Itching
An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on the skin and makes the person want to scratch the affected area. Itching is medically known as pruritis; something that is itchy is pruritic.
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- Itching, anal
Irritation of the skin at the exit of the rectum, accompanied by the desire to scratch. The intensity of anal itching is increased by moisture, pressure, and abrasion caused by clothing and sitting. It may be caused by irritating chemicals in food (as in spices, hot sauces, and peppers); irritation due to frequent liquid stools, […]
- Itchy ear
Itching of the ears. Can be the first sign of an ear infection, but if the problem is chronic, it is more likely caused by a chronic dermatitis of the ear canal. Seborrheic dermatitis and eczema can both affect the ear canal. There is really no cure for this problem, but it can be made […]
- itis
Suffix meaning inflammation. For example, colitis is literally colon inflammation or figuratively inflammation of the colon. The ending -itis is one of the building blocks derived from Greek (in this case) or Latin used to construct medical terms.
- ITP
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. A condition characterized by the sudden, abnormal lowering of the platelet count. The cause is unknown, but the immune system seems to play a major role in the process by eliminating the platelets. ITP can lead to dangerously low platelet counts that can be associated with spontaneous bleeding. Purpura are purplish bruises […]
- IU (international unit)
An international unit (IU) is an internationally accepted amount of a substance. This type of measure is used for the fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D and E) and certain hormones, enzymes, and biologicals (such as vaccines). The definition of an international unit (IU) is generally arbitrary, technical, and eminently forgettable. For example, an […]