Hi, I am new here, so I hope I am doing this right! Lol My mom has an angry,red, itchy rash that started about a week ago and now is really bad. It is only on her chest and back and the insides of her elbows. Really red and ugly looking. Any ideas? She hasn't ate or used anything new lately and the only medication she is on, is also not new. I'm stumped. She can't get a dr.'s appt for a week and it is driving her nuts. TIA

Man, that could be anything from heat rash to eczema to poison ivy.
Start with using some over the counter hydrocortisone crème on the rash - should help with the itch. You can try some Calamine lotion as well to see if that helps...

The rule of thumb with rashes is that if it's wet, dry it out. If it's dry, lube it up!

Good luck!

Please rate.

Hummm, I agree with the others. When I came down with scarlet fever I had a similar rash but it started on my stomach... get her to the doc. And have this thing checked out.

Thanks, she is using a cortisone cream on it and it seems to actually make it worse, although the itching is less intense. She has an appt, but not for a week!

On her chest, back and insides of her elbows - really seems like a contact dermatitis.
Dry cleaning? New laundry soap? New dryer sheets?

Stop the cortisone cream, of course. There is also a Benedryl cream as an over-tye-counter (OTC) product you can try as well - might not cure anything but should help the histamine of the itch.

Plez to rate.

She thought it was from jewelry, but she took her necklace off and it is still getting worse. Besdies that doesn't explain the insides of her elbows, no jewelry there! And no, nothing at all new. She is 79 and doesn't do change well!

If I could I would call the doc, everyday at the beginning of the day and tell them I would take any cancelled appointment, you may get lucky. Also is there an urgent care in your area? It is terrible that she has to suffer another week

bushg:

My thoughts exactly: See Urgent care - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urgent_care)