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EMLA cream for HEP C itch
Hi there, my dad has Hep C for many years and is suffering from this terrible itch .. does anyone know if EMLA a topical cream that numbs would be ok ? He does not sleep at night and I am searching for something even if it gives him temporary relief.. Thanks !
I was diagnosed with Hep. C 8 years ago...have not taken treatment. Past two months developed itching that was really more like a prickling sensation ( like having insulation on your skin). Anyway went to Doc. last week, ran test for PBC and put me on Urso for the itching...itching is now gone. Waiting for test results.
Nothing related to Hep C is ever simple....so there may well be multiple causes for the itching. Like...reduced skin hydration, which affects the epidermal barrier providing more chances for toxins and allergens to enter defective skin. Also, pH changes within the skin may activate itch receptors.
Opioid peptides and their μ-specific receptors modulate the function of calcium channels specifically on unmyelinated fibres of the central nervous system, so they may be involved in the central itch-regulatory mechanism.
β-endorphin, which belongs to the opiate family, is generated by stress. Studies done on Atopic Dermatitis patients showed a high concentration of β-endorphin in patients with a high itch score. So that supported their hypothesis that endorphinergic neurones are probably involved in central itch processing.
My thinking is much simpler....
Can stress cause itching? Sure. But why would it cause severe itching on liver disease patients and not, let's say, cancer patients who are also stressed?
Some pregnant women develop cholestasis and itching....and elevated liver enzymes.... so that supports the theory that the itching happens because of decreased bile flow.
Drugs that block the binding of morphine or endorphins to nerves didn't work in many cases.....but most people respond well to Questran. So I'm going to have to go with the bile acid theory when choosing the treatment for itching.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/533356_4
I have read many articles stating that bile acids are the cause of itching associated with cirrhosis and I presumed it was true. Recently I came across this while researching PBC. Are you familiar with this endorphin theory or postulate? What is your take on this?
"....The cause (etiology and pathogenesis) of itching remains unclear. The bile acids, as previously mentioned, normally are transported in bile from the liver, through the bile ducts, to the intestine. Most of the bile acids are then reabsorbed in the intestine and go back to the liver for reprocessing and recycling. In cholestasis, therefore, the bile acids back up from the liver, accumulate in the blood, and, for some years, were presumed to be the cause of the itching. Modern studies, however, have just about refuted the notion that the itching in PBC and other cholestatic liver diseases is caused by bile acids.
Recently, the itching was considered (postulated) to be due to accumulation of an endorphin, a natural substance that attaches (binds) to the natural receptors (acceptors) for morphine in nerves. You see, nerves in the skin carry the sensation of itching. Indeed, the finding that itching improved in some people treated with drugs that block the binding of morphine or endorphins to nerves supported this consideration. Yet, many patients do not respond to these blocking drugs, suggesting that other causes or mechanisms are involved in producing itching...."
http://www.medicinenet.com/primary_biliary_cirrhosis/page8.htm#pbcitch
Mike
"....The cause (etiology and pathogenesis) of itching remains unclear. The bile acids, as previously mentioned, normally are transported in bile from the liver, through the bile ducts, to the intestine. Most of the bile acids are then reabsorbed in the intestine and go back to the liver for reprocessing and recycling. In cholestasis, therefore, the bile acids back up from the liver, accumulate in the blood, and, for some years, were presumed to be the cause of the itching. Modern studies, however, have just about refuted the notion that the itching in PBC and other cholestatic liver diseases is caused by bile acids.
Recently, the itching was considered (postulated) to be due to accumulation of an endorphin, a natural substance that attaches (binds) to the natural receptors (acceptors) for morphine in nerves. You see, nerves in the skin carry the sensation of itching. Indeed, the finding that itching improved in some people treated with drugs that block the binding of morphine or endorphins to nerves supported this consideration. Yet, many patients do not respond to these blocking drugs, suggesting that other causes or mechanisms are involved in producing itching...."
http://www.medicinenet.com/primary_biliary_cirrhosis/page8.htm#pbcitch
Mike
EMLA cream is an anesthetic. To numb the area, you apply the cream and cover the area with an occlusive dressing. So it's not something that you would use on large areas.
Besides that, the possible side effects are....redness, swelling, temporary loss of sensation....and in some cases ITCHING.
The itching is caused by bile products deposited in the skin. It can be treated with Questran and antihistamines that his doctor can prescribe.
Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cirrhosis/DS00373/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
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