What is the medical term for severe itching?

The medical term for severe itching is pruritus. This term specifically refers to the sensation that provokes the urge to scratch. Pruritus can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, including allergic reactions, dermatological issues, or systemic diseases. Understanding this term is important for medical assistants, as they often need to accurately describe symptoms when documenting patient information or communicating with healthcare providers.

In contrast, dermatitis denotes inflammation of the skin, often causing redness and irritation, but does not specifically refer to itchiness itself. Urticaria, commonly known as hives, involves swollen, itchy welts on the skin, but it refers more to the physical manifestations rather than the sensation of itching. Eczema is a term often used to describe a group of conditions that cause inflammation and irritation of the skin, which may include itching but is not synonymous with the term for itching itself.