Itching all over your body can cause considerable discomfort and embarrassment, and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as skin rash, discoloration and swelling. The causes of itching all over your body may include exposure to certain environmental conditions, infections and chronic diseases. Consider this information from the Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Dermatology about the causes of total body itching.
Allergies
An allergic reaction to a food, medication or fibers in your clothing may cause you to have total body itching.
Anemia
If you have a low amount of iron in your blood, you may experience itching all over your body from this type of anemia.
Dermatitis
Dermatitis is the medical term for inflammation of your skin, and may result in itching all over your body along with swelling and redness.
Dry Skin
Itching all over your body that is accompanied by flaky skin may be a result of dry skin, which can be caused by dry air and excessive bathing.
Irritants
Irritations to your skin from soaps, lotions or detergents may cause you to itch all over your body.
Liver Disease
Total body itching may be a result of disease of your liver, and may be accompanied by other symptoms including jaundice and vomiting.
Parasites
An infestation of parasites in your household, including scabies, lice or fleas may cause you to have total body itching.
Writer Bio
Jessica Lietz has been writing about health-related topics since 2009. She has several years of experience in genetics research, survey design, analysis and epidemiology, working on both infectious and chronic diseases. Lietz holds a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from The Ohio State University.