Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Urology Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to urology issues, benign prostate disease, penis curvature, cystisis, kidney stones, pediatric urology, prostate, sexual dysfunction, urinary tract infections, and urological cancers.
Itching that won't leave, PLEASE help
by Zimboombafoo, Jul 21, 2008 08:45PM
For the past year I have had an itching/stinging sensation in both the penis/scrotum and anal area. I have been to a vast amount of doctors and dermatologists. I have had 2 std tests, a patch test and bacterial test and fungal test. They have found nothing. I've been prescribed dozens of medications/creams to try to get rid of it and nothing has worked. It comes and goes but it is normally pretty constant. It completely interferes with my life and I am extrordinarily depressed all the time because of it. What do I do? I can't live with this anymore and the doctors told me they don't know what else to try. I switched all my laundry stuff to non-irritant, started wearing boxers instead of tight boxer-briefs and nothing has changed. Please help.
Post Comment
Have you noticed any diurnal variation in the appearance or intensity of the itching? This means that the itching varies in intensity or appears at different times, either in the day or at night.
Have you had a trichomonas test?
This is performed on a urine sample in a wet mount and is examined for organisms that exhibit motility. Infection with trichomonas is usually asymptomatic in men and may manifest mild symptoms, such as tingling on urination or ejaculation, itching, etc.
Have you taken any oral antihistaminics to deal with the itching?
These include drugs such as cetrizine and preparations containing chlorpheniramine, etc.?
Do provide a few more details. There are several conditions that can cause this problem, including parasitic infestation. So a few more details could help narrow it down.
Regards
I am not sure, I had 2 STD tests where they pretty much did a full test. I had blood drawn and did a urine test. Both came back completely negative.
Yes, I have been prescribed 2 oral antihistamines, one to take during the day and the other at night, both failed to make a difference.
I've been prescribed dozens of creams, some anti-fungal, most for skin conditions. (Econazole, triamcinolone, pramosone, etc.) Most of them just made it itch even worse after I applied it to my skin. I used most for 2+ weeks.
The itching started right after I had been treated from an overthecounter anti-fungal cream for a yeast infection that the doctor said I had. The anal itching started about 4 months AFTER the genital itching started.
It appears that the problem subsides with natural emollients that have some amount of antibacterial and antifungal action.
If the problem has been persistent for a long period of time, it is possible that the problem could have been aggravated by the development of lichen planus or simplex if you have been giving in to the urge to scratch the affected areas.
I would like to recommend that you treat the affected areas with a combination ointment containing betamethasone and neomycin. Betamethasone is a steroid and the neomycin is an antibacterial agent. You will need to apply the ointment 3-4 times in the day, with due attention to use separate swabs for the inguinal and the anal regions. Apply the ointment to the inguinal region first, discard the swab and use a fresh swab for ointment application to the anal region.
At bedtime, use olive or coconut oil liberally, with the same precautions as for the ointment.
Use a mild low-dose sedative, such as alprazolam 0.25 mg, at night for the next week.
Response should be evident within a week's time.
Do keep us posted.
Regards
Betnovate N ointment is a combination of betamethasone and neomycin. However, the brand name may vary so your local chemist will have an idea of which preparations are available in this combination.
The low-dose sedative is intended for dual function here.
The sedative will suppress the itching impulses at night giving ample time for the skin to start healing.
Additionally, it will also take care of any psychological component that has been involved in view of the long-term duration of the condition.
The sedative is available on prescription, but check whether your chemist can supply a small quantity (2-5 tablets).
Regards