You should see your GP if your itching is:
- severe
- prolonged (lasts for a long time)
- recurring (keeps coming back)
- associated with other symptoms, such as breathing problems, skin inflammation (swelling) or jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Also visit your GP as soon as possible if your entire body itches and there is no obvious cause. It could be a symptom of a serious underlying condition.
Your GP will try to determine the cause of your itching by carrying out a physical examination. They may also carry out a number of tests, such as:
- a blood test to see if the cause is an underlying disease, such as diabetes, thyroid or kidney disease
- a skin scraping – the affected area of skin is scraped to obtain a sample, which can be analysed to help diagnose a skin condition
- a vaginal or penile swab if a yeast infection is suspected; a small plastic rod with a cotton ball on one end will be used to obtain the sample
- a biopsy – the area is numbed and a tissue sample is removed for analysis
Once the cause of your itching has been identified, appropriate treatment can begin. See Itching - treatment for more information.
Further investigations
If necessary, your GP may recommend that you are referred for further investigations to help identify the underlying cause of your itching. Depending on what your GP thinks is causing your itching, you may be referred for:
- an ultrasound scan – a type of scan that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce a detailed image of the inside of your body; ultrasound scans can be used to help diagnose a range of different health conditions
- an X-ray – a scan that uses radiation to produce an image of the inside of your body
