English 
Antalya Atatürk State Hospital Dermatology Specialist Dr. Melda Özekinci said that long-lasting itching may be a harbinger of a systematic disease.
Atatürk State Hospital Dermatology Specialist, affiliated to Antalya Public Hospitals Association. Melda Özekinci gave information about itchy skin diseases.
Pointing out that in many diseases from eczema to lice, from drug rashes to scabies and fungal diseases, the most important complaint that directs the person to the doctor is itching. Ekinci said, "Itching, which disturbs the patient as much as a pain, causes insomnia and depression, and brings suicide to the verge of suicide, can also be a symptom of many internal diseases. It can be together,” he said.
Dr. Özekinci underlined that pruritus is the most common symptom among skin diseases and that the patient who applied to the hospital with the complaint of itching should first be investigated for itchy skin diseases. Dr. Özekinci emphasized that approximately 10-50 percent of the patients presenting with itching are accompanied by another underlying systemic disease.
Specialist Dr. Özekinci listed the conditions that itching can be associated with as follows: "Chronic kidney disease, liver disease, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, diabetes, postmenopausal pruritus (postmenopausal itching), anorexia nervosa (psychological disorder), HIV infection, psychogenic itching (psychological itching), Aquagenic pruritus (itching that starts with water), senile pruritus (itching due to old age) It is very important to get detailed information from the patient who applied to the hospital with the complaint of this type of itching and to perform a skin examination. The relationship with the drugs used, cosmetic products and exogenous substances, travel history and whether there is itching in other family members should be questioned.
Emphasizing that prolonged itching may be a harbinger of a systemic disease, Dr. Özekinci said, "When examining the patient, first of all, skin changes should be paid attention to, and a detailed dermatological examination including the skin and skin appendages should be performed in all itchy cases. The lymph nodes (gland), liver and spleen should be examined manually. Apart from this, laboratory examinations should be performed. Complete blood count in all patients. , parasites and occult blood in stool, blood creatinine and nitrogen, bilirubin, liver function tests, chest X-ray should be requested. The necessity of additional tests according to age and risk status should also be evaluated individually. In patients with normal screening tests, more detailed evaluation may be required. If itching continues, six tests should be performed. It should be repeated once a month," he said.
