Is this a cold? or something worse

[sallyhoney]

about 4 months ago my mother showed me a rash on her hand. it looked like small pimples and got worse. it spread from one palm to both palms and then gradually to the heel of her foot. the wounds opened up and started leaking. they gave her an antifungal and it seemed to go away after about 7 weeks. About 3 weeks ago she showed me her neck. the skin over her thyroid gland had swollen up. she had her thyroid checked and everything came back normal. its progressively gotten worse. Its red and swollen and her neck has become stiff. She is increasely fatigued and has severe joint pain. I noticed her arm today and there was a small swollen area that she said felt hot on the inside. She was diagnosed with sinusitis and she started having acid reflux about a week and a half ago. She said it is getting more difficult to breath now and her neck is getting even worse. I have my theories but would like more advise. She needs a good doc but we can't afford one right now.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Since the rash on hands and foot got better with antifungal cream, that's reassuring that it's probably a fungal rash that's gone, we call it tinea corporis and tinea pedis.

The small swollen hot arm spot needs to be checked to see if it's an infection.

It's concerning that it's getting more difficult to breathe, she should be seen by a doctor.

Dr. Enoch Choi, MD
Palo Alto, CA