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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
floting rash
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Dermatology issues, such as: skin rashes, acne, birthmarks, skin infections, rosacea, and general skin care.
floting rash
by TOMMYBOY165, Jun 20, 2002 12:00AM
I am hoping you may direct me to a specialist for this problem I am having. Last year in May I had rotator cuff surgery. They went in to fix me up. Six weeks later I had a tingling sensation around my lips. Went to the doctor gave me Valtex. This did not help me. Then in the same week I had a itchy feeling all over my body. I could feel my hair on the top of my head move.Also my whole body was very sensitive. My MD doctor gave me a shot of benadrl this seemed to help with both the lip and the body itch. Then a week later after being with my girlfriend for the weekend. I had a red spot on the rim of my penis. Went to the doctors, they said it was irritation. A few weeks go by and a few more docor visits with no help and my penis getting worse, I went to a Dermotologist who said I had a yeast infection. ( I was or at the time uncut). So I had three problem the skin sensativity and this rash. After a year of dealing with this rash on my penis I had a circumcsion two weeks ago. I did feel confident this will cure my problem down their. But I still get aa rash off and on the top of my feet after a shower along with a rash break out on my shoulder or chest and now an acne break out on my back. Sometimes I feel my hair on my head moving when i try and go to sleep. The deromtolgist gave me Zertex this seem to help but Like tonight, I was fine , I went down into the storage closet to get a table out for the summer and while I was carrying it up I felt the hair on my arms moving and saw a red rash appear, it went away in like five minutes,THIS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. Can you help me figure out who I need to go see. Do I need an alergist or a blood specialist or what.This is driving me crazy. I also must tell you the tingling aroung my lip still comes and goes last for a few weeks the last three time, not only do I have a tigling sensation but I also get a tightness on my right side of the cheak. I had an MRI done on my brain and all was fine I know I must sound like nut, but I have been dealing with all these symtoms for a year. I had never even been to a doctor for more then a cold before my surgery.
Thanks for listening
Thanks for listening
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Jun 21, 2002 12:00AM
, Jun 21, 2002 12:00AM
You are trying to cennect the following phenomena:
1. rotator cuff curgery
2. penile redness
3. tingling of the lips
4. tingling of the hair on the scalp
5. itching all over
6. acne
7. red rashes that come and go
8. tightness on the cheek
Since you are asking me to spell it out, I will state what I hope this list makes obvious:
These phenomena have nothing to do with each other.
They are either common (acne) or psychosomatic (tingling).
I know people don't like "psychological" explanations, but we have no choice but to invoke them when there clearly is no physical one.
If you have a rash that goes away in 5 minutes, there is nothing to understand. You should just ignore the rash and move on.
You need to stop paying close attention to your body. If you can't do that on your own, I think you need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist who can help you do so.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
1. rotator cuff curgery
2. penile redness
3. tingling of the lips
4. tingling of the hair on the scalp
5. itching all over
6. acne
7. red rashes that come and go
8. tightness on the cheek
Since you are asking me to spell it out, I will state what I hope this list makes obvious:
These phenomena have nothing to do with each other.
They are either common (acne) or psychosomatic (tingling).
I know people don't like "psychological" explanations, but we have no choice but to invoke them when there clearly is no physical one.
If you have a rash that goes away in 5 minutes, there is nothing to understand. You should just ignore the rash and move on.
You need to stop paying close attention to your body. If you can't do that on your own, I think you need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist who can help you do so.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
you are not imagining....There is from my personal research (plus I have it too) and just notice some of the other postings on this board...A Staph-like yeast rash with pox dots going all around this country...NYTimes had an article about it on June 1, 2002, but they were using the idea that it had something to do with 911. Personally I think it is this year's type of virus or something.not 911.
This is what I have and have seen 4 doctors (including Derm specialists..and am waiting to see the best one in town but can't get in till July 24th (maybe there is a backlog of skin rash patients)...all the other Drs have refered me to him.
I have some sort of yeast-like infection/rash. I do not know its origins or cause. Saw my gen prac in Feb...)
Symptoms include the following
Dry itchy skin (as in winter dry itch) A large unsymmetrical red area appears on the skin. (very very intense burning itch). Generally within a day it changes to a bumpy rash which lasts for several days. (also very itchy but not burning) As the rash begins to disappear (or subside) two to three red dots appear in the approximate center of the rash. The spots have a deep stabbing itch sensation. These spots last for weeks to months. Some of them have eventually dried (?) to a pinpoint size crust and then come off with moisturizer. The areas of the body almost always affected are the trunk, forearms, inside elbows, behind armpits, neck, shoulder blades on back, lower back belt line area, the groin area but so far not the genitals, behind the knees and the tops of feet, although it has occassionally appeared in other areas. Any irritation no matter how slight can cause an outbreak to appear.
Occasionally cold sweats but do not know if there is any connection as so far it has not coincided with the itching
The symptoms react to a variety of substances. some help alleviate the symptoms and others seem to encourage the spread.
Dr. Rockoff
According to the NYTimes article this has been referred to the CDC but I see you are getting many questions also...Why is this not being reported in the news otherwise? No specialist I have seen yet has a clue...I have absolutly NO history of skin disorders previous to this and I am 55. Whatever it is it is not topical but systemic. I personally know other people who have contacted it as it seems to be spread much the way Chicken Pox is spread and affects its victims as randomly and in degrees of severity as Chicken Pox does also. Most healthy people get over it in a few weeks without seeing a Dr. The rest of us are not so fortunate...I don't know why...
I wonder if you could share some more information with us concerning this "rash"... I have learned some ways to treat the symptoms but not eleviate it altogether. If you are interested please let me know..
DRuss
yes, I guess you are right. I have been trying to connect all the symtoms to my surgery. I was thinking I had some sort of staph infection going thorugh my body. I do feel much beter since my circumcsion and I guss my mind was over loaded thinking about my rash on my penis. The rash is almost gone, it is still there under the remaining skin that still covers a portion of my tip. I was hoping surgery would have taken care of it fully. But of course i am still having a small problem. This is not in my mind. Druss, I thank you for your interest in my problem, but I am not sure we have the same symtoms. I had and still seem to have a bit of balantitis.
thanks for everyones help
How did you make out with the new Doc.
tommyboy165
I think people misunderstand the terms psychosomatic. Symptoms that are psychosomatic are not "in your mind". They are real symptoms that are often a response to anxiety. It is very true that rashes and other symptoms can be caused by anxiety. Particularly chest pain.
People who tend to be focused on their bodies in a hypochondriacal manner often have generalized symptoms. When someone says that they are feeling the hair on the scalp move....well, what can I say except that you are focusing inward and need to "come away from your body" so to speak.
I remember a friend of mine saying that she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I asked what the symptoms were and she told me every symptom under the sun. I asked her how she coped with it and she said "well, I watch my body temperature". As it turns out she constantly takes her temperature and worries about every little half-degree that it varies. THAT is what I mean by focusing inward.
It's important to realize that many times it's just good to get away from worrying so much about every little thing in your body. I truly believe that if you don't have an itch or a rash or a bump, but you constantly check if you do....you'll make one.