Itchy legs in the elderly may be caused by physiological factors, such as environmental dryness, etc.; it may also be caused by pathologic factors, such as pruritus, contact dermatitis, eczema and other diseases. Patients can follow the doctor’s instructions to relieve the symptoms through general treatment, topical medication, oral medication and so on.
1. physiological factors: common causes such as environmental dryness, etc., patients are advised to maintain indoor temperature and humidity, avoid scratching, avoid scalding, etc., but also the external use of urea Vitamin E cream and other drugs to moisturize the treatment.
2. Pathologic factors:
(1) pruritus: the elderly sebaceous gland function decline, resulting in sebum secretion decrease skin dryness, thus triggering itching. Patients can use urea ointment and other moisturizing treatment, but also oral antihistamine drugs to stop itching treatment, such as loratadine.
(2) Contact dermatitis: refers to the allergic reaction triggered by skin contact with certain allergens, which may cause leg itching in the elderly. Patients need to avoid re-exposure to the allergen, follow the doctor’s instructions to use topical tretinoin cream and other glucocorticoid cream, oral cetirizine, loratadine and other antihistamines anti-allergy treatment.
(3) Eczema: the cause of this disease is not known, may be related to genetic, immune, environmental factors. Patients can follow the doctor’s instructions to use topical dexamethasone cream, mometasone furoate cream and other glucocorticoid ointment, tacrolimus ointment, pimecrolimus cream and other calcium-modulated phosphatase inhibitors; can also be taken orally with cetirizine, loratadine and other antihistamines to stop itching treatment.
In addition, the elderly may also have itchy legs if they suffer from certain medical diseases, such as diabetes. It is recommended that older people with itchy legs go to a regular hospital in time for examination, to clarify the cause of the disease, standardized treatment, and not to abuse the ointment, so as not to aggravate the symptoms or delay the treatment.