- 1). Do not keep scratching when the itching starts. If you continue to scratch, you can irritate the skin and cause the itching to increase instead of go away. Try other ways to stop the itching instead of scratching it yourself. Try to keep your hands off of the infected areas altogether if possible. Continual scratching can cause the rash or itching to spread.
- 2). Take a bath before you go to bed. After you have poured your bath to the desired heat, add oatmeal or cornstarch to the water. Once well-mixed, take a long spa bath and focus on relaxing. The oatmeal or cornstarch should provide relief from itching throughout the night as well as provide hydration for your skin.
- 3). Apply an ice pack to the area before heading to bed. The ice will help numb the area and reduce the swelling that can result from scratching. A pack of frozen vegetables works great if an ice pack is not at hand. Your skin will feel an instant relief from itching and swelling.
- 4). Try taking an over-the-counter medication before going to bed. Vicks VapoRub is great for treating itching. Simply apply to affected area straight from the container at full strength.
For severe itching, take a 25 mg tablet of Benadryl. Benadryl should be used only at bed time because it can produce disorienting, drowsy side effects.
You can also apply hydrocortisone cream to the itching site. Simply apply the cream before you go to bed, and keep it beside your bed in case the itching should disturb you again during the night.
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