Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Information Bulletin #17 - February 2003
A rash can develop on a small area of the body, or cover the entire body. Some rashes will go away after a few hours; others resolve in a few days. Contact your doctor or other health care provider right away if you have a rash and other problems at the same time, such as:
trouble breathing
swelling
nausea
vomiting
joint or muscle pain
mouth sores
fevers
stomach pain
blistering
eye problems
If you deal with a rash as soon as it develops, you may be able to spare yourself many hours, days or months of stress and aggravation. Some rashes are a constant source of irritation and itching. Dust, pollen, animal hair, chemicals, cleaning products, prescription and nonprescription drugs can all cause rashes.
Some rashes, although rare, have a very specific and distinct appearance, and potentially fatal consequences. If you are taking a prescription drug known to have the potential to cause a rash, contact your doctor immediately. You may have to stop taking the drug, especially if you have any of the symptoms described in the first column.
Depending on what kind of rash you have, treatment for it may be just waiting it out and relaxing - stress is a major cause of rashes - or getting over the counter or prescription drugs like antihistamines or antianxiety drugs to treat it. Get a cream or lotion that stops the itching. Wash your hands with gentle soap and water, dry them well on a clean, preferably throw away towel, and don't touch your eyes. This is a very important point to remember. Many of the creams or lotions that are prescribed for rashes can hurt your eyes. Don't scratch!. That makes things worse. You don't want to accidentally infect your eyes or spread the rash.
The weather , or changes in the weather, can cause rashes. People get heat rashes, usually prickly little bumps, from hot weather. In colder weather, scarves, blankets, coats and heat sources like radiators can cause rashes. Rolling around on a carpet that people have walked all over with shoes that have salt and anti-ice chemicals from roads or sidewalks can cause a rash. Tight clothing that rubs against the body can cause a rash in any weather. Using cleaning products that have ammonia, bleach, or other chemicals without proper protection can cause rashes as well.
The immune system is almost always involved in some way. A rash is usually the result of an allergic response to something. The thing causing the rash, called an allergen, provokes the immune system into action. The immune system responds by sending out chemicals called histamines that can cause swelling, sneezing and inflammation.
The swelling allows specialized immune system cells to get into an area to see what is causing the problem. This is one way that specialized immune system cells are able to get to the site of an infection. One of the common signs that someone has been infected with HIV is a large rash with a distinct appearance. As with any rash, if you have other symptoms, talk with a health care provider.
Treating Rashes and Itching Try to drink at least eight glasses of clean water each day. Avoiding alcohol and smoking (or smoke from cigarettes, ovens or fireplaces) may also help calm things down. You'll most likely be told to avoid sunlight, especially if you are taking medications. Try not to scratch.
Injecting drugs such as heroin or cocaine or speed can cause nasty rashes, usually because street drugs are mixed with many different types of chemicals and additives that you probably wouldn't want to inject in your bloodstream if you knew about them. Mixed with unclean water, or even a prescription drug such as codeine, injecting drugs can cause serious rashes, not to mention hepatitis, HIV, and other blood borne diseases.
Injectable treatments such as flu shots, interferon, or the drug Fuzeon (T-20) can cause injection site reactions, as well as rashes. Rashes and injection site reactions from these drugs need to be dealt with by a trained doctor or health care professional who knows these drugs.
The drugs Sustiva, Viramune, and Ziagen, all used to treat HIV disease, can cause rashes. There are general guidelines for treating rashes from these types of drugs, with specific variations depending on what drug you have taken and whether there are other symptoms involved. Contact your doctor without hesitation. You may be having a hypersensitivity reaction to the drug that could be fatal. (See Fat Loss, Big Gain, Page 4 for more info on these drugs).
Itching from rashes can be bothersome, or a symptom of something serious. Itching by itself, without a rash, may also be a sign of a bigger problem such as a sexually transmitted disease called scabies. Although not life-threatening, scabies must be treated in a very specific manner, as do other skin infections. Antibiotics may be required.
Taking warm, instead of hot showers and wearing comfortable, soft clothing may help with itching, as well as rash resolution. Rough toweling off after a warm shower or bath is not recommended. In certain cases, you may have to apply heat to an area to break up fibrous tissue from an insect bite, for example. You may have to take antibiotics as well.
Itching can also be a sign of a liver or pancreas problem. For example, people who have hepatitis often have elevated levels of bilirubin in their blood. As this excess chemical tries to get out of the body it causes almost nonstop itching. Fortunately, there are several medications that an experienced doctor knows to prescribe in this case. Blood tests are the first step in figuring out what is going on, but if your eyes and/or skin turn yellowish, your doctor has a good idea where to start looking. Get vaccinated for both hepatitis A and B.
Stress can cause rashes, as well as breakouts of viruses such as herpes. Try stretching exercises or taking a short walk to relieve tension. Drink a glass of cool water. If you are constantly worried about your health or life you should talk to a counselor. Sometimes talking an issue out can get rid of a rash.
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