Itching is an irritating sensation that makes you want to scratch your skin. Sometimes it can feel like pain, but it is different. Often, you feel itchy in one area in your body, but sometimes you may feel itching all over. Along with the itching, you may also have a rashes or hives. If the itching starts in 1-3 hrs of consuming food then food allergy can be suspected.

Itchy skin can affect small areas, such as the scalp, an arm or a leg. Or it can cover the whole body. Itchy skin can occur without any other noticeable changes on the skin.

Sometimes itchiness lasts a long time and can be intense. As you rub or scratch the area, it gets itchier. And the more it itches, the more you scratch. Breaking this itch-scratch cycle can be difficult. 

Many common skin conditions can cause itchy skin. The following can affect any area of skin on the body:

Allergies: Skin can become itchy due to an allergic reaction to something you ate or touched.

Dermatitis: Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin.

Eczema: This is a chronic skin disorder that includes itchy, scaly rashes.

Psoriasis: This autoimmune disease causes skin discolouration and irritation, usually in the form of plaques.

Dermatographia: With dermatographia, pressure on the skin leads to elevated levels of histamine that cause a raised, red, itchy rash.

Ringworm. Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin.

Shingles. This infection is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.

If itching keeps coming and going, it is a sign of allergy. Higher IGE levels confirm it.