Skin pain

Very often we call diseases incorrectly, incorrectly identify diseased organs and, most importantly, often do not really know what exactly hurts. Here is an example. Rarely can anyone distinguish a furuncle from a carbuncle at home. Since they cause skin pain, then, for most of us, these two diseases are classified as skin diseases, therefore, the skin itself hurts. In fact, this is far from true. The diseases are skin diseases, but it is not the skin as such that hurts.

The structure of human skin is quite complex, roughly speaking, three-layered. Why roughly? Because each layer, in turn, consists of many components, also arranged in layers. It is not necessary to know all the components of the skin structure in detail, but it will be useful to have a rough idea of the main layers.

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Diseases that cause skin pain

From the above layered structure of the skin, it is clear that many factors can cause skin diseases, from inflammation to deep injuries. When naming the main layers of the skin, it is worth mentioning the skin appendages, which are the hair follicles, hair follicles and even nails. All of this can become inflamed, injured and taken by us for true skin pain. Although of all the diseases, only one can be named that relates specifically to the skin, and we already know that "skin" is a layer called the dermis - the name of that disease is "erysipelas". In order not to confuse the concepts, all diseases of the skin appendages and the skin itself will be referred to simply as skin diseases.

The most common skin diseases that cause pain are:

• boils
• carbuncles
• felons
• hidradenitis
• lymphadenitis
• mug

The first three diseases (furuncle, carbuncle and panaritium) are classified as acute purulent inflammations, hydra- and lymphadenitis are also purulent, but can also occur without suppuration, and are not acute, but have a progressive inflammatory character. Let us dwell on each of the listed inflammations in more detail.

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Furuncle

Among the many dangerous bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus has gained wide fame. It is the main cause of acute inflammation of the hair follicle, with the transition to nearby tissues. As a result of the inflammatory process, connective tissues die. Swelling and redness appear on the surface of the skin, the skin is hot to the touch in this place. The inflammation spreads to the lymph nodes located close to the site of the lesion, making them enlarged and painful. The swelling quickly turns into a painful tubercle, the pain of the skin around it and above it intensifies, a white spot appears in the center of the tubercle - a rod. This is how a furuncle is formed. Favorite places for its formation are the neck, back, occipital region, sometimes it forms on the face. In addition to local inflammatory manifestations, the following are noted: weakness, headaches, sleep and appetite disturbances.

Among the most likely causes of boils are:

• common contamination of the skin, which gets into microtraumas of the upper layer of the skin and causes inflammation of the hair follicles;
• increased secretion of sweat and sebaceous glands - sebum and sweat clog the hair follicles, attracting various types of harmful microorganisms, which contributes to the development of inflammation;
• disruption of metabolic processes in the body.

The most dangerous place for boils to appear is the face. It is dangerous because of possible complications. The proximity of the brain increases the likelihood of the inflammatory process spreading to its parts. Therefore, with any inflammatory manifestations on the face, you need to consult a doctor before taking any measures.

Furunculosis

The simultaneous, multiple appearance of boils on a large area of the body is called "furunculosis". Boils have a pronounced inflammation, the tubercle rises significantly above the general level of the skin surface. The inflammation stretches for several days, the boil seems to "mature", gradually drawing the surrounding tissues and even the nearby sebaceous gland into the purulent process. The boil resembles a tight knot with a pointed top. The top of the knot is the core of the boil. The accumulated pus on top of this core is white, when the boil is opened, a greenish purulent infiltrate can be seen, this is the most striking diagnostic evidence of a boil. With furuncular rashes, skin pain is significantly expressed, the entire surface affected by the boils is edematous and hyperemic, the general condition also suffers. Weakness, bad mood, increased body temperature, irritability due to constant discomfort from pain. The pain is of a dual nature, at the site of inflammation it first twitches, then a small and constant pulsation appears. Severe forms of furunculosis are complicated by associated lymphadenitis of nearby lymph nodes.

Opening a boil in the acute stage is possible and necessary only in a medical institution under sterile conditions. The ulcer remains open after the removal of the purulent infiltrate, to completely cleanse it from pus, it is necessary to use special means, for example, hydrogen peroxide, followed by the application of ointment dressings. If no treatment measures are taken in the acute phase, especially the right ones, furunculosis becomes chronic, often recurring.

The obvious causes of furunculosis are considered to be weakened immunity, quickly susceptible to attacks by staphylococci. Staphylococcal infection is present in the body, in a normal, healthy state, almost constantly, but does not have a negative effect as long as the immune system controls it. As soon as the immune environment weakens, all foci of chronic lesions, from carious teeth and tonsillitis to diabetes and dietary errors, are a direct path to furuncular rashes.

Carbuncle

If a furuncle is a lesion of one hair follicle and the tissues around it, then with a carbuncle, several hairs suffer at once, with damage to deep tissues, right down to the dermis, with the sebaceous gland being drawn into the inflammation. Thus, a whole group of hairs and other elements of the skin structure participate in the inflammation process. As a result of inflammation, tissue necrosis occurs quickly, merging into a single solid spot. A carbuncle, so to speak, is several furuncles merged together.

Where the skin experiences constant friction with clothing elements, with the penetration of contamination containing putrefactive microorganisms into these areas, a carbuncle will appear first - the neck (its back side), the back (lumbar region), in rare cases the face. The pain of the skin in these places is of an increasing nature, from mild soreness to sharp and constant burning, the skin has a bluish-purple color, due to the presence of the tissue death process, the entire affected area is edematous, with the presence of purulent inclusions. When rejected, dead tissues leave behind a depression in the form of a funnel with its subsequent transformation into a wound, at the bottom of which there is a gray-putrefactive infiltrate, the edges of the funnel are uneven.

The disease is accompanied not only by local manifestations of inflammation, but also by general symptoms of malaise - an increase in body temperature to high values, headaches and dizziness, nausea, often turning into vomiting. In cases of multiple carbuncles, loss of consciousness may be added to all the symptoms described. Such is the severity of intoxication for the entire body with carbuncles.

General exhaustion of the body, debilitating chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidney pathologies, problems with the pancreas (for example, diabetes) - all these causes are certainly detected in patients with carbuncles.

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Felon

Another disease, acute and purulent, is panaritium - an inflammatory process around the nail plate. The nail, as well as hair follicles or sebaceous glands, are skin appendages. People often encounter panaritiums in everyday life, when redness, hard swelling and pain in the skin appear at the border of the skin and nail. There is even a common treatment for "growing" panaritium at home. It is believed that as soon as the panaritium becomes pronounced, you need to lower the affected finger into boiling water and quickly take it out. Repeat this procedure 5-7 times. Supposedly, in this way, the abscess will warm up, ripen in time and go away on its own. Heating the panaritium at home, opening it - is unacceptable! Experimenting and guessing where the pus will come out - outward or further into the bone - is a dangerous and empty waste of time. First and foremost - panaritium has several types:

• surface
• deep
• paronychia
• pandactylitis

These types of panaritium differ from each other in the degree of penetration into the depth of the skin and damage to various tissues and structures.

Superficial felon is an infected micro crack in which a pathogenic microbe has "settled" and caused inflammation. On the skin, under the skin and under the nail - these are the places where superficial felon occurs. When felon occurs on the skin (under its very top layer), the following symptoms and manifestations appear:

• a small blister filled with liquid. The color of the liquid ranges from cloudy to cloudy-bloody, sometimes with a large predominance of blood;
• redness of the tissue around the blister;
• painful sensations, more like pulsation. The pain of the skin is not pronounced, but unpleasant and constant, when pressing on the panaritium the pain intensifies;
• general well-being does not suffer greatly;
• A few days after its onset, purulent infection can progress to a deeper stage, affecting a larger amount of tissue.

Subcutaneous panaritium manifests itself with more pronounced symptoms. The pain is debilitating, constant, increasing at night, twitching, shooting. Touching the finger is very painful, the patient "protects" the injured finger from any movement, so as not to increase the suffering. If you do not seek qualified help in time, then after a while you can notice that any movement of the injured finger becomes incredibly painful. This is a signal that the stage of deep panaritium has arrived.

In this case, the inflammation "involves" the tendons, bones and joints of the finger. Deep felon is dangerous because of its complications. The fact is that when the purulent focus is deep, it is difficult for the pus to come to the surface, overcoming many obstacles. This fact is the cause of the incredible pain caused by deep felon, and the feeling of distension not only in the finger, but also in the entire palm.

Pain in the skin around the upper phalanx of the finger may be the first sign of the development of subungual or periungual panaritium. The name indicates the location of the purulent center. The causes may include foreign bodies, injections or wounds of the periungual zone or the nail plate itself. If the entire periungual bed is inflamed, then this is another type of panaritium - paronychia. In cases where medical care was not provided in time, or as a result of poor treatment, the inflammation spreads and immediately affects the entire finger - pandactylitis develops. The most complex and severe form of panaritium. The outcome of such a lesion may be amputation of the finger.

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Hidradenitis

The largest and most numerous outlets of sweat glands on the skin surface are located in the armpits. It is in this place that sweat glands are most often subject to inflammatory processes. The cause of hidradenitis is the same - staphylococcus. Inflammation develops with the gradual capture of new territories, at first only the sweat gland is involved, then the adjacent soft tissues become inflamed with the transition to a deep level. Failure to observe basic rules of personal hygiene against the background of heavy sweating, frequent diaper rash and weak immunity are the main predisposing factors of hidradenitis. Hidradenitis is more often observed in women. In the armpits, painful seals are easily palpated, resembling small balls in shape, the skin acquires a reddish color. After some time, the density of the nodules goes away, the purulent infiltrate quickly pours out inside, and the inflammation covers other sweat glands. From the described process of inflammation development, it is clear that the disease is severe and long-lasting. With hidradenitis, purulent contents do not come out on their own. Treatment only under the supervision of a doctor

Lymphadenitis

Skin pain can also be caused by inflammation of the lymph nodes - lymphadenitis. Lymph nodes are part of the immune system, they retain many pathogenic substances, and the decay products of the cells of the body itself and of foreign cells and toxins that have entered it pass through them. When the lymph nodes contain large quantities of pathogenic microflora, an inflammatory process begins to develop. Lymph nodes are extremely rare as an independent disease, and are mainly a complication of the underlying disease, which has an infectious origin.

Tissue swelling and enlargement of the lymph node itself cause sharp painful sensations, high body temperature usually indicates a strong purulent nature of the disease. Patients show all the symptoms of intoxication from headache and nausea to loss of appetite, weakness and fatigue. In very severe cases, the abscess can cover the entire node, melt all the lymphatic tissue and break through. Spreading with the blood flow throughout the body, the inflammation can affect distant organs.

Face

If there are wounds, injuries, scratches on the skin surface, especially on the lower extremities, and staphylococcal infection gets into them, the dermis is affected. Symptoms of erysipelas are:

• skin pain, itching and burning on the surface of the damaged area;
• the appearance of protruding red spots with ridged edges;
• at first small bubbles with yellow contents, which very quickly merge with each other, forming one large bubble, tightly filled with liquid;
• a feeling of distension in the affected area;
• all symptoms of intoxication (from headache to high temperature).

If you have the slightest suspicion of this disease, you should immediately consult a doctor. Timely treatment will allow you to minimize the duration of the inflammatory process and limit the affected area.

Skin structure

As mentioned above, the skin is three-layered and consists of: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. Now let's talk about each layer in more detail. What we are used to calling "skin" is nothing more than the topmost layer, called the epidermis. It is the thinnest of all the layers of the skin, despite the fact that it has five layers and consists of layers of different cells. All the negative influences of the environment primarily affect the top layer of the epidermis, as well as wounds, infections, and injuries. Therefore, skin pain is often associated with damage to its top layer - the epithelium. The lowest layer of the epidermis contacts the blood vessels of the next skin layer - the dermis. In this lower or, in scientific terms, basal layer of the epidermis, the processes of cell division and their metabolism occur. During the month, the cells divide, go through their full life cycle and rise, meanwhile, to the upper layer, where they lose their nuclei, moisture and turn into dead or keratinized cells - epithelium. Keratinized cells are removed from the surface of the skin during water procedures, as a result of friction against outerwear. Thus, the upper layer of the epidermis is constantly renewed, and the renewal period is one month.

The second layer is called the dermis or the skin itself, in its broadest, scientific sense. Its composition is very rich. Here are the sebaceous and sweat glands, and muscle fibers, hair follicles and shafts, and, of course, collagen and elastin fibers, which, with the support of the interstitial substance, are called the skin framework. There are also vessels and nerve endings, tactile and other cells. Skin pain here can be provoked by many reasons. These can be deep injuries, bruises, as well as inflammatory diseases of all structural components of the dermis.

The lowest layer of human skin is the hypodermis, also known as subcutaneous fat. Thanks to this layer, a person, under normal conditions, does not suffer or die from sudden hypothermia of the body, the hypodermis protects against energy starvation, since in those moments when the body lacks energy, it “takes” it, breaking down the reserves of fatty tissue from the subcutaneous fat. In addition, the dermis serves as a shock absorber during sudden blows, jumps or jolts. Among other things, it contains deep vessels, nerves and nerve endings.

Diagnosis of skin diseases

It is quite easy to diagnose skin diseases, because the entire characteristic picture of the lesion is before your eyes. Sometimes it is enough to just get acquainted with the symptoms of the disease, the visual picture and support of some tests for microflora, where staphylococcal infection is usually detected. The data of the general blood test allow you to confirm the diagnosis, initially made during a visual examination of the affected area.

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Treating skin pain

All acute inflammations with purulent manifestations are treated by a surgeon. If the inflammatory process is insignificant, such as with superficial panaritium, a mild stage of furuncle, the surgeon will prescribe treatment without surgical intervention. This may include thermal procedures, ointment dressings, the use of antiseptic drugs, as well as maintenance antibiotic therapy.

Carbuncles are injected with antibiotics and novocaine in the surgical room; in severe cases, blood transfusion is the best treatment. Supportive therapy aimed at increasing the body's resistance is always prescribed.

In case of skin diseases, conservative treatment is prescribed first, followed by surgical intervention. If the situation is initially complicated, then surgical intervention is immediately indicated. So, panaritiums are mainly treated only surgically. Abscesses are opened, wounds are cleaned, drainage is placed in the wound and left under a bandage for several days, changing the dressings and drainage daily or every other day. Drainage is needed so that all the collected pus comes out on its own and the edges of the wound do not close. As soon as the pus stops coming out, the wound becomes clean, they begin to apply only ointment dressings. All this time, the treatment is carried out with the support of antibiotics.

The main thing to remember for yourself is that you should never open abscesses yourself, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Furunculosis is treated by a dermatologist. No home ointments and creams can help with this disease. Before applying the ointment, it is necessary to disinfect the purulent wound, exclude water from getting on it, and this means no water procedures, except wiping with a damp towel soaked in weak antiseptic solutions. Until the furuncle matures, it is injected with novocaine preparations to relieve skin pain, and antibiotics are given support. If the furuncles mature well and their core is clearly expressed, then observation is carried out until its spontaneous rejection. In cases where the furuncle resembles an abscess (an independent breakthrough is not expected), forced surgical opening is performed. In any case, after opening the wound is treated, following the algorithm for purulent wounds. For subsequent healing, various ointment dressings are used. In addition to local treatment, general strengthening therapy is prescribed, with the addition of vitamins, a proper daily routine and a balanced diet aimed at maintaining immunity.

During the treatment of hidradenitis, antibiotics are prescribed without fail. Under the control of the analysis of the sensitivity of pathogenic microflora to antibiotics, the necessary drug is selected and prescribed in doses depending on the patient's age. Warming procedures are prescribed, for example, UHF, therapy aimed at raising the immune environment. If there are abscesses, their surgical opening is performed.

To eliminate the consequences of purulent lymphadenitis, surgeons resort to opening the purulent area, cleaning out the purulent contents, and then installing drainage into the wound cavity so that the newly formed purulent fluid has a free outlet from the wound without accumulating inside. Then the same therapy is prescribed as for the treatment of hidradenitis.

Treatment of erysipelas includes local application of antiseptics and a quartz lamp, treatment of wounds with iodine derivatives. Drug therapy includes antibiotics, painkillers for severe pain.

How to prevent skin pain?

Prevention of purulent skin diseases is not very complicated. It is necessary to maintain basic hygiene in your home, in your personal life, strengthen your immune system by eating the right food and take care of your body's strength by doing physical exercises. Depending on the season and age, it is worth switching to complex vitamin complexes, in the summer-autumn period, eat more fruits and vegetables. Do not get strong tans that cause skin pain. Such tans lead to a decrease in the skin's resistance to various infections that get into its deep layers through the epidermis that has lost its strength.