Ì첩ÌåÓý

The potential causes may be hard to pin down. Here are some of the most common ones � and what to do about them.

Sometimes it's easy to know why a particular part of your body is itchy. Maybe you have a bug bite, allergies, or a visible skin condition such as eczema. It's harder to know the cause when there's nothing obvious behind all-over, generalized itching. "It's the most common skin complaint in people over age 65," says Dr. Kenneth Arndt, a dermatologist and former medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Skin Care and Repair.

Potential causes

Generalized itching has many potential triggers. One is aging. "The skin barrier doesn't work as well as it used to, and things that may not have irritated you before may now be absorbed in the skin and cause itching," Dr. Arndt explains. "The skin also develops a somewhat impaired immune response, a reduction in fat and blood flow, and altered sensory perception, making it more prone to itching."

On call

Q.ÌýMy feet tingle or feel numb like they are asleep at times, mostly when I am in bed or with my legs elevated. What causes that?

A.ÌýThe symptoms you describe may be related to peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage that affects multiple nerves leading out from the spinal cord to the arms and legs. Symptoms are often equal in both feet. If only one foot, or part of a foot, is affected, this suggests compression of an individual nerve.

Ask the doctors

Q. Is there anything I can do at home to ease sciatica pain?

A. Sciatica is a condition that causes pain that radiates down the buttock and the leg. It occurs when one of the two sciatic nerves in your body, which run from your back down to your toes, is compressed or irritated. Most often the problem is triggered by a ruptured disc or arthritis in the lower spine. This condition can be quite painful, but there are some strategies you can use at home to ease your discomfort.

Ignoring symptoms of this carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to permanent nerve damage.

First, you may notice tingling or numbness in your fingers that comes and goes. Over time, the sensations may get worse, lasting longer or even waking you up at night. Eventually the pain and numbness might even make it hard to grip things like a fork, a pen, or other objects.

If you're having these symptoms, it could be carpal tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the median nerve � which runs down your arm and into your hand � is compressed by a ligament that crosses over it as it passes through a narrow space in the wrist known as the carpal tunnel.

Nerve damage might be causing everything from low blood pressure to gastrointestinal distress without your knowing it.

Doctors have long known peripheral neuropathy as a nerve condition that causes reduced sensation, tingling, weakness, or pain in the feet and hands. But those symptoms may be just the tip of the iceberg. Doctors are now learning that neuropathy can cause many more problems.

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to the peripheral nerves throughout the body. These nerves carry messages to and from the brain.

In the journals

Previous studies have shown a link between loss of smell among older adults and risk of death within a short period � often five years or less. Now, a report published online May 21, 2019, by Annals of Internal Medicine confirmed this increased risk of death over more than a decade, as well as identifying the leading causes of death.

Researchers gave smell identification tests to 2,289 adults ages 71 to 82 (about half of whom were men). They found that those who scored low on the smell test had a 46% higher risk of dying within 10 years, and 30% within 13 years, compared with those who had a stronger sense of smell.

Ask the doctor

Q. A friend says that the worst disease of all is ALS. What is it?

A. What makes a disease the "worst?" For many, it would be a disease that robs them of their mind. For others, it would be a disease that creates constant pain. For still others, it would be a disease that makes them unable to care for themselves or to control their bodily functions � in full view of their family and closest friends.

Sales of cannabidiol-infused products are expected to top $2 billion by 2021. But is CBD right for you?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is touted as a natural wonder that can help treat symptoms of everything from anxiety to arthritis pain. The plant extract comes from two varieties of cannabis � hemp and marijuana � and is available in creams, tinctures, oils, patches, gummy bears, capsules, and more. You can even add CBD to a latte if you walk into a coffee shop in some cities.

But is CBD safe for older adults? There haven't been a lot of large studies of CBD's safety, but more traditional medicines for pain and anxiety are not free of adverse effects, either. "I think CBD is likely safer than many other treatments people use for pain, insomnia, or anxiety," says Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Other physicians don't think we know enough about the safety profile of CBD to be sure.

Repetitive motion and poor posture can lead to aches and pains.

ÌýImage: © Johnny Greig/Getty Images

You've mastered the art of texting, emailing, and web surfing on your smartphone and computer. But along with that digital prowess, you've picked up an unexpected side effect.

"We get a number of patients who develop injuries from these activities," says Dr. Tamara Rozental, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand, wrist, and elbow disorders at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

News briefs

ÌýImage: © Wavebreakmedia/Getty Images

Past studies have suggested that drinking coffee is associated with many health benefits, such as added longevity, lower blood pressure, less weight gain with aging, and a reduced risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, several degenerative neurological diseases (like Parkinson's disease), and cancer. Now a massive review of more than 200 large studies, published Nov. 22, 2017, in The BMJ, backs up many of those links. The largest health benefits were associated with drinking three to four cups of coffee per day: drinking more than four cups per day did not bring additional benefits. It's not all good news, however; the study found that women who drank coffee had greater risks for fracture and pregnancy complications. But over all, the researchers say, coffee drinking appears to be safe. They caution that the findings are all based on observational studies, not randomized controlled trials � the gold standard of research.