Itchiness usually has a simple, common cause. In some cases, however, if it doesn’t go away, could be a sign of a serious illness, such as:
You might also start itching after the treatments for some of these illnesses. Kidney dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have itching as a side effect.
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Thyroid problems
- Certain cancers, particularly Hodgkin’s disease
- Diabetes
- Iron deficiency
- HIV