Itching

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What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

Your health care provider will obtain your medical history and will perform a physical examination.

Medical history questions documenting itching may include the following:

• Time pattern
  • How long have you had this itch?
  • Does it itch all the time?
  • Does it seem to get worse?
  • Has it spread?
• Aggravating or triggering factors
  • What do you think caused this itch?
  • Have you ever had this kind of itch before? What caused it then?
  • Do you recall any irritant that you recently came in contact with?
  • Do you have any allergies or sensitivities?
  • What medications are you taking?
  • Have you started using any new products recently? What was it?
  • Have you used any new soaps, fabric softeners, perfumes, deodorants, fabrics (wool), or chemicals?
  • Have you been around animals?
  • Have you eaten shellfish or nuts recently?
  • Have you had insect bites recently?
  • Do you use lotions on your skin?
  • Have you been in the sun recently?
• Location
  • What part of your body itches?
  • Is it all over your body (generalized itch)?
  • Is the itch limited to a specific area? What area?
• Quality
  • What does the skin that itches look like?
  • Is there a rash?
  • Are there blisters?
  • Are there scales?
• Other
  • Are you being treated for other medical conditions?
  • What other symptoms do you have?