Play doctor for me

[Spudman]

Does this look familiar to anyone?

Sunday afternoon I grabbed a wool hat out of the hat basket by the coat rack and went for a hike. Along the way I started itching and figured it was because I had worked up a sweat. I left the hat on and completed the hike. I think I had a little itching before I went to bed but nothing major.

Now, three days later I see red spots starting to form and they are somewhat swollen a a bit larger making my scalp a little tight. They aren't terribly itchy, I have a head ache and feel a little tired but not too bad.

My first thought was some kind of spider bites. I don't think it's a brown recluse or there would be much more pain. Other than that, anyone seen anything like it?

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/Humor/IMGP2082.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/Humor/IMGP2084.jpg

[Katastrophe]

Well, it ain't a brown recluse, 'cause you would be feeling really bad by now.

Are you allergic to wool? Some random bug in the hat? Was the hat washed, dry cleaned, or treated with any new chemical prior to storage? Have you seen any more red areas since removing the hat? Are the red areas spreading or getting larger?

I wouldn't wear the hat again, in any case... A good dermatologist should clear that up in a jiffy.

[Spudman]

I've never had any allergy to the hat for the several years I've had it. The spots have swollen but no new ones since Monday morning that I can tell. Random bug? Maybe huh. I can't think of what would cause the swelling besides a spider. Thanks for the input.

[Tig]

Chiggers? If so, give the hat to someone you don't like.

Nurse Mrs. Tig says if it is contact dermatitis related to a reaction to the wool, it would be more spread out. When in doubt, see the doc.

[piebaldpython]

Nah, no spidery kind of thing. My guess is a reaction to the hat itself, or a reaction to something in the hat (detergent. moth balls, etc).

Seriously.......have you ever had a bad sunburn or a bad flu reaction in that area of your head/scalp? If yes, you may have a "weakness" in that area that makes you susceptible to reactions in that area.

I have that exact issue with the inner part of my left shin/calf area.

[Spudman]

I've been researching and I'm going to say that it's scabies. That would explain why I feel like something is crawling over my skin at times. I'll get some treatment tomorrow and see if it works.

[Katastrophe]

Good luck, bro... Post up when you get the verdict on what it is. Hope you recover quickly!

[Mike S.]

I agree that it looks like a rash from an allergic reaction of some sort. I've had similar outbreaks on my scalp a time or two, and it went away in short order.

[Spudman]

I agree that it looks like a rash from an allergic reaction of some sort. I've had similar outbreaks on my scalp a time or two, and it went away in short order.

I've worked out and sweated plenty in that hat before and never had any problems. It's been 4 days now and no sign of lessening which I think would happen if it were a rash. Still, thanks for the input. You could be right.

[Bloozcat]

It could be irritant contact dermatitis or possibly allergic irritant contact dermatitis.

In the first case it could have been from just the wool hat rubbing on the skin possibly due to something like a detergent residue in the hat. The fact that you have never experienced it from the hat when you've worn it before might not matter as your body is constantly changing. That which was never a problem before might be one now. And, if you wear the same hat a month from now you might not have a reaction.

In the second case, it could be an allergic reaction to something like poison ivy, poison oak, or something similar. I sort of doubt that though because where you live those irritants aren't in bloom yet (if they even grow in Idaho). Did you eat any seafood a day or so before it appeared, especially shell fish? That's another possibility.

My guess would be that if you went to a dermatologist and he couldn't diagnose it specifically, he'd just call it irritant contact dermatitis. It's sort of like their catch all diagnosis. Try some Benadryl cream and see if it goes away in a day or two. The Benadryl cream is an antihistamine and should clear up the symptoms if the condition isn't something more serious.

Jeez, it almost sounds like I know what I'm talking about!

No, I'm not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night....:rolleyes:

[Spudman]

The pharmacist agreed that it looked insect related. They might not come out well in these photos but there raised raised areas that look like invasion/bite sites. The irritation pattern is not consistent enough to be contact dermatitis.

I'll know in a couple of days if I'll have to go through this again.

[IMAGE REMOVED]

[Bloozcat]

Sounds like you're narrowing it down, Spud.

Hell, we hardly even notice bites here unless they're from a venomous critter. Seems everything here either bites you, stings you, or gives you a rash. They attack you from the land, the sea, and the air. It's a jungle out there (almost literally).

Just don't go into anaphylactic shock on us, ok Spud?

[Spudman]

Just don't go into anaphylactic shock on us, ok Spud?

That shouldn't be a problem. I don't get severe allergic reaction to anything. Thanks to the railroad we have lot of invasive species around here some of which are spiders. So it's either that of some other biting critter. I hope it's that simple and not toxic shock syndrome. If I have to explain that then the joke was totally wasted.:D

[sumitomo]

I'm being serious here,I asked my wife to look also(she's in the medical field)It could be herpes (shingles),it does have a blister appearance.Go have they take a cluture and test it.Sumi:D

[stingx]

Dude, put some salve on that.

[tjcurtin1]

Man - did you notice the top of the thread? On my screen it's full of links for rash and pain issues!!! It's kind of scary how the web works sometimes...

[stingx]

It goes by what you were last googling for. What the hell have you been up to?

[Spudman]

I'm being serious here,I asked my wife to look also(she's in the medical field)It could be herpes (shingles),it does have a blister appearance.Go have they take a cluture and test it.Sumi:D

I'm not sure about that. I have an incredibly strong immune system, it's usually in a band around the torso. Mine is in patches on my head. Blisters haven't developed and this isn't particularly itchy or painful. One area is swollen which is very un-rash like. Still, it's possible and I appreciate her opinion.

[Bloozcat]

I hope it's that simple and not toxic shock syndrome. If I have to explain that then the joke was totally wasted.:D
:rollover

And just where have you been buying your sanitary products from?

This will probably turn out to be just some mystery that disappears in a few days without explanation. The fact that it occurred in an area not normally covered by clothing makes me believe that it was transient and not systemic. The spider bite makes sense. I've been bitten by non-venomous spiders a number of times and it's usually just a temporary discomfort that goes away on its own. I too have a very robust immune system, so I rarely worry about minor skin irritations.

Be happy that you don't have fire ants in Idaho. Those little b*stards will swarm all over your leg before you know it and then as if an attack signal is sounded, they all bite at once. Ah yes, formic acid, a wonderful neurotoxin...:eek:

[sumitomo]

Spud that's a good sign if it's not painful,herpes(shingles)can be very painful,usually before and during that blister stage,the chicken pox is a virus of the same nature and I understand our bodies can store it.I had a weird blister on my hand some years back on that is what it was,it came and went for awhile and it has not reoccured for a few years now,but it was painful,so I hope it's alright.Sumi:D

[Spudman]

Sumi - I'm now starting to think that it is shingles. It hasn't responded to my scabies treatment. It's not really that painful but if I wrinkle my forehead where the worse part is then it does sting. I also feel run down and have had some other pains that could be associated with the outbreak. This is a real bummer. I have a gig this Friday and Saturday.

[marnold]

Get to the doctor. If it is shingles, they can put you on anti-virals that will minimize the impact. If left untreated, shingles can cause permanent nerve damage which means you have permanent pain in that area. Forever. My wife had shingles on her head, near her eye. She didn't do anything about it now she gets recurring pain there (this despite my nagging to get to the doctor). Fortunately it didn't affect her eye directly since shingles there can result in vision loss.

[Spudman]

Thanks for the advice Marnold.

[sunvalleylaw]

Mojo sent across state, brother! Go take care of your self and get well!

[duhvoodooman]

It's really too bad how it made a lot of your hair fall out, Spuds.... :notme

[Spudman]

It's really too bad how it made a lot of your hair fall out, Spuds.... :notme

That was a combination of going super fast on my bicycle and various acrobatic Kama Sutra positions. Give me a break. It was friction man!

Went to the clinic and got a scrip for anti virals. The PA confirmed mine, and your diagnoses, Shingles. My eye is starting to feel itchy so I knew that it was time to get on it. Other than feeling a little tired with a slight head ache I don't have the intensity of the symptoms, and that was throwing me off.

THANKS EVERYONE for all their input on this. I think we nailed it and I should be back to normal (minus the hair) in no time.

[otaypanky]

That's what I was thinking when I saw the pics. I just found this thread today. My elderly mother got it about 6 years ago. She got it on the left quadrant of her face and scalp. Her face swelled up like she had been in the ring with Mike Tyson. It actually infected the interior of her eye and began to affect her vision. Perhaps because she is frail and her immune system is not what it used to be, but it stayed with her for a long time. In fact she still experiences shooting pains in the area that was affected. I sure hope you fare better than she did Spud

[Robert]

I had it in 1999, got it just after a marathon. It was no fun! I can relate, Spud. :(

[Spudman]

Certainly one of life's less pleasant experiences for me. I can still feel something going on behind my left eye but it's only been 11 days. I have a little swelling but all the spots are dry and mostly just pink skin. Nobody at the gigs last weekend even noticed, although I had a hat on.

Robert - I was training pretty hard and had some stress so that's probably why it surfaced in me too.


That's what I was thinking when I saw the pics. I just found this thread today. My elderly mother got it about 6 years ago. She got it on the left quadrant of her face and scalp. Her face swelled up like she had been in the ring with Mike Tyson. It actually infected the interior of her eye and began to affect her vision. Perhaps because she is frail and her immune system is not what it used to be, but it stayed with her for a long time. In fact she still experiences shooting pains in the area that was affected. I sure hope you fare better than she did Spud

[Tig]

I had it in 1999, got it just after a marathon. It was no fun! I can relate, Spud. :(

The day or two after an endurance event puts our immune system at a very low level. Makes sense.

[sunvalleylaw]

Glad you are healing, dude! Now get rid of the sinus cheese too!

[marnold]

If that didn't work, I was going to send you to this guy:

M68GeL8PafE

[Spudman]

I've already been there.:messedup: That's where I got my meds.;)


If that didn't work, I was going to send you to this guy:

M68GeL8PafE

[FrankenFretter]

Sorry to hear about your shingles, Spud. I had that about 6 years ago, and didn't get any treatment. It went down my right arm, across my right pec, and on the back of my right shoulder. I now have PHN (Post Herpetic Neuralgia), the permanent pain that Sumi mentioned. I thought, because I had read about it, that it should only last a few months to a year, but it's been nearly 6 years now and hasn't improved. It's a bummer. Glad you got treatment, and may the force be with you for the duration of that most unpleasant condition.

[Spudman]

12 days after it started all I have is some pink spots left now. It triggered a flare up of tinnitus in my left ear that is a little annoying. It's just a bit worse than it usually is. But since my immune system was taken down somewhat I managed to pick up the crud that is currently going around. I don't have it real bad though. Just a wee bit of lung butter and a headache, so that's good. My immune system recovered quickly enough to keep things from getting worse than they are now. I'm really hoping for no lingering nerve damage. I got away scott free when I had West Nile virus so I'm hoping for the best here as well.