What It Means When You Have An Itchy Ankle

As the body's biggest organ, the skin consists of thousands of nerve endings, which are your first line of defense against anything that may harm you (via The Washington Post). Whether that's hot or cold temperatures, pain, or even something crawling on your skin or an annoying piece of itchy fabric. This is significantly worse if you have sensitive skin (via Verywell Health), which can amplify those feelings even more. While an itch is often just your skin reacting to something briefly rubbing, touching, or grazing against it, itchiness can be a symptom of other conditions like a rash, spot, or even some diseases.

Medically known as "pruritus" (via Mayo Clinic), if you experience itchy skin all over your body, it can be a symptom of liver and kidney disease, diabetes, or nerve disorders like multiple sclerosis or shingles. The odd itch is nothing to worry about, but if it persists or becomes red, sore, and inflamed, then a trip to the doctor can single out what's wrong, and you can receive treatment. But what about when you have an itch in a specific body area that won't go away, like your ankle?

According to Healthline, the most common condition that results in an itchy ankle is athlete's foot. Known medically as "tinea pedis" (via Mayo Clinic), it's a fungal infection usually found on your toes but can present itself anywhere on the foot, including the ankle. Athlete's foot is caused by a fungus called dermatophytes, which also causes ringworm and jock itch. A sweaty environment like a shoe or sock can encourage the fungi to grow, particularly if it's a tight fit. Once the irritation begins, athlete's foot soon produces a contagious "scaly rash." However, it can also take on the form of blisters or a patch of inflamed skin that looks "reddish, purplish, or grayish, depending on your skin color," according to Mayo Clinic.

As the fungi infection is contagious, you can also get it from places those infected with it have been, like the gym or a local swimming pool, or even from towels. Thankfully, the infection can be treated with antifungal medication that you can get either over-the-counter or via a prescription from your doctor.

Many other medical conditions can result in an itchy ankle, such as psoriasis, eczema, or infections from bacteria or parasitic insects like lice or fleas (via Healthline). But in some cultures, an itchy body part can hold spiritual meaning. According to the website Spiritual Unite, an itchy ankle can signify that you're "in for a pleasant surprise", particularly in the form of an influx of wealth from the lottery or "a significant pay rise or promotion at work."

On the flip side, an itchy ankle can also mean that there may be "a wedding on the horizon." If you're in a serious relationship with the expectation of a proposal, this could mean you. But Spiritual Unite also clarifies that it could be the wedding of a loved one, meaning that you may be invited to a celebration in the near future. Psychic website Aunty Flo ties both meanings together, suggesting that an itchy ankle can signify "that a married man will have an imminent rise in wealth."