April 8, 2018

Erythema Nodosum

Erythema nodosum is a skin condition characterised by painful swollen red or purple bumps most commonly on the shins associated with

fever
fatigue
joint pain
pain in the legs
ankle swelling
enlarged lymph nodes in the chest
cough
sore throat
weight loss
stomach pain
diarrhoea

Other parts of the body also affected sometimes. it is a self limiting condition commonly seen in people ages 12-20 yrs & mainly females affected more.

Causes :

In about 30 to 50% of all cases, the cause is not determined

Hepatitis C, cat scratch disease, Yersinia, Streptococcal infection, Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, and Tuberculosis.

Aautoimmune disorders, such as Bechet’s Disease, Chlamydia, Syphilis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Sarcoidosis.

Cancers that have been linked to causing erythema nodosum include Non-Hodgkin disease, pancreatic cancer and carcinoid tumors.

Ulcerative colitis, leukemia, and rheumatic fever have also been linked to this skin condition. Pregnancy, oral contraceptives, Penicillin, Bromides, Sulfonamides, Progestin, and hepatitis B vaccination can also cause erythema nodosum.

Treatments

Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, potassium iodide, oral steroids help to manage pain and other symptoms until the lumps heal.

Assessment & proper treatment of the underlying disease which causes EN.

Prevention

To prevent erythema nodosum, one should have proper hygiene. This includes washing hands often with a good anti-bacterial soap. Avoid sharing utensils, food, and drink with others as well to avoid infections. Avoiding the sun when taking certain medications can also help to prevent erythema nodosum.

Subscribe to the newsletter

Fames amet, amet elit nulla tellus, arcu.

Ichthyosis (ick-thee-OH-sis) is a skin disease that causes extremely dry, thick, and scaly skin resembles fish scales.

These are a heterogeneous group of disorders with both inherited and acquired forms. these are the types

Ichthyosis Vulgaris- Most common type of icthyosis Lamellar Ichthyosis- Lamellar ichthyosis is characterized by dark, plate (armor)-like scale. Epidermolytic Hyperkeratosis- characterized by generalized redness and fine white scale Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma- newborn infant with ichthyosis who presented at birth with collodion baby appearance. X-linked Ichthyosis- due to a defect in the enzyme steroid sulfatase, affects males with generalized scaling that usually begins soon after birth.

Ichthyosis Treatment

Several hours each day may need to be devoted the skin if ichthyosis is present in an individual. Daily, a person will need to take a shower or a bath. The skin should be exfoliated on a daily basis, and moisturised well. Moisturising ointments or creams may need to be prescribed by a dermatologist for the individual. Oral retinoids can be prescribed to reduce scaling. If a secondary infection occurs on the skin, oral antibiotics will need to be prescribed. Tips that will help keep the skin looking and feeling its best include applying a good quality lotion within 3 minutes of bathing. Apply to wet skin to keep moisture trapped into the skin. Products that contain lactic acid, alpha hydroxy acids and urea will help to keep skin not only moisturised but also exfoliated. Rubbing a wet pumice stone over crusty scales on the skin can help to remove them. Should there be scales on the scalp, brushing wet hair gently will aid in removing the scales.

Erythema Nodosum