Well my itching started about the same time as my diagnosis of RA. BUT, prior to that time, my husband and I had made a trip to Las Vegas. OH my, one night and I got up the next morning and I was covered with bites. I must have really been out of it to not feel the bites. That was my last stay over in Vegas. This was a good hotel. Then years later we traveled to somewhere in which we had to get a hotel room. This one was worse. We got it on first floor as I have a wee little Yorkie. (no she did not have flees). We got into bed, turned off the lights and I started to itch. Evidently, these things do not like my husband. Turned light on and our wall was covered with bed bugs. You cannot imagine how sick I was. Now I am a fanatic. No hotels if at all possible. When we were in Germany, we were told not to stay at the hotels next to the rail stations. People from all over the world, bring their bugs with them. Now at home, I change my sheets at least every third day. I vacuum the mattress to get anything that might be on there off and into the trash. I also vacuum alongside the mattress and on the frame. I know it sounds like I am going overboard, but if you could have seen that wall in the motel room. It was a nightmare. I would not bring the suitcases in the house when we returned home. Everything got washed and back seat and trunk were sprayed for bugs. Never had a problem since. SO the itching is my RA not the previous experiences. NOTE: When ever you go to a hotel or motel, pull the mattress away from lower frame. If it is dirty, get out of that room and call the front desk to have the staff clean it throughly.