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Brown Dots Appeared On Neck, Getting Itching And Stinging Sensation. Proper Diagnosis?
Question: About 4 months ago I noticed like a slight stinging feeling on the left side of my neck. When I scratched it i noticed two new brown dots have arrived on my neck. The stinging sensation went away about a day or so later, but until today I still have the brown dots and just tonight the stinging sensation came back making me want to scratch it again. The dots are about the size of the tip of a pen, and they are raised above the skin slightly. What are my possible diagnoses? Thank you
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing to us.
The cause for itching and stinging sensation could be varied and includes
1)insect bite,
2)urticaria,
3)contact dermatitis due to some plant, medicine, metal, cosmetic etc
4)sun allergy
5)rarely nerve impingement in cervical spine area.
The brown spots could be due to insect bite or scratching.
As you had two episodes and that too after a gap of four or five months, there is nothing to worry. It could be a simple urticarial reaction.
To treat the same, you might take oral antiallergic like cetirizine or Benadryl and apply calamine lotion or steroid cream to soothe the area.
Hope that answers your query. Should there be further query, I would be happy to assist you. Take care.
Thanks for writing to us.
The cause for itching and stinging sensation could be varied and includes
1)insect bite,
2)urticaria,
3)contact dermatitis due to some plant, medicine, metal, cosmetic etc
4)sun allergy
5)rarely nerve impingement in cervical spine area.
The brown spots could be due to insect bite or scratching.
As you had two episodes and that too after a gap of four or five months, there is nothing to worry. It could be a simple urticarial reaction.
To treat the same, you might take oral antiallergic like cetirizine or Benadryl and apply calamine lotion or steroid cream to soothe the area.
Hope that answers your query. Should there be further query, I would be happy to assist you. Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
How come the brown spots haven't gone away after 4-5 months though? They didn't reappear twice, just the sting sensation reappeared twice. The spots always stayed
Also, my spot is not pink like hives or an insect bite. it is brown and raised ... more like a small mole.
:-(
Also, my spot is not pink like hives or an insect bite. it is brown and raised ... more like a small mole.
:-(
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.
Sometimes, where the insect bites and due to intense itching and scratching the area gets raised as a small papule which may persist for few months. Similarly after an insect bite the surrounding area shows a hypersensitivity reaction in form of stinging burning sensation or may be a mild rash like hives. In few cases a similar stinging sensation may develop again after few weeks or months as a part of delayed reaction.
I would like you to read this link WWW.WWWW.WW Read the paragraph " what may happen after insect bite and sting"
I would like to assure, it is nothing serious. Using a mild steroid cream over the area with oral antiallergic would surely help in relieving the symptoms as well as those two raised areas.
However, to help you more I would appreciate if you could upload an image of affected area so that I can rule out all the less common possibilities.
As you have chosen oncology as speciality, I would also like to mention it has nothing to do with malignancy or cancer.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Thanks for writing back.
Sometimes, where the insect bites and due to intense itching and scratching the area gets raised as a small papule which may persist for few months. Similarly after an insect bite the surrounding area shows a hypersensitivity reaction in form of stinging burning sensation or may be a mild rash like hives. In few cases a similar stinging sensation may develop again after few weeks or months as a part of delayed reaction.
I would like you to read this link WWW.WWWW.WW Read the paragraph " what may happen after insect bite and sting"
I would like to assure, it is nothing serious. Using a mild steroid cream over the area with oral antiallergic would surely help in relieving the symptoms as well as those two raised areas.
However, to help you more I would appreciate if you could upload an image of affected area so that I can rule out all the less common possibilities.
As you have chosen oncology as speciality, I would also like to mention it has nothing to do with malignancy or cancer.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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