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You may develop itchiness on your neck from a reaction to products like clothing, soap, or metals, such as nickel. Health conditions, such as nerve disorders and skin conditions, may also cause you to itch.

An itchy neck rash can result from a number of causes, including:

Hygiene

  • improper washing, either not enough or too much

Environment

  • overexposure to sun and weather
  • heating and cooling systems that reduce humidity

Irritation

Allergic reactions

Skin conditions

Nerve disorders

Other conditions

When your neck itches, additional symptoms — localized to your neck area — could include:

Some symptoms may mean you should see your doctor. These include if your itch:

  • doesn’t respond to self-care and lasts for more than 10 days
  • interrupts your sleep or your daily routines
  • spreads or affects the entire body

It’s also time to call your doctor if your itchy neck is just one of a number of symptoms including:

Often an itchy neck rash can be handled with self-care such as:

If your itch doesn’t respond to self-care, your doctor might prescribe treatments including:

  • corticosteroid creams
  • calcineurin inhibitors such as such as tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel)
  • selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft)
  • phototherapy using different wavelengths of ultraviolet light

As well as prescribing treatments to relieve the itch, your doctor can perform a full diagnosis to be sure that your neck itch isn’t a symptom of a more serious health concern.

There are a number of simple, self-care steps you can do to treat an itchy neck. If the itchiness persists — or if the itch is one of other concerning symptoms — visit your doctor. They can offer more powerful anti-itch medications and determine whether or not your itchy neck is a symptom of an underlying medical condition that needs to be dealt with.