An increase in temperature, which is accompanied by the appearance of a rash (urticaria , hyperemia, acne, dermatitis, eczema), is a common condition in a number of diseases. For children, this symptomatology is more characteristic - sensitive skin immediately responds to any allergen or poisoning by the appearance of a rash. However, in many adults, these symptoms are not uncommon. In some cases, it is enough to lie down at home, but sometimes a doctor’s consultation is necessary. In this article, you will learn about the causes and possible treatment of ailments accompanied by high fever and a rash in adults.
Forms of skin rashes in adults
The causes of the rash can be infectious and exogenous. The first appear under the influence of external pathogenic microorganisms. They usually enter the bloodstream of a person through food, sexually or by airborne droplets. Rashes of exogenous nature appear due to a malfunction of the internal organs. In both the first and second cases, the rash may be accompanied by fever, cough, sore throat symptoms, weakness and a state of inoperability.
Varieties of rashes on the body (each of them may be accompanied by an increase in temperature, and may not):
- allergy (small red dots, painless when pressed);
- urticaria (pimples from pale pink to dark red);
- dermatitis (pimples with purulent contents, which subsequently form crusts, as with a burn);
- papules (white pimples without purulent contents);
- eczema (small rash of a pink shade).
Each of these forms can occur in different parts of the body - on the face, hands, back, feet. The intensity of the rashes depends on the degree of intoxication, on the activity of the infection and the processes taking place inside the patient's body.
List of Possible Reasons
The most common causes of a rash on the body of an adult (with temperature or not - in each case, an individual course of the disease is possible):
Allergy symptoms
An allergist and an immunologist are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Manifestations of allergies are different (depending on the intensity of exposure to the antigen and the immune response to it):
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- tearing;
- sinus inflammation;
- red rash and fever (in an adult this does not happen so rarely);
- the appearance of pale papules;
- the appearance of dermatitis and eczema;
- itchy skin.
This is a list of the most common manifestations of allergies. It is much wider - in some cases, truly individual reactions to the allergen are found. The temperature most often rises to 37-38 degrees. If it is higher, the patient’s condition is most likely not due to allergies.
Measles and rubella
People without a medical education often find these two names synonymous. In fact, measles and rubella are two different conditions whose causes are different. Despite the fact that their symptoms are similar, the treatment in both cases will be different.
Both with rubella and measles, there is a high fever and a rash on the body, including in an adult.
Symptoms of rubella:
- mild inflammation of the tonsils;
- redness of the back of the larynx;
- rashes are not characteristic in all cases;
- if the rash appears, it is small and red;
- the temperature rises to the level of 37-38 degrees.
Symptoms of measles are more serious, since this is a rather dangerous disease of an infectious nature:
- fever, fever, chills;
- rash throughout the body;
- runny nose, tearing;
- cough;
- a sore throat;
- the first symptoms of measles resemble SARS or the flu.
Both diseases are quite serious and most often require hospitalization. It is better not to risk it and not to self-medicate - you should call an ambulance or seek an appointment with an infectious disease specialist.
Chickenpox - the cause of rash and temperature in an adult and a child
Most often, this pathology is diagnosed in children from three to ten years. In patients at a young age, the symptoms are less pronounced and bring less inconvenience. In approximately 10% of cases, chickenpox is diagnosed in adults between the ages of twenty and forty. In this case, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- a rash appears on the face, feet, back, arms, stomach, temperature 37 ° C (an adult may not have intense heat);
- fever, chills;
- nausea and vomiting;
- intoxication of internal organs.
Chicken pox rash can be of various origins. In some cases, purulent discharge from the wounds is observed, in some - not. In children, the disease can be treated more quickly, while adults may require a tight course of drug therapy.
The cause of the incidence of chickenpox is Varicella-Zoster virus infection. In the incubation period, which lasts up to 3 weeks, symptoms of chickenpox in an adult may not be observed. Then begins a symptom resembling ARVI: runny nose, weakness, tearing. A rash appears on the body with fever. In an adult, this process is much more complicated than in children, and if untreated, can lead to the development of toxic hepatitis and other chronic liver diseases.
Herpes as a cause of rashes
Herpes is familiar to every second person as a disease that manifests itself in the period of colds by the appearance of a rash on the lips. In fact, the manifestations of this ailment are much wider. Herpetic rashes can form not only on the face, but also on the mucous membranes, and even in some cases on the surface of internal organs. This is a viral disease. Almost every person has the virus in the blood, but herpes is activated only when the immune system is weakened. This most often happens:
- in the period of premenstrual syndrome in women;
- during the period of weakening of the body by colds and flu;
- after surgical interventions;
- after diseases of a chronic course (it can be ulcerative lesions of the intestines and stomach, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, etc.).
A rash on the face and temperature in an adult with the activation of the herpes virus occur quite often. The main area of dislocation is the lips. A herpetic rash is characterized by the release of a sacrum and crust formation. If you do not take antiviral drugs, the area of affected skin will become larger.
Pyoderma in adults
This is a purulent skin lesion, which is caused by the penetration of infections into the tissues of the body. Most often, pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus aureus. Microbes very quickly penetrate almost all body systems. In parallel with this process, furunculosis, pyelonephritis, inflammation of the bladder, pancreas can develop. Staphylococcus extremely negatively affects the state of the body as a whole.
The condition of pyoderma in adults is characterized by the following symptoms:
- weakness, decreased performance;
- the appearance of a rash resembling urticaria (the difference is that with pyoderma, the sores can have purulent contents);
- temperature and rash on the legs of an adult;
- if the rash is deployed on the face, there will be more purulent discharge (in appearance this disease resembles acne or acne).
For the treatment of pyoderma, local drugs (balms, compresses, ointments), antibacterial therapy, immunotherapy are used. In some cases (if the abscesses reach large sizes), surgical methods must be resorted to. Physiotherapy is also effective: electrophoresis, darsonval, UHF, SMT.
Folliculitis: Symptoms and Causes
This is a type of superficial pyoderma. Skin disease is the result of a purulent-inflammatory process that occurs in the hair follicle. Symptoms reminds furunculosis. Only with folliculitis can the temperature rise. In some cases, symptoms similar to ARVI are observed.
Tearing, sore throat, cough, rash and fever in an adult may indicate folliculitis. The temperature can rise up to 39 degrees. In this case, the main difference between the disease and others is the presence of a purulent rod in papules and pimples, which can affect any part of the skin on the body. With allergies, chickenpox, lichen and other diseases with similar symptoms, the presence of purulent contents is rare.
Shingles
This is a viral disease. It is observed most often in patients aged 40-50 years. The clinical picture is as follows:
- the patient experiences weakness and suffers from reduced working capacity;
- sores begin to form on the surface of the skin, most often without purulent contents (in some cases, an anemone stands out);
- the temperature rises to 37-38 degrees;
- every day the ulcers begin to itch more and more and as a result bring painful sensations to the patient, sometimes dermatologists observe the combing of ulcers to meat.
In the absence of proper treatment, shingles can lead to serious complications. In no case should you comb the rash, as this complicates the already severe course of the disease.
The rash, itching and temperature in an adult often indicate the onset of development of shingles. To make the treatment as effective as possible, you should start it as soon as possible. Already at the onset of the first symptoms, you should consult a dermatologist. The appearance of a rash for no apparent reason should alert any person.
Diagnostic Methods
In order to identify the exact causes of rash and temperature in an adult, modern dermatology uses the following methods:
- dermatoscopy is a way to examine the affected areas of the skin under a special device that can enlarge an object many times without loss of image quality;
- luminescent diagnosis allows using a special apparatus to identify many diseases (in particular, consider the symptoms of mycoses, dermatoses, vitiligo, leukoplakia, cancer, etc. using an ultraviolet lamp);
- pH measurement of the skin;
- scraping for pathogenic fungi;
- studies of the skin area for demodex, tick-borne constituents, scabies;
- blood culture for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria;
- seeding for morphology of cells and tissues;
- biopsy of the affected skin in order to identify the cause of the pathology.
Dermatologist's advice: how to minimize the possibility of a rash
It is always easier to prevent the development of a disease than to cure its consequences. Simple tips on how to prevent a rash and fever in an adult:
- wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly;
- wash hands before eating;
- avoid eating expired foods and stale dishes;
- Do not eat in unfamiliar canteens and cafes;
- Do not eat from dirty dishes;
- Do not touch strangers, animals, insects;
- avoid injecting with needles of unknown origin in clinics, dentistry, beauty salons.
Rash and temperature in an adult: treatment methods
In most cases, antibacterial treatment is necessary. Modern antibiotics have a minimum of side effects and contraindications. In some cases, for example with herpes, it is necessary to choose an antiviral drug.
In order for the patient's body to be able to successfully deal with the manifestation of viruses and infections, the immune status should be checked. If necessary, take a course of immunomodulators. These are modern safe drugs that will increase the body's ability to resist viruses and infections.
If the patient's problem is an allergic reaction, you should contact your allergist for a prescription of suitable antihistamines.
Local treatment of affected skin areas - the use of ointments, creams, compresses. You can either use ready-made pharmacological solutions, or prepare formulations for lotions yourself at home.