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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Severe Itching In The Hands?

What is causing extreme itching of both hands? It comes on late in evening. Seems to be inside the hands, not the skin. I have tried anit-itch cream. Also spot on foot. This has happened for several nights now. The itching is keeping me awake. i could literally scratch my skin off.
Wed, 28 Dec 2016
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello dear. There may be bed bugs or some bugs which is causing itching. You might have got scabies. Kindly go to your doctor.

Your doctor will likely be able to diagnose scabies simply by performing a physical exam and inspecting the affected area of skin. In some cases, your doctor may want to confirm the diagnosis by removing a mite from the skin with a needle. If a mite can’t easily be found, your doctor will scrape off a small section of skin to obtain a tissue sample. This sample will then be examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of scabies mites or their eggs.

Treatment for scabies usually involves getting rid of the infestation with prescription ointments, creams, and lotions that can be applied to the skin directly.

Your doctor will probably instruct you to apply the medicine at night when the mites are most active. You may need to treat all of your skin from the neck down. The medicine can be washed off the following morning. Make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions very carefully.

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), some common medicines used to treat scabies include:

i. 5 percent permethrin cream
ii. 25 percent benzyl benzoate lotion
iii. 10 percent sulfur ointment
iv. 10 percent crotamiton cream
v. 1 percent lindane lotion

Your doctor may also prescribe additional medications to help relieve some of the bothersome symptoms associated with scabies. These include:

i. antihistamines such as Benadryl or pramoxine lotion to help control the itching
ii. antibiotics to kill any infections that develop as a result of constantly scratching your skin
iii. steroid creams to relieve swelling and itching

More aggressive treatment may be needed for severe or widespread scabies. An oral tablet called ivermectin can be given to people who:

i. don’t see an improvement in symptoms after initial treatment
ii. have crusted scabies
iii. have scabies that covers most of the body

During the first week of treatment, it may seem as if the symptoms are getting worse. However, after the first week, you’ll notice less itching and you should be completely healed by the fourth week of treatment. Skin that hasn’t healed within a month may still be infested with scabies mites.

Contact your doctor right away if you find that symptoms persist after four weeks of treatment.

Hope i have answered your question. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. I ll be glad to help you.
All the best
With warm regards
Dr Sanjay Kini
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What Causes Severe Itching In The Hands?

Hello dear. There may be bed bugs or some bugs which is causing itching. You might have got scabies. Kindly go to your doctor. Your doctor will likely be able to diagnose scabies simply by performing a physical exam and inspecting the affected area of skin. In some cases, your doctor may want to confirm the diagnosis by removing a mite from the skin with a needle. If a mite can’t easily be found, your doctor will scrape off a small section of skin to obtain a tissue sample. This sample will then be examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of scabies mites or their eggs. Treatment for scabies usually involves getting rid of the infestation with prescription ointments, creams, and lotions that can be applied to the skin directly. Your doctor will probably instruct you to apply the medicine at night when the mites are most active. You may need to treat all of your skin from the neck down. The medicine can be washed off the following morning. Make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions very carefully. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), some common medicines used to treat scabies include: i. 5 percent permethrin cream ii. 25 percent benzyl benzoate lotion iii. 10 percent sulfur ointment iv. 10 percent crotamiton cream v. 1 percent lindane lotion Your doctor may also prescribe additional medications to help relieve some of the bothersome symptoms associated with scabies. These include: i. antihistamines such as Benadryl or pramoxine lotion to help control the itching ii. antibiotics to kill any infections that develop as a result of constantly scratching your skin iii. steroid creams to relieve swelling and itching More aggressive treatment may be needed for severe or widespread scabies. An oral tablet called ivermectin can be given to people who: i. don’t see an improvement in symptoms after initial treatment ii. have crusted scabies iii. have scabies that covers most of the body During the first week of treatment, it may seem as if the symptoms are getting worse. However, after the first week, you’ll notice less itching and you should be completely healed by the fourth week of treatment. Skin that hasn’t healed within a month may still be infested with scabies mites. Contact your doctor right away if you find that symptoms persist after four weeks of treatment. Hope i have answered your question. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. I ll be glad to help you. All the best With warm regards Dr Sanjay Kini