosis of the disease, it will be impossible to find its cause and cure it completely. Only a doctor can prescribe correct and effective treatment.
Everyone knows that if it itches a lot, you shouldn’t scratch it; that’s what the disease is counting on. But it is very difficult to resist, so antihistamines such as Erius, Zyrtec, Suprastin, Loratadine, Tavegil and many others can be prescribed for relief. The itching may be so severe that you will want to swallow the entire package of the drug. But do not forget that such drugs can seriously affect the nervous system, slowing it down. If the medicine was prescribed by a doctor, he may warn that driving a car is not advisable after taking the medicine.
As soon as allergic itching begins to appear, it is advisable to use antiallergic drugs; in addition, it is necessary to completely stop contact with allergens.
Varicose veins must be treated with medications that tone the veins and also strengthen their walls. Varicose veins cannot be cured with pills alone. Typically, drugs are prescribed in combination with electropuncture stimulation or magnetic and laser therapy.
Mycosis, in turn, must be treated immediately and in a timely manner with antifungal drugs. If the stage is not the initial one and the skin lesions are significant, then first the top layer of the epidermis is removed using keratolytic substances.
Prevention
It is very simple to protect yourself and rid yourself of annoying itching in the future; it does not take much time or effort. Just be careful about your health and personal hygiene. For prevention, you must follow the following simple rules.
- Wear quality shoes that have ventilation.
- You should not use someone else’s shoes or personal hygiene products.
- If you injure your foot, you must treat it immediately.
- If your feet sweat a lot, then you should use products that reduce unpleasant odors and reduce sweating (Algel, Formidron).
- Treat your heels with pumice several times a week; if the skin is not rough, then once is enough.
- Don’t be lazy before going to bed, wash your feet and wipe them dry.
Do not forget that itching is not a disease, but a consequence of a disease, so you do not need to take drugs to relieve symptoms, you need to fight the disease directly. Only a dermatologist can correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe the correct treatment.
Take the treatment of your feet seriously, because untreated diseases can appear again and again, and secondly, the sick person is a walking carrier of serious fungal diseases.