The term "toxidermy" refers to the inflammatory process that affects the skin and mucous membranes. The disease is acute in the course of the course and occurs when an irritating factor is exposed to the body. The disease affects both adults and children. Another name for the pathology is "toxic-allergic dermatitis." The ailment has several forms, each of which has its own characteristics. The causes, symptoms and treatment of toxidermia are described below, photos of the external manifestation of the disease are also presented in this article.
Etiology
According to the clinical manifestations, the disease is similar to the usual allergy. The difference is that an undesirable reaction develops after direct contact of the skin and an irritating factor. With toxidermia, the allergen penetrates the body, where it spreads with a blood stream. At this stage, skin manifestations occur. The danger lies in the fact that absolutely any medication or food product can provoke the development of the disease.
Most of the episodes of the occurrence of toxidemia are associated with medication. The trigger factor may be the use of any drug (from hormonal to pain medication).
In addition, irritating agents are:
- Food. The most dangerous is food, which contains chemical additives. With caution, it is recommended to eat eggs, honey, chocolate, nuts, as well as citrus fruits.
- Household chemicals. Most often, irritating factors are: washing powder, varnish, glue, paints, solvent, insecticides.
- Chemical substances. In such cases, toxidermia is considered an occupational disease. It occurs in people whose daily activities are associated with constant contact with harmful chemical compounds.
Currently, several cases of the occurrence of the disease after the installation of dentures have been recorded. In such situations, it is customary to talk about the rejection reaction.
Clinical manifestations
Regardless of the severity of symptoms, treatment of toxidermia (a photo of the affected area of the skin is presented below) cannot be delayed. This is due to the fact that the circulation of harmful compounds in the body leads to the development of all kinds of complications.
The main symptom of the disease is a rash. It can be of a papular, vesicular, or erimatous type. A distinctive feature of the rash is its symmetry. It can affect both the skin and mucous membranes (in the latter case, the oral cavity is most often affected).
The course of the pathology may be accompanied by itching and a deterioration in overall well-being. Most often, patients complain of severe weakness, high body temperature and chills.
Doctors distinguish several degrees of severity of the disease:
- Easy. A person’s quality of life does not deteriorate significantly, he only feels moderate itching. Even with only this symptom of toxidermia, treatment should be carried out as soon as possible. Timely therapy reduces the risk of complications.
- Medium. At this stage, the patient is worried about a rash, itching and fever. Regardless of the severity of symptoms of toxemia in adults, treatment (a photo of a person in a moderate state is presented below) should be carried out immediately. Otherwise, the risk of the transition of the disease to the next stage is significantly increased.
- Heavy. The general condition of the patient worsens significantly, most of the skin is affected by the rash.
The most severe stage of the disease is Lyell's syndrome. On the skin there is the formation of foci of pathology, outwardly similar to second-degree burns. In this regard, some doctors use the concept of “scalded skin syndrome”. The pathological process is characterized by the decomposition of the epidermis and its subsequent exfoliation. This is accompanied by intense pain. Similar changes occur on the mucous membranes.
Forms of the disease
There are several types of pathology. Each of them has certain symptoms. Treatment of toxidermia is also carried out taking into account the form of the disease.
Types of Disease:
- Fixed. On the skin erythematous spots appear round or oval. They can reach up to 3 cm in diameter. After a few days, the rashes begin to darken and acquire a brown tint. Moreover, a bubble forms in the center of each spot. If the provoking factor is eliminated, recovery occurs on average after 1 week. With repeated exposure to the stimulus, the disease recurs. In some cases, the pathology is not accompanied by a pronounced inflammatory process. On the skin only the formation of blisters. The patient feels itching and burning, his body temperature rises, the psycho-emotional state becomes unstable.
- Common. It is characterized by damage not only to the skin, but also to the internal organs. Common toxicoderma is an extremely dangerous disease that can lead to coma. To improve well-being, it is important to identify the irritating factor in a timely manner and exclude body contact with it. If the allergen is not eliminated, Lyell syndrome may develop - the most severe form of toxemia.
- Bromo and iododerm. These forms of the disease are extremely rarely diagnosed. Their development is associated with the use of drugs containing bromine and iodine. The course of the pathology may be accompanied by the appearance of a rash of any kind. But most often, patients have follicular pustules. After recovery, scars usually remain in place of spots.
Thus, regardless of the intensity of symptoms in adults, treatment of toxidemia should be started as soon as possible. Ignoring the disease in some cases can lead to a coma.
Diagnostics
The treatment of toxidermia (a photo of the focus of the pathology is presented below) is carried out by a dermatovenerologist. The disease is characterized by an unstable clinical picture, it has no specific signs. In this regard, initially the doctor conducts differential diagnosis with the following pathologies: systemic lupus erythematosus, measles, rubella, scarlet fever, secondary syphilis. These diseases have symptoms similar to toxemia.
As part of the differential diagnosis, the following studies are shown:
- analysis of urine and blood (both biochemical and clinical);
- bacterial inoculation of cells taken by scraping from a pathology site;
- blood test for syphilis and HIV;
- with symptoms of damage to internal organs: ultrasound, MRI and CT.
Based on the results of the initial diagnosis, the doctor excludes the presence of pathologies of an infectious nature. Laboratory tests are performed to identify an irritant. Provocative tests for toxidermia are not prescribed. This is due to the fact that this test can provoke the development of a pronounced allergic reaction and significantly worsen the course of the disease.
Adult Toxidermia Treatment
The main principle of therapy is to identify the causes of the disease and exclude contact of the body with an irritating factor. Treatment of toxidermia begins with the cessation of medication and the use of foods that are potential allergens. In addition, contact with household chemicals and other harmful compounds should be completely excluded.
The treatment for toxidermia includes the following items:
- Excretion of the body. To this end, doctors prescribe cleansing enemas, as well as intravenous administration of detoxification and saline solutions. In addition, patients are shown taking diuretics and laxatives, enterosorbents (toxins can be removed with the help of a proven agent - “Activated charcoal”), as well as medications whose active components normalize the liver, pancreas and intestines.
- Local treatment of toxidermia. External funds are prescribed depending on the nature of the rashes. Doctors recommend that patients use emulsions, solutions, creams, aerosols, ointments, or aniline dyes related to glucocorticosteroids. Most often, specialists prescribe the following agents: Hydrocortisone, Flumetazone, Fluocinolone, Budesonide, Betamethasone.
- Symptomatic Therapy At this stage, the treatment of toxidermia involves the administration or administration of (subcutaneous, intravenous) antihistamines. In severe cases, injections of glucocorticosteroids ("Prednisolone", "Dexamethasone", "Hydrocortisone", "Metipred") are indicated. If therapy is ineffective, the specialist prescribes hemosorption or plasmapheresis.
According to medical reviews, treatment of toxidermia does not take much time. If you accurately determine the irritating factor, the duration of therapy is about 1 week. If the allergen was not detected, then upon repeated exposure to the body, clinical manifestations will arise again, while the general condition of the patient will be more severe.
Folk methods
Doctors do not prohibit the treatment of toxidemia at home. However, it is preliminarily recommended to consult a doctor in order to prevent a decrease in the degree of effectiveness of medications.
The most effective recipes:
- In the stage of peeling of the skin, the foci of pathology should be treated twice a day with olive, peach, corn or St. John's wort oil. The finished product can be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared independently. Algorithm of actions: take a glass jar with a capacity of 0.5 l, fill it with previously crushed raw materials. You need to leave about 5 cm of free space. In the tank you need to fill in sunflower or any other vegetable oil. Let it brew for a week. Periodically, the jar should be shaken.
- In the presence of intolerable itching, it is recommended to take baths with the addition of a decoction of oats. To prepare a healing liquid, you need to pour 200 g of raw material into 1 liter of water. Put the container on the fire and boil for half an hour. Strain the resulting broth and pour it into a bathtub filled with warm running water. The duration of one procedure should not be more than 20 minutes.
- From rashes, you can make compresses with herbs or irrigate the foci of pathology with infusions. The most effective for toxidermia hypericum. Need to take 3 tbsp. l raw materials and pour it with 0.5 l of boiling water. Let it brew for 1 hour. Strain the infusion. After that, it can be used for compresses or irrigation.
It is important to remember that any medicinal plant is a potential allergen. Before carrying out compresses or lotions, it is important to make sure that there is no individual intolerance to the component used.
Toxoderma in children: symptoms and treatment principles
There are several groups of factors under the influence of which adults develop a disease. In children, there are only 3 causes of the disease:
- reception and external use of medications;
- the use of food products that are allergens or contain a large number of chemical components (dyes, flavor enhancers);
- active formation of toxic compounds against the background of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
The clinical manifestations of toxidermia are very diverse. Common signs include the following pathological conditions:
- rash;
- severe itching;
- burning sensation in the area of foci of pathology;
- fever;
- diarrhea;
- chills;
- nausea turning into vomiting;
- dizziness.
In children, the signs of intoxication are much brighter than in adults. Regardless of the degree of intensity of the symptoms, treatment of toxicidemia in children (a photo of the affected areas in the child is presented below) should be carried out as quickly as possible. This is due to the high risk of complications. With untimely treatment, a significant weakening of the body's defenses occurs. In addition, cosmetic defects may remain on the baby's skin.
A comprehensive examination is required to make a diagnosis. It includes: blood and urine tests, allergic tests, smear microscopy, backseeding, ECG, echocardiography, ultrasound, MRI.
Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor draws up a therapy regimen. Treatment of toxidermia in children also implies the complete exclusion of contact of the baby's body with an irritating factor. In addition, the use of external agents (glucocorticosteroids) and the intake of diuretics, antihistamines and desensitizing ascorbic acid are prescribed. In severe cases, children are shown hospitalization in a hospital.
Power Features
Diet is the most important stage in the treatment of toxidermia. It is aimed at eliminating the provoking factor and accelerating the removal of harmful compounds from the body.
From the diet, it is necessary to exclude all products that enhance the production of histamine in the cells of the gastrointestinal tract. These include:
- cow's milk;
- chocolate;
- coffee and cocoa;
- Orange juice;
- legumes;
- wheat bran;
- Strawberry;
- Tomatoes
- herring;
- nuts
- smoked meats;
- cheese;
- tuna;
- spinach.
All foods consumed must be fresh. When cooking, it is recommended to use a minimum amount of table salt.
In the acute period, all potential allergens must also be excluded from the diet. These include:
- whole milk products;
- chicken eggs;
- fish;
- chocolate;
- nuts
- cocoa;
- strawberries, raspberries, melon, blackberries;
- tomato, beets;
- celery;
- persimmon, pomegranate;
- honey;
- spice;
- Red caviar;
- smoked meats;
- canned foods;
- alcohol-containing drinks;
- confectionery.
With caution, you should eat meat (including poultry), potatoes, red currants, buckwheat and rice porridge, peas, corn, bananas, cranberries, apricots, green peppers. The listed products have an average indicator of allergenic activity.
Diet must be followed within 3 weeks. During this period, only hypoallergenic products should be present on the menu. It is recommended to prefer rabbit meat, oatmeal and wheat porridge, olive oil, kefir with a low percentage of fat, cottage cheese, whole grain bread, biscuit liver, pasta, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, cabbage, zucchini, green tea and broth of rose hips.
Forecast
The outcome of the disease directly depends on the timeliness of going to the doctor and the correct detection of the irritating substance. Subject to a diet and responsible medication, recovery occurs after about 7 days. Ignoring the disease leads to a deterioration in the well-being of the patient. With repeated exposure to a provoking factor, rashes and other clinical manifestations reappear, often in a more severe form.
Finally
Toxermia is a disease related to allergic dermatitis. Its difference is that the provoking factor affects the body from the inside, and not from the outside. Regardless of the severity of symptoms, treatment of toxidemia in children and adults should not be delayed. At the first signs of an ailment, it is necessary to consult a dermatovenerologist.