Prurigo, or pruritus, is a chronic dermatological disease. Such an ailment is found in both adults and children. Most often, pruritus in adults occurs in the female half of humanity, in middle or older age. It is characterized by the appearance of multiple and scattered papules. Usually they appear in the forearms, on the buttocks, back and stomach. The article will talk about the causes and treatment of pruritus in adults. Photos of the disease will also be presented.
Possible disease provocateurs
Prurigo can appear at any age. The most common provocateur of the disease are disorders of the central nervous system and mental disorders. A possible cause of pruritus in adults may be problems with the autonomic or endocrine system. Against the background of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and with intoxication of the body, pathology can occur. Malignant cancerous tumors can cause the development of this disease.
Despite the fact that prurigo is a rather rare disease, it is still very important to know about its symptoms.
Symptom complex
How to identify the first signs of an ailment?
Papules most often appear in the buttocks, abdomen or back. These are spots of red or brown color. In size, they do not exceed five millimeters. Neoplasms are hard and itchy. At the initial stage, the rash resembles hives.
In addition to itching and discomfort, the patient has violations of the central nervous system, which manifest themselves in the form of:
- constant mood swings;
- the patient is disturbed by a feeling of anxiety;
- irritability;
- trouble sleeping.
There are two clinical forms of the course of the disease:
- Severe form, which is accompanied by very severe itching. Rashes can spread throughout the body, appear even on the face.
- Soft shape. With this type of papule appear only on the extensor sites. The rash itself is not profuse, the itching is weak.
Disease classification
Doctors distinguish several varieties of the disease:
- Prurigo Benier, or pruritus of adults. Most often, this pathology appears already in old age. The disease usually occurs in people who in childhood had urticaria or diathesis. The main provocateurs in this case are food products.
- Children's prurigo. The disease is characteristic of children aged 0.5 months to 5 years. Most often, the pathology appears against the background of the presence of dysbiosis, exudative diathesis. It is characterized by the appearance of blisters with a gray liquid content.
- Senile, or senile itch. It is usually found in people who are older than 70 years old and have problems with the endocrine system or are diagnosed with atherosclerosis. It all starts with dry skin, over time it begins to peel off, and papules appear.
- Knotty prurigo of adults, or prurigo Hyde. This is a rather rare form that most often affects emotionally unbalanced women. It can occur against the background of constant stress or be the result of a severe emotional shock.
- Sunny pruritus. It occurs in people who have liver pathologies and metabolic problems. In this case, the main provocateur are the sun's rays. Externally, the rash resembles neurodermatitis.
Pregnancy and ailment
Most of the women during the period of bearing a child suffer from all kinds of skin rashes. This is due to the fact that the hormonal background changes dramatically, and, as a result, structural changes in the skin occur.
How is the disease manifested in future mothers? What are the first signs and symptoms of pruritus in adults (photo below)? In pregnant women, it all starts with the appearance of red spots, which are very itchy. Usually papules form on the upper body, very rarely in the buttocks.
Activation of the disease occurs in the last weeks before childbirth. Also, the disease may appear in the second trimester. As a rule, after the baby is born, the problem disappears after a month. If pruritus is very worrying, and antihistamines are not contraindicated for the woman, then with their help the pathology quickly recedes.
You can save yourself from the disease with a hypoallergenic diet. It is recommended to completely remove smoked meats, pickles and sweets from the diet.
Diagnostic measures
By external signs, most doctors can diagnose the disease, however, it is mandatory to undergo a full examination of the body to find out the cause of the disease.
In addition to an external examination, a dermatologist can prescribe a dermatoscopy, that is, an in-depth analysis of the contents of papules. Such a study is carried out if the doctor has a suspicion that secondary infection occurred against the background of rashes. Dermatoscopy allows you to determine the type of infection and conduct an analysis of resistance to antibacterial agents.
In addition to examination and dermotoscopy, the patient is assigned a consultation with an endocrinologist and gastroenterologist. Feces are given for the determination of helminthiasis, an analysis is made for liver enzymes, ultrasound of the internal organs and other laboratory tests are performed.
Therapeutic measures
The article presents photos of pruritus in adults. The treatment and symptoms of the disease are of interest to many.
The basis of therapy is the normalization of the diet. The patient is prescribed a diet, which provides for an increased consumption of fiber, dairy products. Salts and smoked products are removed from the menu without fail, that is, those products that can cause fluid stagnation and can become an provocateur of an allergic reaction.
Drug therapy
The elimination of symptoms and treatment of adult pruritus is carried out on the basis of preparations containing enzymes that will improve the digestive system. It can be "Festal", "Pancreatinum" or "Creon".
Vitamin complexes are necessarily included in the therapy. To cope with the disease, the body needs an increased amount of vitamins A, B and C.
Antihistamine therapy can reduce the sensitization of the body, remove puffiness and itching. The following drugs can be prescribed: "Fenkarol", "Diazolin", "Clemastine" and others.
To stabilize the mental and emotional state, sedatives are prescribed.
Local treatment
To remove the main symptoms of pruritus in adults (rashes), they should be treated with antiseptic agents, it can be hydrogen peroxide, furatsilin. Such funds will have to be used at least three times throughout the day to prevent secondary infection.
The inflammatory process is removed with the help of hormonal ointments "Sinoflan", "Elokom", "Dermoveyt". To speed up the process of regeneration of the skin, it is recommended to use sea buckthorn oil or calendula ointment.
In extreme cases, if the disease proceeds in a very serious form, injections of corticosteroids may be prescribed.
Physiotherapeutic procedures
Treatment of adult pruritus can be supplemented by physiotherapeutic methods:
- Neuroson, or electrosleep - a technique that allows you to immerse the patient in sleep and stabilize the central nervous system. In addition, electrosleep can generally improve the patient's condition.
- External manifestations of the disease are eliminated with the help of ultraviolet waves. The technique allows you to remove the inflammatory process and generally strengthen the body.
- Electrophoresis with drugs. The procedure involves exposure to a skin rash using a weak discharge of electric current with the parallel introduction of drugs.
- A phonophoresis procedure with hydrocortisone may be prescribed.
- Inductothermy is a procedure that affects the lesions using heat, or rather a high frequency magnetic field. The main indication for inductothermy is precisely the inflammatory process on the skin and other organs.
- Good results can be achieved using microwave therapy, which is carried out in the adrenal gland. The procedure allows you to stimulate the adrenal system and has a great anti-inflammatory effect.
Beauty treatments
It is enough to look at the photographs of patients, and immediately it becomes clear that prurigo is a rather serious cosmetic defect. If drug therapy does not give the desired effect, cosmetic procedures can be prescribed. In particular, good results can be achieved with PUVA therapy. This technique involves ultraviolet radiation with the use of special drugs. To completely get rid of papules, you will need to undergo at least 20 sessions, which are carried out 4 times a week.
The treatment of pruritus pruritus in a nodular form can be done with nitrogen. In this case, cauterization is carried out with liquid nitrogen at a very low temperature. It is low temperature that leads to necrosis of papules, which then die. Healing of the treated areas takes place over 3-4 weeks. During this time, damaged areas of the skin are completely covered with a new layer of the epidermis.
Chloroethane, which also has a very low temperature, can be used instead of nitrogen. Its action is similar to liquid nitrogen.
ethnoscience
Along with traditional therapeutic methods, it is recommended to use folk remedies. They will allow you to quickly remove the inflammatory process and normalize the appearance of the skin. But you should not use herbs without consulting a doctor, as many of them are very allergenic. But prurigo is based on an allergic reaction, and some herbs can cause an additional release of histamine, therefore, only provoke a deterioration in the patient's condition.
What can be taken orally?
There are several simple recipes that can help calm the inflammatory process and itching.
You can prepare a decoction of the following herbs:
- walnut leaves;
- tricolor violet grass;
- rhizomes of burdock.
All components are mixed in equal parts. Two glasses of water will require 20 grams of herbal mixture. It should be boiled for one hour over low heat. The resulting broth should be drunk in half a glass three times a day.
Another recipe. To collect, you need to mix 10 grams of the following medicinal herbs:
- woodruff grass;
- walnut leaves;
- Linden blossom.
The mixture is boiled in 500 milliliters of water and cooled. After filtering, the broth is stored in a warm place and consumed three tablespoons three times a day.
Adult pruritus can be treated with a mixture of the following herbs:
- rhizomes of chicory;
- fig leaves;
- grass repeshka;
- lilac flowers.
All herbs are mixed in equal parts. After that, two tablespoons of the mixture are added to half a liter of boiling water. Everything is brought to a boil. After this, the infusion cools and filtered. It is necessary to use a decoction before eating a glass of three times throughout the day. The course of treatment is 21 days.
To get rid of severe itching, you can prepare a decoction with the following components:
- valerian root;
- hop cones;
- lemon balm leaves.
All ingredients are put in equal parts. For 500 milliliters of boiling water, three tablespoons of the mixture will be required. Everything is boiled over low heat for an hour. It is necessary to take such a decoction three tablespoons up to five times a day.
Lotions and baths
Therapy with folk remedies can be carried out by taking baths with medicinal herbs. In particular, you can mix chamomile flowers and calamus roots, thyme leaves, lavender and mint in equal parts. 20 grams of the mixture will require 1 liter of water, which is brought to a boil and filtered. The resulting drug mixture is added to the bath.
To get rid of annoying itching, you can do lotions. For a decoction you will need:
- burdock roots;
- hop collapse
- heather shoots;
- nettle (leaves).
Herbs are mixed in equal parts, poured with boiling water and insisted until the water itself has cooled. The resulting mixture can wipe the entire body or make lotions on the affected areas of the skin.
Fresh yarrow leaves will help eliminate itching. The leaves are boiled in boiling water. Gauze or a flap of material is dipped in a cooled broth and moistened affected areas of the skin several times a day.
Herbal ointments
You can speed up the healing process with local treatment and, along with traditional ointments from the pharmacy, use your own preparations.
For the simplest ointment, you will need unsalted butter (100 grams) and fresh propolis (15 grams). The components are melted in a water bath, stirring constantly. The resulting mixture is placed in a glass jar. Ointment can be used two to three times throughout the day. Propolis will reduce the inflammatory process, and butter will moisturize the skin.
You can also make celery ointment. The root is carefully chopped and mixed with 1.5 cups of boiling water. Vegetable oil is added to the mixture and all components are thoroughly mixed. Such an ointment can be used daily.
Ointment can be made from pharmacy and cosmetics. The hormonal preparation Elokom, a shaving cream and a cream containing mink oil, an ointment with calendula are mixed. This agent lubricates the affected areas of the body until the papules are completely eliminated, redness disappears and the itching disappears.
Diet food
Adult pruritus cannot be treated without nutritional adjustments. Will have to minimize the amount of carbohydrates consumed. Be sure to completely abandon the use of pickles, smoked dishes, spicy and spicy.
You can eat low-fat dairy products, vegetables and fruits. Have to completely abandon the use of alcoholic beverages, it is important to drink plenty of fluids. In limited quantities, the use of strong tea, coffee, cocoa is allowed.
Preventative measures
The signs of pruritus in adults are quite bright, but the disease is not contagious, so do not worry if someone is struck by this ailment in the house.
To avoid the onset of the disease, stressful situations should be avoided and immunity constantly strengthened. You can never start diseases of the internal organs, it is important not to allow them to go into a chronic form.
Do not eat foods that cause your allergies. Eat properly and regularly. Naturally, carefully monitor the hygiene and cleanliness of the skin.
If there is the slightest suspicion of the onset of pruritus, then consult a doctor immediately. As a prophylaxis, you can drink “Lactobacterin” to normalize the intestinal microflora.
The article provided information on the symptoms and treatment of pruritus in adults. Photos of the disease were also presented.