Can Itching Be a Symptom of Diabetes?
The Link Between Itching and Diabetes
Medically reviewed by Do-Eun Lee, MD
Itching is a common symptom of diabetes, a chronic condition in which your blood sugar is too high. Itching from diabetes can be caused by dry skin, poor circulation, or certain infections. It can also be annoying enough to interfere with your daily life.
Here's what to know about itching and diabetes, how you can manage it, and when to see a healthcare provider to get relief.
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What Does Diabetic Itching Feel Like?
Itchy skin that creates an almost irresistible impulse to scratch is very common. The medical name for itching is pruritus. The sensation is caused by either irritated nerve cells called C fibers or skin cells themselves.
Itching can be a symptom of diabetes or prediabetes, which is when your blood sugar is nearing a diabetic level. One study found that over one-third of people with type 2 diabetes itched enough that it affected their quality of life.
If you have diabetes, itching can be intense. It's an irritating feeling that makes it hard not to scratch. You can itch anywhere, but if you have nerve damage (neuropathy) associated with diabetes, your lower legs may itch.
Takeaway
Scratching can make itching worse. Not only can it damage your skin, but it can lead to an itch-scratch cycle, in which scratching makes the itching worse, leading to more scratching.
Causes of Diabetic Itching
When itching is a symptom of diabetes, it's usually due to high blood sugar, which can cause dry skin, poor circulation, or certain infections. Other factors like medication, skin conditions, and problems with your kidneys or liver may also play a role.
Dry Skin
When you have too much sugar, or glucose, in your bloodstream, your body will try to get rid of it by pulling fluid from your cells and releasing it in your urine. This can make your skin dry, and dehydrated skin can be itchy.
High blood sugar can also damage the skin barrier (how the skin protects the underlying tissues). This makes you more likely to itch in response to irritants. It can even lead to infection.
High glucose levels in the blood can also trigger an immune system reaction that releases cytokines (inflammatory agents) that cause itching.
Poor Circulation
Diabetes can affect your circulation by damaging the lining of the blood vessels so they deliver blood and nutrients less efficiently. That can lead to diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage that's common among people with diabetes.
The farthest body part from your heart—your legs—are most vulnerable to decreased circulation. People with diabetic neuropathy often itch, particularly in the lower legs.
Yeast Infection
Diabetes can make people more vulnerable to yeast infections. High glucose levels in the blood and urine can lead to an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina. Vaginal itching from a vaginal yeast infection can be intense.
Underlying Skin Conditions
People with diabetes are more prone to developing skin conditions than people without diabetes. These skin conditions can cause itching. Some examples include:
Fungal infections such as athlete's foot or jock itch.
Eruptive xanthomatosis, a condition more often seen in people with type 1 diabetes. It causes itchy yellow spots with red rings to form on the legs, feet, arms, hands, and buttocks.
Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, a rare skin condition of the lower legs that usually appears as a single red lesion with a dark border.
Related: The Effects of Diabetes on Skin
Medication
It is possible to have itching that is a side effect of a medication. For example, chronic itching can be a side effect of the commonly prescribed diabetes medication Glucophage (metformin).
Itching may also mean you are allergic to a medication. If itching is a new symptom and you have recently started taking a new medication, talk to your healthcare provider right away. Don't stop taking the medication unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
Related: What to Know About Glucophage (Metformin)
Kidney or Liver Failure
People who have diabetes that isn't well-controlled are at risk for developing chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. Prolonged high blood sugar can also damage your liver.
Itching can be a symptom of kidney failure or liver failure, although it is likely to occur along with other symptoms of these conditions like fatigue, nausea and vomiting, problems urinating, or jaundice.
Treatment and Management of Diabetic Itching
Keeping your blood sugar controlled with a healthy lifestyle and taking medications your provider has prescribed can help not only with itching but also with your general health. Itching can also be managed by following these tips:
Keep your skin well-moisturized by using a cream moisturizer rather than a lotion.
Keep your skin clean and dry it promptly.
Shower or bathe in warm, not hot, water.
Consider using a humidifier at home during cold weather.
Try over-the-counter (OTC) anti-itch creams containing cortisone.
Exercise can help your circulation, which may help prevent neuropathy.
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
Itchy skin is an annoyance, but if you have diabetes, it may be a sign that you have or are at risk for nerve damage. It can also signal prediabetes, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. If you have tingling or numbness as well as itchy feet, see your healthcare provider or your diabetes team.
If your skin is dry enough to be cracking and flaking, your healthcare provider can recommend a prescription or OTC medication to help. It's important to go to all follow-up appointments so that your healthcare provider can monitor your blood sugar and general health, as well as address the symptom of itching.
Related: Prediabetes Screening: Testing and Next Steps
Summary
Itching is a common symptom of diabetes. It can be due to dry skin, poor circulation that leads to diabetic neuropathy, or yeast infections. Keeping your skin well-moisturized and hydrated can help with the itch, and anti-itch creams, often containing cortisone, are available over the counter.
Itching may not seem serious, but see your healthcare provider if you have high blood sugar and your feet itch, which could be a sign of nerve damage. If your skin is dry and cracking, and the itching interrupts your sleep or daily activities, your healthcare provider can recommend stronger prescription anti-itch creams.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
