Pruritus might be a funny sounding word, but those diagnosed with it might not feel the humor. Pronounced pru-ri-tus, it refers to severe itching of the skin. Pruritus can affect anyone for different reasons. It can be mild or severe. It can occur once or it can be an ongoing battle. Millions of people are affected by varying degrees of pruritus each year. A recent study of adult patients in a primary care clinic found that nearly one-third of patients are affected to some degree at any one time. Knowing a little about the condition can help you through it if you’ve been dealing with itchy skin.