Varying Red Sore Bumps on Arm

[AFWifeHudson]

I am a 29 yr old Type 1 Diabetic female. Let me start by saying my blood sugars have been perfect lately and I am under excellent control. About a week ago, my right arm became extremely itchy in a few different spots, but there were no bumps, no welts, no redness other than when I gave in and scratched it, no indication whatsoever of why those spots were itchy. Then about 2 days ago, I started getting two different kind of bumps on my wrist, the inside of my elbow and my upper inside arm. Some clusters are small, pimple like, very sore bumps, and the others are constellation like larger bumps with no head, about the size of dimes, also very sore to the touch. When I woke up this morning, my muscles were sore in that arm, all the way up to my shoulder. It's only a little itchy now, but mainly really sore, both the skin and what seems like the muscle underneath. Any ideas?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to shingles. Shingles is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles occurs in people who have had chickenpox and represents a reactivation of the dormant varicella-zoster virus. The first sign is usually a tingling feeling, itchiness, or stabbing pain on the skin. After a few days, a rash appears as a band or patch of raised dots on the side of the trunk or face. The rash develops into small, fluid-filled blisters which begin to dry out and crust over within several days. When the rash is at its peak, symptoms can range from mild itching to extreme and intense pain.

Treatment of shingles includes antiviral drugs, steroids, analgesics and anti viral eye drops.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[AFWifeHudson]

Correct diagnosis doctor! It was shingles. It has been a week and I am almost over it, after some antivirals and heavy pain killers.