Itchy rashes can cause a serious disruption in normal day-to-day activities and make sleeping near impossible.
Pruritis is the medical term for itching.
Once the cause is determined, then targeted treatment can begin.
HeikeKampe / E+ / Getty Images
HeikeKampe / E+ / Getty Images
What Causes a Rash on Arms and Legs?
There are many possible causes for an itchy rash on the arms and legs.
Here is information on each jot down of rash and what distinguishes it from other rashes.
There are numerous allergens that can cause an allergic reaction to the skin.
Contact a healthcare provider if there is no clear cause for the rash.
Flea Bites
Fleas are tiny bugs that feed on animal and human blood.
A flea bite does not usually cause a serious rash.
One of the specific concerns that come with a flea bite is developing a fleaborne illness.
Some fleas carry diseases that can cause serious conditions.
It causes a characteristic red rash on the face that appears like a slap.
It is most commonly seen in children.
There can also be a rash on the arms, legs, chest, and back.
However,in healthy people, fifth disease tends to be a mild illness that resolves on its own.
It is passed on from person to person through respiratory secretions like salvia from a cough or sneeze.
An allergen is something that causes the immune system to activate and produce an allergic response.
The allergen could be perfume, jewelry, cleaning product, or something else.
The itchy rash develops where the allergen touched the skin.
brought on by the varicella-zoster virus, chickenpox was a common childhood illness until thevaccinebecame available in 1995.
The classic chickenpox rash is red and itchy.
The rash will have blisters filled with fluid that eventually scab over.
Othersymptomscan include fever, fatigue, headache, and decreased appetite.
Cellulitis
Cellulitisis a bacterial infection of the deep layers of the skin.
It can infect anywhere on the body but is commonly seen in the legs and feet.
Cellulitis can be sparked by several different kinds of bacteria but the most common bang out isgroup AStreptococcus.
The symptoms can come on quickly and spread fast.
Antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider are necessary to treat cellulitis.
Drug Allergy
Adrug allergyis an immune response to a certain medication.
Whenever a drug allergy is suspected, it’s important to contact a healthcare provider.
Measles
Measlesis a highly contagious virus that starts seven to 14 days after exposure.
The illness begins with a cough, fever, runny nose, and red watery eyes.
Two to three days later small white spots (Koplik spots) begin to appear in the mouth.
Then, three to five days after that the measles rash begins.
Themeaslesrash typically starts on the face, along the hairline.
It then moves down the face to the arms, body, and legs.
The rash appears with flat red spots.
The rash can happen on any part of the body but is generally seen on the arms and legs.
Other traits of ahivesrash include:
Hives usually go away in 24 to 48 hours.
Other
There are so many different causes of itchy rashes on the arms and legs.
The above list of causes is extensive but not exhaustive.
It’s important to know when a rash is serious and needs to be assessed by a healthcare provider.
It is a helpful test when a rash is likely because of an unknown allergen.
Another way a healthcare provider can diagnose a rash is with aKOH test.
It is a painless procedure.
One of the first steps to treating the rash is to remove the cause if possible.
There are many different rash causes, from a drug allergy to poison ivy.
Finding out what is causing the rash is the first step toward getting better.
Once the underlying cause of the rash is found, treatment can be geared for that specific cause.
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