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Have you ever been all comfy and settled in bed only to feel a little itch? You give it a rub or scratch, and before you are content, the sensation returns. So you scratch it again and again as the itching grows and becomes a nuisance.

This is nighttime itching. We scratch a small itch maybe a dozen times a day unconsciously, but how serious is it when you develop itching at night? It may be a temporary reaction to a number of mild causes, or it may a signal an underlying health issue. We will uncover nighttime itching remedies and ways to prevent reoccurrences.

What Causes Nighttime Itching?

Pruritus is the itching of the skin. As with many conditions and illnesses, it seems to become worse at night. You may think it is dry skin, especially if it occurs mainly in the cold winter months when the skin becomes more susceptible due to the lack of moisture in the air. Or you may attribute it to your laundry detergent, new body soap, parasites, or even stress. Before you rush to the doctor or pharmacy to grab a bottle of lotion, let’s take a look at what causes itching at night.

1. Bed Clothes and Linen

Your personal items could be causing your nighttime itching due to irritants and even parasites. Changes in your body processes can cause you to develop an allergen to laundry soaps, body soaps, and shampoos, even if you have been using the same brand for years with no negative reactions. It could also be associated with a dust mite allergy. A change in your system can also impact the tolerance of certain components of your jewelry. Unfortunately, you could also have an infestation of bedbugs, fleas, or other insects.

2. Decreased Stimulation

As we sleep, our energy and stimulus levels decrease, which may make us more conscious of issues such as itchiness, even the most mild of the condition. If you suffer from a severe skin condition, it can disturb your sleep cycle to the point of waking you up in the night. Without a proper REM cycle, you can experience changes in mood and physical symptoms.

3. Internal Clock

Your internal clock, also known as circadian rhythm, refers to the biological processes your body goes through over a 24-hour period. These physical, mental, and behavioral changes in the system respond to your day (light) and night (dark) environments. Nocturnal itching episodes may be associated with these changes, although no definite factor has been identified.

• Cytokine and prostaglandin can cause the itching sensation in an unbalanced circadian rhythm as these substances produced by cells affect inflammation outcome.
• Skin temperature rises at night, which may stimulate the itch facilitator levels in our skin.
• Corticosteroid body levels tend to decrease at night, which increases symptoms of an inflammatory skin disorder.
• Water loss through the skin intensifies at night time.
• Parasympathetic activity is known as the “rest and digest” portion of our autonomic nervous system. In this state of normal control, your body is in a relaxed condition, and at night, it increases and may stimulate itching.
• Natural pain-relieving catalysts in our system rise in response to the darkness with a damaged circadian rhythm. A lessened pain increases our sense of itchiness.
• Aside from severe dry skin, several health disorders and diseases also have symptoms of dry, itchy skin that seem to be exacerbated at night. These conditions are atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, urticaria, lichen simplex chronicus, liver and kidney issues, and blood disorders. There are some sleep pattern disorders that can also cause nocturnal itching.

How to Treat Nighttime Itching?

You can try to resolve the nocturnal itching at home with several remedies and prevent a reoccurrence.

1. Soak at Night

Bathe in the evening to remove the day’s dead skin cells, dirt, and sweat. Keep in mind very hot water can irritate and dry out the skin. Use warm water and spend 15 minutes or less in the shower or bath.

2. Use Mild Soaps

Use unscented soaps, especially at night. Antibacterial and perfume-infused soaps can draw the moisture from your skin and cause itchiness.

3. Moisturize the Skin

Use a moisturizer created for dry skin conditions. Moisturizing after a bath or shower can help prevent itchiness as it replenishes the skin’s moisture.

4. Change the Sheets

Change your sheets frequently. If you cannot alternate bed linen daily, hang your bedding in direct sunlight to remove dust mites and any bacteria and dead skin cells.

5. Flip the Mattress

Use a mattress protector or flip mattress weekly as it may be home to millions of microscopic organisms. Replace the mattress when you can.

6. Call Pest Control

Have a pest control agent inspect for infestations. There may be an issue with bedbugs, body lice, fleas, or scabies mites. You can still feel the effects from these parasites without direct contact as they attach to clothing, linens, and mattresses.

7. Ventilate the Room

Sleep in a cool well-ventilated room. This will reduce body temperature and sweating, which can stimulate itchy dryness. Try keeping the bedroom heat down by opening a window, turning on a fan, or keeping the air conditioner on.

8. Use Lightweight Fabrics

Wear light cotton sleepwear and use light blankets. As your body temperature rises, so does the intensity of the itch.

When to Call a Doctor

If you have tried the aforementioned home remedies for nighttime itching with no relief, you may want to consult your doctor. Depending on the cause of your condition, you may be prescribed antihistamines to diminish itching or corticosteroids to reduce inflammation if itchiness is associated with a skin disorder.

You may need calcineurin inhibitors to suppress your immune system or even antidepressants. These will help in lessening the itch symptoms related to mental stress or psychogenic disorders.

Dry, itchy skin can be triggered by stimuli at night, which can interfere with your resting and sleeping times. There are various mild skin conditions that cause night itchiness as well as several health issues that should be addressed. Home remedies to counteract or prevent itchiness can be undertaken before calling a doctor. The answer may lie in your bedding, personal hygiene items, or even in the air you breathe. If all attempts fail, contact your doctor for guidance as it could be a hidden medical condition or a symptom of a related issue.

Oral cancer (OC) occurs when DNA mutations develop in the cells lining the lips and the mouth cavity. It commonly affects the tongue, floor of mouth, buccal mucosa, lips, palate, gum etc all. Mostly, oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that begin in the squamous cells lining the lips and the inside of mouth.

1. Type: of oral cancer are as enumerated below -

   1. Squamous cell carcinoma: is the most common, as described above.

   2. Adenocarcinoma: affects the salivary glands.

   3. Lymphoma: affects the tissues of the tonsil(s) or those involving the lymphatic system.

   4. Melanoma: may affect the mucous tissues of the oral cavity.

2. Gender: affects the male populace predominantly. But, it can affect both male and female. It’s the commonest cancer in India currently, and accounts for a significant percentage of the total cancer mortality.

3. Etiology: consumption of “khaini” (tobacco & lime mix), betel nut, areca nut, slaked lime, chronic irritation due to irregular teeth, smoking, alcohol consumption, oral infection with Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) / Human Papilloma virus (HPV), nutritional deficiencies, chronic infections & poor dental/ oral hygiene are the common risk factors that can trigger oral carcinogenesis. It is noteworthy that the local effects of tobacco and alcohol are both dose-dependent and synergistic.

4. Features: the various presentations (of signs & symptoms) of Oral cancer are as given below –

   1. Cheek cancer - hard and painless thickening, with an ulcer sometimes that does not heal for weeks together.

   2. Lip cancer - white patch on the inner lining of the lip on which a hard mass slowly develops.

   3. Palate cancer- persistent sore on the hard palate that may ulcerate.

   4. Throat cancer - difficulty swallowing, sore throat, voice changes, feeling of hard lump in the throat.

   5. Tongue cancer - ulcer on the side of the tongue that bleeds occasionally and does not heal.

   6. Gum cancer and cancer of the minor salivary glands - loose teeth, bad breath and sensory loss of the feelings in the face

5. Screening: is generally recommended for asymptomatic populations goal of which, as usual, is to be able to detect & diagnose oral cancer at an early stage which is potentially curable. Visual screening by healthcare personnel including dentists, general practitioners, oncologists, surgeons etc all is crucial to detect not only early asymptomatic oral cancers but also the oral pre-cancerous lesions including oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), oral leukoplakia, erythroplakia et al which carry a high risk of malignant transformation to in-situ and invasive cancers.

6. Diagnosis: a complete physical exam of the local parts basis the features mentioned above arouses suspicion that prompts diagnosis -

   1. Biopsy (punch or removal of mass of tissue (excision) for cytology) clinches the diagnosis of oral cancer. Should there be a neck mass that arises suspicion of a regional metastatic disease, a fine needle biopsy (FNB) can be attempted.

   2. Initial staging workup includes CT, MRI scans etc all. PET CT scan though frequently employed, is not usually used for the initial workup.

   3. A triple endoscopy that includes laryngoscopy, esophagoscopy and bronchoscopy can help definitive staging of the disease. Biopsies obtained during this procedure help confirm the primary diagnosis, define the extent to which the primary site disease has spread, and identify additional pre-malignant lesions and metastasis, if any.

7. Treatment / Prognosis: preventive measures, earlier diagnosis and right early treatment is key for better prognostication and efficient/ effective therapeutic management of oral cancer. Conventional treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy as deems appropriate. Simultaneously, an adjunctive or integrative naturopathic treatment with suitable complementary & alternative medicines (CAM) too can help improve clinical endpoints and facilitate recovery as would be feasible contextually. As seen with other cancers, the site, stage, histopathological grading etc all determine the treatment outlook. The number of micronucleated oral mucosal cells can be a useful biomarker for predicting course of oral pre-cancerous lesions and prognosis thereof.

8. Prevention: rightly said, prevention is always a better choice. Although genetic risks are difficult to modify, still an increased focus on protective factors and avoidance of the risk factors can be of help. Especially, abstaining from use of tobacco/ products, alcohol, regularly maintaining oral health and hygiene and daily intake of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables can help prevent a vast majority of oral cancers. Also, timely screening/ detection of the pre-cancerous lesions of the oral cavity and prompt treatment thereof is crucial to preventing a malignant transformation of the same. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can ask a free question.

Skin problems, owing to its frequency and its recurrence have emerged as a common cause of concern. Different schools of medicines have come up with their own form of treatments in order to deal with this problem and homeopathy with its assurance of little to no side effects has been most preferred. In fact homeopathy provides various medicines to treat a host of skin disorders.

Some of them are:

1. Scabies and eczema: Scabies and eczema are common skin ailments which are accompanied by fierce itching. They mostly appear either behind the ears and the space between the fingers often developing puss. The skins in these cases become dry and scaly necessitating the intake of Calcarea carbonica.

2. Psoriasis and recurrent eczema: Psoriasis and eczema are characterized by constant itching and painful swelling. In such a situation, the homeopathic medicine Arsenicum has proved to be extremely beneficial.

3. Soreness and coarseness of the skin: Sometimes the skin becomes visibly coarse and sore leading to inflammation even causing inflammations sometimes. Suphur should be the medicine you must choose in such a case as it significantly improves the condition of the skin and softens the skin.

4. Spots on the skin: Homeopathy also has a potent remedy for the spots that erupt on the skin, most often as a consequence of some disease. Sepia works wonders for the perceptible brown spots which appear on the skin as a result of herpes.

5. Acne: Kali muriaticum has emerged as the most reliable medicine for acne and eczema. The fame of the medicine resides in its ability to treat that eczema that is obstinate and refuses to be treated in normal circumstances. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Homeopath.

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex is a genetic disorder that results in the skin turning fragile and blister prone. Any small injury or friction created due to rubbing of the skin might lead to blister formation. In some cases, blisters may occur inside the mouth and on the cheeks. Normally, the cause of the disease is linked to defective genes.The condition is usually inherited and the symptoms start flaring in childhood. In some cases, the symptoms start during the early twenties.

The symptoms of this disease are:

1. Deformities in the nails of the toes and fingers.
2. Blisters in the internal organs such as esophagus and vocal chords.
3. Formation of blisters on the skin of the feet and the hands.
4. Hair loss and scarring of the scalp.
5. Thickening of the skin on the palms and soles of the feet.
6. Formation of white skin bumps on the skin.
7. You may experience various dental problems such as tooth decay.
8. You may have problems in swallowing food.

Epidermolysis bullosa can be classified into:

1. Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa: This is a severe form of epidermolysis bullosa that usually develops during birth. The condition is characterized by hoarse and unusual crying sounds and scarring in the vocal chords. The genes that attach the epidermis to the basement become defective and thus, cause blister formation.
2. Kindler Syndrome: This type is characterized by blister formation across all layers of the skin, but its symptoms tend to disappear with time. This condition is known to cause discoloration of the skin when exposed to the sun.
3. Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa: This is caused by a defect in the gene that causes problems in collagen formation. This results in complications as the skin doesn't join properly.

Risks

This disease may cause various complications such as sepsis, skin infection, anemia, constipation and dehydration. An infant, who has a severe form of epidermolysis bullosa, may not be able to survive due to widespread blistering and infections that may drain all the body fluids out drastically. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dermatologist.

Acne is a term used to define a broader category of conditions than pimples. The term is used to define skin diseases that involve sebum, keratinisation and bacteria. The condition varies from very mild acne to severe acne, which usually involves the cystic variety of the condition.

As for the percentage of the population affected by acne, this is invariably the most common skin condition that you can suffer from (95% of all people will suffer from this condition at some point of their lives). It is also the most stubborn skin condition in some cases.

Let’s take a look at some do’s and don’ts for an acne prone skin.

Here’s what not to do when you have acne:

1. Over washing – dirt and oil are not the only reasons for your acne it is multifactorial so excessive washing and cleaning will not only make your skin dry and dull but it also alters the ph of the skin and will make it more prone to breakouts.

2. Picking and squeezing – touching your face and specifically the areas affected will expose it to more bacteria, and more bacterial exposure can never be good for acne.

3. Over the counter products – using products indiscriminately can play havoc on your skin. Make sure you consult a good dermatologist to find the right products for you.

4. Avoiding moisturizer and sunscreen – avoiding moisturizer and sunscreen is a common habit amongst people suffering from acne which in turn leads to excessive dryness making skin more prone to tanning and acne marks. Consulting your dermatologist will help you find a suitable moisturizer and sunscreen for acne prone skin.

Some home remedies to try:

1. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a powerful antibacterial that alkalises itself, not only that, it is also an astringent that dries up excess oil and makes it difficult for the bacteria to thrive.

How to use: take pure, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and mix one part with three parts water, take the mix on a cotton swab and apply it on the acne/blemish for 10 minutes once in the night daily.

2. Cinnamon and honey mask

Honey is a natural antibiotic and so is cinnamon and both these ingredients when mixed together, have a synergistic effect that helps you control breakouts.

How to use: mix 2 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to make a paste and apply on the affected area for 15 minutes.

3. Orange peel paste

Vitamin c is a natural astringent, apart from being that, it also helps in new cell growth and repair and maintenance.

How to use: take two orange peels and mash them in a grinder and make sure you make a thick paste, and apply it on your face for 20-25 minutes.

4. Banana peels

Banana peels contain a substance known as lutein, and this is an extremely powerful antioxidant that reduces swelling and inflammation.

How to use: make a banana peel and rub the inside of it in circular motions on the affected areas. Let it sit for 30 minutes or so and then wash.

Do you have acne that does not respond to treatment? have you tried everything and failed? or do you just want to do the smart thing and get professional help to nip the disease in the bud?