Itchy ankles at night or otherwise is one of the common the common instances in body itch. If one does not take proper care, itchiness in the ankle can cause a lot of problems. It has been seen that people in the West tend to get more of this problem due to their extra sensitive skin.
Itchy ankles can be with rash or without one. Let us look at them in more detail
Itchy Ankles Causes with Rash
1. Eczema (typically Nummular Eczema and Stasis Eczema)
2. Crohn’s Disease
3. Athlete’s Foot
4. Heat Rash
5. Reaction to plants walking barefoot or with sandals
6. Cholinergic Urticaria.
7. Allergic triggers caused due to wearing certain types of synthetic socks
8. Scabies, chigger, dust mites
9. Bed Bugs
Itchy ankles without a Rash Causes
1. Dry skin
2. Psoriasis
3. Varicose Veins
4. Ankles that are swollen due to kidney disease, heart disease or hypothyroidism
5. Surgery after-effect or injury to the ankles
6. Intestinal Parasites
7. Peripheral Neuropathy due to Diabetes
8. Cleaning products that contain sulfates
Itchy Ankles Symptoms
1. Rashes (Check out Itchy Ankles with Rash causes above)
2. Swelling in the area
3. Numbness in the ankle region
Complications due to itching in the ankle area
The reasons for itchy ankles can manifest in complications like infection if left untreated or continuously scratched upon. Some of the reasons that can trigger the complications include weather changes, illnesses and medications.
Itchy Ankles Treatment
1. Keep the area clean. If there is itching, you can subside it to a great extent by applying an ice pack for about 15-20 minutes. If you are wearing pants, you can make sure that the clothes are washed with chlorhexidine and dried in the sun. Your dermatologist will prescribe antihistamines or antiallergic medications to stop the ankle itch. Another thing that you can apply is calamine lotion. It is important to maintain good hygiene and avoid triggers that are mentioned in the causes for itchy ankles above.
2. It is important to apply moisturizers that will stop the dryness. Go for a lotion like Aveeno Skin Relief because it contains menthol, that can be quite soothing on your skin. You can apply it just before going to bed at night, it can keep the skin smooth and clean.
3. One of your best bets to treat itchy ankles is a mixture of oats and ginger juice. Ginger has gingerol as a home remedy for itchy ankles, reduce inflammation and make your skin itch free, and even take care of the rashes. Oats is also very powerful to treat the itch and stop the scratch cycle. You have to add a peeled ginger root and a cup of raw oats in blender and blend it till a constituency in the form of a paste is achieved. Apply this paste to your ankles about two times a day and you should have no itchy ankles
4. Talk with your dermatologist or doctor before you go for any course of self treatment.. If your itchiness is a symptom of some other disease, he or she will recommend another course of treatment.
