itchy bumps

[allamericanponies]

hello. I thought this was insects but I do not think so now. I get reoccurring small welts that itch like mad. I get them everywhere (except for my privates-none there) my eyes swell up and today my ear is swelling up. they seem to disappear for a a few weeks and are right back starting all over again. initially I thought it was oison ivy but it is not. what possibly could this be???

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

You can be allergic to the material of the mask of the CPAP machine. If allergic to silicone, try a mask made from materials like synthetic rubber or vinyl. Several masks on the market now are made out of gel-like material.
Nasal pillows are another option. Instead of wearing a triangular mask, the user inserts into the nostrils two small flexible pieces (shaped somewhat like mushroom caps) that are attached to a plastic adapter that is in turn attached to the tubing.

One of the gel based masks available in the market are Profile Lite masks. This mask uses the same headgear and whisper swivel valve your mask has but has two big improvements. It has thiner gel walls and is therefore much lighter on the face. It can be boiled and then custom fitted to a face.They are comparatively less allergy causing.

Another thing that is important is that units must be checked regularly for wear and tear and kept clean.

You can discuss these options with your sleep specialist and find out the best one for you.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[allamericanponies]

wow you hit the head of the nail. my newest concern it that the hives are caused by my sleep apnea machine ? how does that happen?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

You seem to be having hives.
Urticaria, or hives, is truly not one disease, but a reaction pattern of the skin.

They are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They have a tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.

Many cases of hives are "idiopathic," meaning no cause is known. Others may be triggered by viral infections or medications.

The mainstay of treatment of hives is antihistamine which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks).Take Over the counter antihistaminics like benadryl or Claritin.Sometimes double conventional doses of non-sedating antihistamines such as Cetirizine(zyrcet), Loratadine(Claritin) and Fexofenadine may be needed to get symptom relief. Sedating antihistamines such as Chlorphenamine(benadryl) or Hydroxyzine are used at night to get urticaria control. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms.
You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement. It helps stabilize mast cells so they are less likely to release histamine.Also apply 1% corticosteroid(dermacort) cream on the itchy areas.

If the hives don’t go after 6 wks of treatment also, then it can be a case of chronic urticaria which needs further evaluation as it may be due to auto antibodies.

Take care and pls do keep us posted on how you are doing.