Rashes that last for a few hours or days in adults usually aren’t anything to worry about.
A rash that accompanied a fever suggests that the cause is infectious.
Examples include a bacterial infection calledscarlet fever.
Verywell / Evan Polenghi
Occasionally, certain medications can cause the combination of fever and rash.
An example includes disseminated shingles in people withadvanced HIV infection.
The Rash Is Painful
There is a difference between a rash being itchy and a rash being painful.
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening, whole-body allergy that requires immediate emergency care.
These include chickenpox, shingles, andgenital herpes.
All of these need to be looked at by a healthcare provider without delay.
A blistering rash can also be a sign of a potentially life-threatening drug reaction.
This includesStevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)andtoxic epidermal necrolysis(TEN).
As the infection spreads, red streaks may begin to radiate outward accompanied by blistering or pus-filled bumps.
If not treated promptly with antibiotics, cellulitis can be fatal.
Generally speaking, the faster such an outbreak occurs, the more serious it is.
In all of these situations, emergency medical care is needed.
In many cases, the swelling will resolve on its own with no harm to the tissues.
However, when the swelling is severe, you should probably seek medical care immediately.
In cases like this, the swelling alone can block the airways and lead to suffocation and death.
In addition to bruising, there will often be raised bumps and reddish flat spots.
Depending on the cause, vasculitis can be mild, severe, or life-threatening.
Ringworm also causes a circular rash that benefits from treatment with antifungal creams or lotions.
More concerning are circular “bullseye” rashes in which a central lesion is surrounded by a circular ring.
Erythema multiforme can also cause a bullseye rash, usually as a result of a drug reaction.
It could be a sign of:
11.
These types of infections are calledsecondary infectionsbecause they occur on top of the first (primary) infection.
A secondary infection typically requires treatment with oral and/or topical antibiotics.
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