You may not want to ignore that annoying neck itch (pruritus).
Most of the time, the cause of your itch is not serious.
You treat your itch by applying an anti-itch lotion and avoiding scratching it.
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While this may work most of the time, it sometimes isn’t enough.
Chronic pruritus can be frustrating, but fortunately, there are many ways to improve your symptoms.
ensure you get an adequate amount of niacin, zinc, iron, and Vitamins D and A.
How to Treat Itchy Neck
Poor hygiene and dry skin are common causes of an itchy neck.
Using lotion after a shower can help prevent dry or cracked skin.
In children, parasitic infections with scabies or head lice are a common cause of itchy necks.
An itchy neck may also be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
If thats the case, treating your underlying condition is the best way to eliminate your itch.
Moisturizing your neck with a dermatologist-approved moisturizer may help.
Some allergies carry the risk of developing a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) that is a medical emergency.
Your healthcare provider may prescribe an EpiPen (epinephrine auto-injector pen) to use at the firstsigns of anaphylaxis.
These include:
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Itchy Neck?
An A1C level above 6.5% is diagnostic of diabetes.
Skin conditions can arise at any time.
Your healthcare provider can usuallydetermine whether you have psoriasisafter performing a thorough clinical evaluation.
But if there are any questions about the nature of your lesions, a skin biopsy may be performed.
Parasitic Infection
In children, an itchy neck may be a sign of head lice.
Scabies may also cause an itchy neck.
A microscopic evaluation may detect the presence of mites or eggs.
The diagnosis can often be made based on symptoms, medical history, and clinical examination.
Generalized symptoms may point to a broader medical problem that must be resolved to relieve your symptoms.
Treatment will be based on the cause of the itchy skin.
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American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment of public lice.
American Academy of Dermatology.Acanthosis nigricans: diagnosis and treatment.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2.
Classification and diagnosis of diabetes:Standards of medical care in diabetes2022.Diabetes Care.
2022;45(Supplement_1):S17-S38.
doi:10.2337/dc22-S002
Kapur S, Watson W, Carr S.Atopic dermatitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol.
2018;14(Suppl 2):52. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0281-6
NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing psoriasis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Head lice.
