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Itching While Running

post #1 of 27
11/9/09 at 10:57pm
Thread Starter 
Ocassionally while I run outdoors, I get a nerve racking itch on my legs, abdomen, arms, really everywhere. It doesn't always happen but when it does it usually starts after I work up a bit of a sweat. It gets bad enough that I can't get my mind off of it while running, after I stop and even when I'm showering. It usually stops short afterwards. I've done some research and it seems to have something to do with expanding capillaries while excercising and people who are out of shape or haven't worked out in a while are susceptible to it.

Does this happen to anyone else? For the first time I had to quit running just under a mile on the treadmill because it was driving me crazy. It's been at least an hour and I'm still itchy!
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post #2 of 27
11/9/09 at 11:31pm
This is a new one to me. Does it happen when you do any other high intensity activities?
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post #3 of 27
11/10/09 at 12:32am
Thread Starter 
Nope just running. It doesn't happen while swimming and I haven't tried biking in years. Again, it doesn't happen all the time but the sensation is very familiar to me. I've googled "itchy while running" and it seems to be relatively common. Apparently there's not much to do apart from running more.
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post #4 of 27
11/10/09 at 12:39am
Funny you posted this; my chest and abdomen areas started itching like crazy halfway through my run today. This had never happened before, so I'm guessing it was because I ran around a lake. But yeah, the itching did go away after a couple of minutes; not thinking about it helped.
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post #5 of 27
11/10/09 at 7:03am
Itching when beginning to break a sweat is pretty common for me as well. Except that the itching is restricted to my head and scalp. I always thought it was due to clogged sweat glands becoming unclogged causing an itching sensation. But that's totally my own hypothesis.
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post #6 of 27
11/10/09 at 9:07am
hmm isnt it from the rush of blood to those areas?
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post #7 of 27
11/10/09 at 7:09pm
I used to get this too, when I first started running. The itching, particularly in my dominant leg, would be almost unbearable. My only advice is to run through it and don't let it discourage you -- it'll go away quickly as you get into better running shape.
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post #8 of 27
11/11/09 at 12:46am
I remember when I got it really bad. Scratching it produced gashes that would take a few days to heal. No matter how hard I scratched, I couldn't feel it.
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post #9 of 27
11/13/09 at 7:56pm
Can also be caused by dry skin. It gets aggravated once you start getting to the point of working up a little sweat and your pores begin to open up.

This is what I've been told and also confirmed by some Google Fu. Don't know if its fact, but I do put some lotion on my legs now before morning runs and it really helps.
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post #10 of 27
11/13/09 at 8:13pm
I get this on my face and scalp when my dry skin is bad, and don't when it isn't, so I can support the dry-skin hypothesis.
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post #11 of 27
11/13/09 at 9:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by centrix View Post
hmm isnt it from the rush of blood to those areas?

I have the same thing happen to me guys...and I do believe it's from the blood rush as centrix mentioned. Not 100% sure though...I know it can be ridiculously annoying at times though.
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post #12 of 27
11/14/09 at 12:12am
maybe its your detergent...lol I never heard of this, weird.
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post #13 of 27
11/14/09 at 1:20am
Sometimes happens when I bike. I usually just amp up for 2 or 3 minutes so I[m sweating really hard, and it goes away.
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post #14 of 27
11/14/09 at 1:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Connemara View Post
Sometimes happens when I bike. I usually just amp up for 2 or 3 minutes so I[m sweating really hard, and it goes away.

Stumbling around in a drunken stupor does not equal 'biking'.
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post #15 of 27
11/14/09 at 2:43am
It's an allergic reaction. Take a Claritin and I guarantee it won't happen.
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