rashes, bumps, itching... What's up?

[riverqui]

Doctor- For the last 4 or 5 years I have had chronic itching on my torso, legs and bottom followed immediately by large welts where I scatched which would  dissappear within an hour(at most). Until Aug. of this year I wasn't too concerned about the problem until I noticed a small dime sized area of dryness on the head of my penis followed a few days later by 2 or 3 small hard bumps on the rim of my penis. Soon after, the itching on my body that I was so used to by then really picked up in intensity. The only difference now was that there were many small bumbs along with the welts after I scratched. These to would dissappear in short order. 10 to 45 minutes. For 4 months now I have had this unbearable itching and what look like, at times, pimples(no fluid) on different areas of my penis and srcotum. One bump on my scrotum is round the other oval. These bumps on my scrotum have remained in the same place throughout but the ones on my penis have come and gone in different places. These bumps on my genetals feel prickley and itch at times. I have recently been researching herpes as I believe this is what it is but am not sure because the problem has existed for at least 4 months with no relief. It has not gone away. The worst part of all is the "Jesus what in the world is going on" itching on my thighs, back, bottom, arms, genetals,neck and sometimes my head. It itches with the most intensity at night but not exclusively.  Does this sound like hsv2 to you or some other miserable affliction? Very concerned! Thanx!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Nope, doean't sound like herpes at all, or any other STD.

Itching by itself usually means little if it's chronic and all over.  Welts when yoiu scratch are called dermographia (skin wirting) and are normal--you cause cells in your skin called mast cells to release histamine when you scratch, and that makes the skin welt up.  

All this would have been just a minor annoyyance, until you got the bumps on the penis.  These too are probably normal variants you happened to notice, but because they made you anxious, so in your own words, "the itching on my body that I was so used to by then really picked up in intensity."  This anxiety over the normal has just kept feeding itself.

Do yourself a favor.  Go to the drugstore and pick up some Sarna lotion (non Rx), apply it every time you want to itch to calm down the skin, and make an appointment so a skin doctor can look at your bumps and tell you you're OK.  It's worth one visit.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[The Wife]

This sounds so much like what my husband has been going through - red, slightly raised rash that itches unbearably on his belly/abdomen, back, upper thighs and sometimes scrotum area.

     It is worse at night to the point that it wakes us both up - him from unbearable itching and me from him squirming. The rash can pop up in a matter of just a few minutes but doesn't seem connected to any specific event or exposure. We have cycled through 30 changes in first laundry soap, then body soap (choosing Dove), examined his diet, and seen an allergist. (The allergist suggested several Claritin type meds that just make him sleepy, so he can't take them).

     We finally made it in to an exclusive dermatologist and we thought that there would be some relief finally on the horizon.
Instead, there are 5 patients booked for the 8:30 appointment slot. The honorable doctor spends about 6 minutes with the husband, calls him Mr. Smith for the first 3 minutes (my husband having the last name of Jones, this was not a good omen), then tells him to use Dove soap and Head and Shoulders shampoo for the next two weeks then come back. "That's the problem with you people - you go changing things willy nilly and you don't stick with anything long enough to actually find a solution."

     Now the husband is depressed, and nothing personal here, but I am sure that you must realize by now how difficult it is to convince a man to see a physician - now I am really afraid that I am never going to be able to get him to see another. He's been itching like this for a year as our primary care physician has been taking shots in the dark, treating him for allergies, mites, low cholesterol (which it seems he did not actually have after a series of follow-up bloodwork performed by another lab).

     We have changed personal and laundry soaps, eliminated fabric softener, called in service master to reduce any dustmites, soaked him in Aveeno nightly, and he still wakes about every two hours reaching for the lotion bottle in an attempt to find some sort of relief from the itching. He scratches until it bleeds, especially at night, and never seems to have more than a couple of hours respite from it. It is affecting our personal relationship and his attitude/outlook on life to a growing degree. (I can't say I would feel any differently - it is affecting mine both out of concern and the effect of living with a squirmy man)

Please Doc, how do we find a doctor that can even help him? We got this one highly recommended from several sources - and the doc wouldn't even listen to him.

[Bamagirl86]

My boyfriend is going through a similar thing. He has a rash on the inside of the bends of his arms. The more he scratches the more it spreads. It seems to be the worst at night and yes it wakes  me up too because he scratches in his sleep! I bought some Cortaid and it seems to make the rash go away but as soon as I stop applying it for him, it comes back with a vengeance. We are starting to think maybe it is bedbugs but wouldn't that cause ME to itch too? I guess he will need to see a doctor. He is starting to get this rash on the backs of his legs, again only at the bend. I think it is kind of strange. If anyone has this problem and has a solution, please let me know. Thanks!

[Daisym56]

I have also been going through this and it seems to only happen from time to time. When it does happen it is non-stop. It seems as if it starts from my feet to my neck,,and leaves raised welts all over my body. Sometimes they may burn and get really red from itching so bad. I have noticed that during times of stress or nervousness this may happen.

[devlin7]

I have had similar itches. Mine turned out to be diet related. Have a good look around the web for candida albicans information. Try the diet cutting out fermented products, sugars, yeast etc. YOu will surely loose weight but I feel you will soon stop itching.

try http://www.candidaforum.com/forum/default.asp?b=1 for more information

[vanessa828]

A related discussion, red rash that itches and burns was started.