Q I'm an office worker in my 30s. After months of overtime, I've started scratching until I bleed at night. Can overwork or stress really cause itching?
A Yes, chronic overwork and stress are common triggers that can worsen itching. Stress hormones can heighten the skin's immune response and nerve sensitivity, making you feel itchy from stimuli you'd normally ignore. Add sleep deprivation, and skin repair and recovery slow down, prolonging symptoms.
Detailed Answer
Under chronic stress, immune cells become overreactive and skin barrier recovery slows, lowering the itch threshold. If antihistamines aren't controlling it well despite no clear findings on tests, it's worth reviewing your lifestyle and stress factors together.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Korean medicine views prolonged overwork and lack of sleep as depleting the body's fluids and blood, weakening its ability to cool internal heat. As a result, heat suppressed during the day tends to rise to the skin at night, often bringing both itching and irritability. In such cases, treatment addresses the body's overall balance, not just the skin symptoms.
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Antihistamines only help temporarily and it keeps coming back. Is there really a chance Korean medicine treatment can improve this?
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