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Dermatitis, rash & skin irritation

Rash and skin irritations affect millions of people every day. A rash is not a specific diagnosis though. It is a symptom of an underlying medical problem and the key to treating a rash is to first identify what is causing it. Dragonfly Health providers can evaluate your rash and work with you to develop a treatment plan to not only address pain and discomfort, but to help ensure that you do not develop an infection or have long-term problems due to your rash.

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What to know before your visit

Patients with the following may be directed to another health care setting:

  • Rash with severe headache or neck stiffness
  • Rash with joint pain
  • Severe symptoms that may include the eyes or concerns with breathing

What to expect at your visit

  1. Greeted by one of our attentive patient coordinators.
  2. Sign in and fill out your intake form on one of our ipads.
  3. Your practitioner will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms, conduct an examination and provide a personalized treatment plan.
  4. Your practitioner may conduct testing for influenza. Please note that additional charges apply for these tests.
  5. The summary of your visit can be sent to your primary care provider with your permission.

What causes a rash?

There are so many causes of rash that it is impossible to list them all. Some common causes of rash include:
  • Acne and related conditions
  • Allergies
  • Autoimmune problems
  • Friction
  • Heat
  • Infections
  • Irritants (poison ivy)
  • Parasites
  • Pregnancy
  • Vaccinations
To narrow down the cause of your rash, your Dragonfly Health provider will ask you questions about:
  • Age
  • Family history
  • Living situation
  • Location of the rash (face, chest, back, arms, legs, palms, soles, etc.)
  • Pain or itchiness associated with the rash
  • Recent insect bite
  • Sexual history
  • How fast the rash appeared
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • What makes the rash better or worse
  • Whether you took a new medication recently
The lists above are by no means complete, which is why it is important to have your rash evaluated by a Dragonfly Health provider. Proper identification of a rash is not only important for choosing the right treatment, it can help you avoid getting the rash again in the future. Knowing what causes your rash can also tell you if you can spread the rash to other people.

What are rash and skin irritation symptoms?

Rashes are defined by the inflammation and changes to skin color that they cause. Some rashes cause redness while others cause the skin to turn tan, white, or even green. Symptoms that are commonly associated with rash, and which help determine a cause, include:
  • Blisters
  • Scaling skin
  • Skin ulceration
  • Itchiness
  • Pain
  • Bumps
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Joint Pain
  • Muscle aches
  • Sneezing
The list of symptoms associated with a rash or skin irritation could go on. In some cases, symptoms may not be caused by the rash itself, but by a second problem that occurred because you had a rash. For instance, a rash that causes breaks in your skin can allow an infection to enter your body. In that case, you will have symptoms of a rash and symptoms of an infection.

How to treat skin rashes?

Most rashes and skin irritations can be treated and even prevented. In some cases, treatment helps the rash to go away more quickly and in other cases, the treatment simply reduces your symptoms until the rash goes away on its own. A Dragonfly Health provider can evaluate your rash and work with you to come up with a treatment plan. Treatment of rashes can include:

  • Home remedies
  • Over-the-counter medications
  • Plans for preventing the spread of the rash to other areas of your body or to other people
  • Prescription drugs

Most rashes are harmless, but some may be signs of a more serious underlying medical condition and require specialized care. Some rashes may also require special treatment because of where they are located. You may be referred to another health care setting for evaluation if you also have:

  • Breathing problems
  • Confusion
  • High fever
  • Joint pain
  • Joint swelling
  • Rash affecting the genitals
  • Rash on or near your eye
  • Recurrent rash
  • Severe headache

Most rashes can be treated to reduce symptoms and speed recovery. Visit us at a Dragonfly Health location or through a telemedicine visit to have a full evaluation of your rash and your medical history. When it comes to rashes and skin irritation, starting treatment sooner can reduce long-term problems and help the rash clear up faster than if you wait.

 

  1. Rashes. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/rashes.html.

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