Treatment itchy rash

There are many ways to treat the rash

The treatment of itchy rash should always be based on the causes of the complaints. This means that first an exact medical diagnosis must be made. In most cases, creams and ointments are used to reduce the rash and suppress the itching. In conventional medicine, cortisone-containing preparations are quite common, while natural medicine relies on herbal ingredients.

If a bacterial infection is the cause of the rash, treatment with antibiotics or penicillin may be indicated. In viral infectious diseases, however, the therapy is usually limited to the treatment of the symptoms. For many forms of itchy rash, topical medications are the drug of choice, as they can exert their effect directly at the site of the disease and achieve higher concentrations of the active ingredients. At the same time, the side effects are significantly lower due to the localized application.

contents

• There are many ways to treat the rash
• Treatment of viral infectious diseases
• Therapy for bacterial infectious diseases
• Treatment of allergic skin rash
• Therapy for atopic dermatitis
• Naturopathy in atopic dermatitis
• Medical measures for fungal infections
• Treatment of psoriasis
• Naturopathy in psoriasis
• Treatment for parasitic infestation
• Natural treatment of itchy rash

Treatment of viral infectious diseases

In the case of viral diseases, which can cause itchy rash, a causal treatment is not or only possible to a limited extent. For rubella, measles and chickenpox only measures to alleviate the symptoms can be initiated, the disease itself must cope with the immune system alone.

If shingles are detected early, antivirals can control the causative agents (varicella-zoster viruses) by preventing their proliferation. (Image: phadungsakphoto / fotolia.com)

Only with shingles, also caused by chickenpox pathogens, can early treatment with antivirals cause a cure. The drugs used to combat the viruses are either superficially applied, swallowed as tablets or administered intravenously to the patient.

Cooling and moist compresses as well as anti-inflammatory creams and ointments are used to alleviate the symptoms or the itchy rash, which is particularly associated with chickenpox. Antipyretic drugs are also used more frequently in the treatment of viral infectious diseases.

Therapy for bacterial infectious diseases

If bacterial infections are the cause of the itchy rash, treatment with the help of penicillin or antibiotics usually takes place. These provide a relatively efficient treatment option and are usually taken over a period of ten to 14 days. Showing the antibiotic treatment success is also the itchy rash soon fixed. Accompanying various measures are used to alleviate the symptoms, but do not contribute to the elimination of the infection itself.

Treatment of allergic skin rash

Decisive for a successful treatment of allergy-related eczema is avoidance of contact with the allergy triggers. This applies to both acute allergic reactions and atopic dermatitis (atopic dermatitis). The difficulty in the treatment, however, often in the exact determination of the contact materials that come as a trigger of the rash in question. Furthermore, the contact with the allergy triggers such as in pollen allergy and hay fever often can hardly be avoided.

Conventional treatment for contact dermatitis is not uncommonly based on certain immunosuppressants, in particular the so-called glucocorticoids. These are applied externally to relieve the itchy skin irritations.

Often, contact allergies are responsible for the itchy rash. (Image: Sonja Birkelbach / fotolia)

In addition, creams and ointments are used, which should contribute to the strengthening of the barrier function of the skin, in order to reduce the sensitivity to irritation and the penetration of allergens. Alternative treatments such as UV therapy may be used to treat the allergy rash.

Therapy for atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is actually in the broadest sense attributable to allergic reactions. Due to its special feature, atopic dermatitis is usually considered separately. Again, it is important that those affected should avoid contact with the allergic triggers. However, this can be a variety of factors in atopic dermatitis, with individual often significant differences are observed. What causes massive discomfort in an atopic dermatitis patient may be completely symptomless in another.

Depending on the different symptoms, different treatment methods are possible, which may also be used in parallel. In general, the treatment of chronic inflammatory skin disease is based on the course of the disease or the severity of the symptoms.

For all severity levels, basic care is of particular importance. For superficial treatment of the skin different ointments, creams and lotions are used, which are supposed to have anti-inflammatory and healing properties. In addition, the preparations support the barrier function of the skin.

While in the mild forms of atopic dermatitis may be sufficient basic care, more severe disease courses require more extensive therapeutic measures. Here, the ointments and lotions certain agents are added, which should additionally support the healing process and prevent the itching. Examples of ointment additives are evening primrose oil, St. John's wort extract and zinc.

For more severe forms of atopic dermatitis, ointments with additives such as e.g. Evening primrose oil can be used against the itching. (Image: H. Brauer / fotolia.com)

Under certain circumstances, particularly heavy disease course in conventional medicine with immunosuppressive ointments is used, with glucocorticoids are used particularly often. They counteract the itching and inflammation of the skin. Depending on the appearance of the skin, different strengths of glucocorticoids can be used.

Danger: The active ingredients often bring significant side effects such as a thinning of the skin, pigmentation disorders, stretch marks, a local suppression of the immune system or a massively increased hair growth with it.

Due to the risk of side effects, treatment with glucocorticoids should be limited to a short period of time. For sensitive areas such as the face or genitals, treatment with the steroid hormones should be avoided. The intake of antihistamines may also have a positive effect on the itchy rash in atopic dermatitis.

Light therapy is another method that has been used in atopic eczema in the past significant success. By irradiation with UV light, an anti-inflammatory effect is achieved, which helps to relieve the symptoms and temporary
Can contribute to healing. Mostly UVB light is used today, and UVA light is used in particularly severe cases.

Danger: However, since all UV rays accelerate skin aging, light therapy is only of limited use. Caution should be exercised, especially in children, and the high-dose UV rays should only be used in exceptional cases.

Naturopathy in atopic dermatitis

Alternative medicine offers different methods to help treat atopic dermatitis. While there is no scientific evidence to date for most of these procedures, considerable successes have been reported in practice. This concerns both homeopathy and acupuncture and various active ingredients of phytotherapy (herbal medicine).

For example, some therapists use gamma-linolenic acid (e.g., contained in borage oil, evening primrose oil or hemp oil) and black cumin oil. Schuessler salts can provide good treatment support. Depending on the individual symptoms of the patient, a variety of other naturopathic treatment approaches and combinations of existing procedures are conceivable, the selection should be made by an experienced therapist.

Schuessler salts can provide good support in the natural treatment of atopic dermatitis. (Image: Sonja Birkelbach / fotolia.com)

Since stress or mental imbalance can also have an increasing effect on the rash of atopic dermatitis, psychotherapeutic elements and the learning of relaxation techniques are often also part of the treatment. Helpful exercises and stress reduction techniques include yoga, autogenic training, and meditation.

In addition, gut health affects the skin. Therefore, it should always be ensured that a healthy intestinal flora is present. (Intestinal symbiosis).

Medical measures for fungal infections

If a fungal infection triggers the symptoms, the conventional therapy usually uses special antifungals (eg clotrimazole, miconazole, bifonazole or benzoic acid). These must be consistently applied over a period of at least six weeks on the affected skin. Normally, the antimycotics are used as an ointment, for hairy areas are also available liquid means.

In athlete's foot may show the treatment with salt or Essigfußbädern a positive effect. Tinctures of garlic extracts can contribute to the death of the pathogens. Since skin fungi are extremely resistant, stopping the treatment immediately after the obvious symptoms have resolved may cause the disease to rekindle. Therefore, the therapy should continue for some time even after the disappearance of the symptoms.

Clothing, shoes and other textiles that have come in contact with the fungus should be thoroughly disinfected to avoid reinfection in this way. Furthermore, diet modification may be considered to aid treatment, with foods high in the trace element silicon such as millet being recommended.

With consistent use of antimycotics, the disease usually heals easily and with it also the itchy rash disappears. However, the therapy may take months. If the infection is not adequately treated, complications such as extra infection with bacteria or spreading of the infection to other organs (such as the heart or lungs) are likely. Under certain circumstances, the fungal disease can have life-threatening consequences for the patient, so that in case of appropriate rash in any case, a doctor should be consulted.

Treatment of psoriasis

Psoriasis itself can not be cured on the basis of current research. But there are a variety of treatment options available to alleviate the symptoms. The therapy is basically adapted to the severity of the disease.

Psoriasis is currently not curable. But there are a variety of modern treatments available to treat the symptoms of the skin disease. (Image: hriana / fotolia.com)

The less severe forms of itchy rash in psoriasis can often be successfully overcome by the external application of creams, ointments, lotions and tinctures. In these find a wide variety of ingredients use such. Coal tar and dithranol for braking cell division and corticosteroids for the treatment of inflammation.

If the skin lichen takes a more severe course, conventional medicine usually resorts to the internal use of certain active substances. Methotrexate, retinoid corticosteroids and certain immunosuppressants are the most important medications. However, these often bring massive side effects, so that their use is limited.

Fumaric acid esters, for example, are more suitable for long-term therapy, but they can only improve the appearance of the skin in 50% of cases. Fumaric acid esters may also have mild side effects such as diarrhea or abdominal pain.

Naturopathy in psoriasis

Due to the undesirable side effects that can be associated with the conventional treatment methods, many affected people to alternative approaches in the field of naturopathy. In particular, methods of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) - especially acupuncture - are enjoying greater popularity here. On the basis of homeopathy, significant treatment success against the itchy rash of psoriasis has already been achieved in practice.

A nutritional therapy can be helpful. The light therapy already described in the treatment of atopic dermatitis is more often part of an alternative psoriasis treatment. In addition, there is the so-called bath therapy with sulfur-containing natural Fango and volcanic water, which is intended to bring about a subsidence of symptoms.

The fish therapy, in which small fish (reddish Saugbarben) erode the excess skin of the psoriasis, forms another alternative healing method. The same applies to electrotherapy, in which a weakly dosed stream of twice daily treatment of the affected skin areas.

Since the skin quickly becomes very cracked and brittle due to the psoriasis, a mixture of essential vegetable oils is an option to make them softer and smoother again.

Recipe for care oil against chapped skin: 10 drops of linseed oil 2 drops of St. John's wort oil 50 ml of carrier oil (for example almond, JOJOBA or sunflower oil) Mix the linseed and St. John's wort oil with the carrier oil and apply the mixture to the affected skin. Alternatively, you can add a few drops of herbal oils as an additive to the bathwater.

The severity of psoriasis is often directly related to the mental state of the patient, which is why psychotherapeutic measures to alleviate the symptoms are also used in addition to the previous treatment methods. Often their goal is to learn strategies for avoiding stress and to influence the mental health of the disease. A strengthening of the often ailing self-esteem of those affected can also form a focal point within the therapy.

In the case of the itchy skin disease scabies, all textiles, bed covers, etc. which have come into contact with the person concerned, must be washed at least 60 degrees. (Image: Pixelot / fotolia.com)

Treatment for parasitic infestation

The most well-known form of the rash by parasite infestation is the scabies. Since this does not heal naturally, therapeutic measures are urgently needed. Before starting the treatment, a mite-free environment should be created.

You should pay attention to this: Clothing and bedding that has come into contact with diseased persons must be washed at a minimum of 60 degrees Celsius. This temperature is needed so that the tiny parasites will not survive the wash cycle. Items that are not suitable for cooking laundry can alternatively be packed in a plastic bag and frozen in the freezer. The frost reliably kills the mites. If the plastic bags remain closed long enough, the mites die naturally as well, because they lack the food base. During the treatment period, it is important to disinfect all surfaces regularly. This is especially true in the bathroom (shelves, sink, bathtub, etc.). Sheets, towels and clothes should be changed daily.

The skin is treated with ointments or emulsions containing an anti-mite agent. Most of it is used in this country on Permethrinsalbe. If no treatment success occurs after the first therapy period, the application should be repeated.

Even if the mites are already killed, the itchy rash may persist for some time due to the organism's response to the remaining dead animals and their fecal matter. Therefore creams, ointments and tinctures are often used to relieve itching.

The itching rash of bath dermatitis is also triggered by parasites. However, these are not viable in the human organism, so no more far-reaching treatment is required. However, creams and ointments based on antihistamines may help relieve the itching of the skin condition.

In case of particularly severe allergic reactions to the cercariae such as dizziness, circulatory problems, fever, nausea or massive swelling, a (emergency) doctor should be consulted immediately, as at worst a life-threatening anaphylactic shock threatens.

Natural treatment of itchy rash

The basis of a naturopathic treatment of the rash is a thorough medical history, in which the possible causes of the complaints are determined. Subsequently, different methods can be considered, which include both local applications and systemic therapy approaches.

Before natural remedies are used to treat the itchy rash, always have an anamnesis interview with the doctor. (Image: contrastwerkstatt / fotolia.com)

The essential oils of lavender, chamomile, tea tree, calendula (marigold), lemon balm, mint or thyme are used for external treatment in the form of creams, ointments, tinctures or baths. Furthermore, envelopes and compresses with medicinal herb infusions can provide beneficial benefits. Soothing to the skin, for example, has a circulation with the ingredients of chamomile and mallow.

Chamomile Mallow envelope Boil 250 ml of water Pour 20 g each of Mallow and Chamomile flowers Let the infusion draw something Soak a cloth with the broth and keep it warm on the affected skin

Some medicinal herbs are just as good for ingestion, for example in the form of tea or capsules. For poorly healing eczema, e.g. a tea with senna leaves proven.

Recipe for senna leaf tea 20 g senna leaves 20 g of chamomile flowers 20 g bittersweet 20 g caraway Mix herbs together. Take 2 teaspoons of the mixture per cup and brew with 200 ml of boiling water. Allow the infusion to strain for 20 minutes before straining. The tea mixture should be drunk twice a day.

The mineral therapy with Schüßler salts opens up some possibilities to counteract the unpleasant skin irritations. For example, Schüssler salts no. 24 (Arsenum iodatum), no. 21 (Zincum chloratum), no. 20 (potassium aluminum sulfuricum) and no. 7 (magnesium phosphoricum) are frequently used for itching.

Homeopathic remedies that can relieve the symptoms include anacardium, berberis, cinnabaris and sulfur. The Steinheilkunde uses mainly rose quartz to alleviate the symptoms.

According to the holistic approach, nutritional aspects often play a role as well, with special attention paid to the acid-base balance. Furthermore, fasting fasting can have a positive effect.

The urine therapy, in which urine is applied externally and also internally, is also more frequently part of the naturopathic therapy of itchy rash. The same applies to the traditional Indian healing art Ayurveda, aromatherapy and bioresonance therapy.

However, which active ingredients and healing methods are used should only be decided by experienced therapists. Because only these can check whether possibly a more serious illness is the cause of the complaints.

For more complaints with itching read the articles itchy vagina, itchy nipples or Afterjucken. Back to itchy rash, causes rash. (fp, nr, last updated on 15.05.2018)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor) Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)