Itchy raised flat bumps on random areas... anxiety??

[mom1982]

Hi i've been experiencing this for 2 weeks now, i've been getting really itchy on my arms, neck, tummy, legs, just randomly wherever. and when i scratch(even very lightly) it turns into flat raised bumps that are NOT red. they stay there for a few hours and disappear. and then it starts again randomly, different body parts. i have never read this to be a part of anxiety?
can someone pls help me, i'm losing my mind. the only information i can find about this is some forum with people who have hodgkin's lymphoma(cancer) saying it's a symptom and i'm petrified and failing to function normally due to worry and fears. i doubt it can be mites cause the bumps are my skin colour and not red and there are no prick marks visible and i had it for 2 weeks even though one week was spent at home and the next week spent overseas. i couldnt pick it up from overseas as it started when i was still home. it's a new symptom for 2 weeks. PLS HELP ME.

[stressbunny]

Hiya,

It sounds like hives to me, and they are defo caused by anx...

[MrsJaredLeto]

Yes I get hives with my anxiety, very annoying but completely harmless take some piriton, that's what I do, clears it straight up xx

[marley]

Do yourself a favour and don't search for medical information on line. Even if you're doing it to 'reassure' yourself, it never works out that way.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a particular favourite of mine. Until recently, I could have sworn I had it (itching as you did, and a tonne of other 'symptoms') There are some problems with this; firstly, hodgkin's has some fairly vague sounding symptoms if you're not a doctor. Itching? We all do that everyday. When it becomes a medically valid hodgkins symptom, it's the type of itching that causes you to scratch almost until you bleed. Even then, it's not classified as one of the 'B' symptoms, because they're not entirely sure what or why the itching happens or if there's even a credible link.
Secondly, being that we're not doctors, there is no way for us to evaluate and diagnose the itch. If you're truly worried, go to a doctor. Failing that, go to a pharmacy. They see skin rashes everyday. Don't attempt to do further research on the internet.

Finally, itching can be caused by absolutely anything, including stress and the change of weather/seasons. What you need to do now is break the itch/scratch cycle. The more you think about itching, the more you'll scratch, and the cycle will continue. Visit a pharmacy, pick up a cream that they recommend, and distract yourself with a film/cooking/a walk. Go for coffee with friends. It's a Sunday - find some way to enjoy your day which doesn't revolve around the need to check your body.

[mom1982]

thanks for all your replies.

i've never had hives before, is it possible for hives to NOT be red and patchy? its flat raised bumps that have no colour besides my own skin colour.

[Going home]

You don't say how big the bumps are, and the fact that you say bumps rather than lumps sounds like they could be quite small? If so, it could be just your skin reacting to the scratching. If they appear like the 'goosebumps' we all get when we're cold (blow onyour skin and you'll see them appear) then this is more than likely what they'll be. If you focus on itches you find them all over your body. How many of us having read this has been scratching? Me included :D

[Sazziesaz]

lol! Yes reading this has made me itch too! I have had the same as you and the more you think about it the more you itch, I really wouldn't worry as I am sure it it bought on by anxiety, another of the thousand things that anxiety brings on!! Try not to itch and break the cycle! Easier said than done I know!!

[crazyhayz]

ive got these at mo, exactly as u describe, i dont know wot they r but they dont itch all the time, mainly in the evening, im guna go c doctor coz ive never had nefing like it b4.

[mom1982]

they are not like goosebumps, they are about 0.5 cm or 1/4 inch in diameter approx but come and go. a doctor told me it's hives eventhough i did not have any at the time so he did not get a chance to see one. but he said hives evetho i said it's not red. it's something i've never got before so i worry.

[soulsearcher]

hello I get itchy now and then and get clear bumps on hands if i scratch I think mins stress and anxiety related But if you go on google search and put it on google images I searched for hives and it shows you pictures some are red and some are large and clear hope this might help work out what they may be

gareth

[crazyhayz]

ive had hives and thats not what they look like atall. im seeing doctor for mine today or tomorrow hopefully so will let u know wot he says

[mom1982]

thanks for all the replies. the pictures i've seen of hives are always red and patchy. i've not seen them clear(skin colour) and in individual bumps but maybe its different for different people but do let me know when you show your doc and what they think. if we both have the same thing, it might be anxiety or stress related.

[JulesD]

Hi I was wondering it could be urticaria which is stress related and its where the skin comes up in bumps particularly when scratched some people can write there name on there skins and see the outline, and urticaria can look different in different people. Mine was very red and looked like a skin infection but it wasnt, but my husbands where exactly how you describe yours, in fact he had some come up the other date same colour as skin and raised.

[mom1982]

thanks for that Jules. I found a picture that looks like what i have but mine's a little bit smaller(5mm) and rounder. i found this pic on the net and posting link for anyone else who wants to compare it to what they have.

http://missinglink.ucsf.edu/lm/DermatologyGlossary/img/Dermatology%20Glossary/Glossary%20Clinical%20Images/urticaria.jpg

Apparently urticaria can be caused by many physical illnesses as well.

[JulesD]

My Husbands bumps were very small aswell. Both our doctors said that Urticaria is one of those unexplained mysteries they dont know why or how they happen, but its mostly anxiety related, I am suprised I am not one massive whelt. x

[mom1982]

does it look like those in that picture but a 5mm version?

[sb001f8994]

Hi,
My daughter suffers from hives and each outbreak is different from the last! They can be large, small, raised, flat, red, pink or skin tone. They are a pain as we know most of her's are caused through allergies, as are most cases but sometimes they just flair up for no apparent reason. Our doctor says it can also be heat or stress and to find out the true culprit could take forever to find! We know for a fact she cant eat strawberries or take penicillan but how do we keep tabs on a 16 year olds eating habits?!!!
Hives are never serious, just an itchy nightmare! Take care,

[JulesD]

Yes that is exactly what Urticaria looks like and it can be any size i had large and small bumps, my husbands were all tiny, they can come in any shape or form. have you tried taking an antihistamine when you start itching?

[mom1982]

yes i have taken an antihistamine once and i think it helped a bit, im a bit of a medication phobe so i don't take anything if i can help it, not even panadol. my bumps are better now than when it started a few weeks ago. i still get the odd ones here and there. i never had hives in my life and got them only a few weeks ago at 27. is there anything i can do to help myself as it's impossible to avoid stress and my anxiety ain't going anywhere.

[blrob]

Hi, my problems started with the itch you are all discribing. They started in 2005 and the best thing for the itching is Benydryl antihistamine. The itch and bumps are definately caused through nerves. I had my itch and bumps for two years they eventually went away after my divorce.

[sb001f8994]

Hi mom1982,
I find just leaving my daughters hives alone is best. But we were told to put a cold flannel on the affected area, trouble is the affected area is always so big we wouldnt find a flannel big enough!!! Keeping cool helps, my daughter puts on the fan and sits in front of it, they do normally go with no other help. The worse bout she had was an allergy to penicillan ear drops, she was so bad we took her to the out of hours surgery at three in the morning...I have to add Im a terrible worry wart and she was sctratching herself to bits, my hubby was not impressed with being dragged out of bed only to be told by the doctor there was nothing he could do!!!
Take care.

[JulesD]

I think all you can do is maybe when you can feel it starting is to have a nice cool bath, lay down put some music on light some candles completely de-stress yourself, and the cool water will stop the itching and just try and take your mind off of the itching and the anxiety its causing . If you are out and about take some calamine lotion with you and some cotton wool and dab that on to stop the itching.

I read somewhere that HA sufferes are more concerned with what there symptoms mean that actually how much they are bothering us, i think thats really true because a lot of my symptoms are bothersome but dont really cause stress its my mind thats creating the stress rather than the bodily functions.

[crazyhayz]

Saw doctor today and my itchy bumps (that, like urs, are NOT red) are apparently a very mild form of Psoriasis Rosea or a type of eczema which only appears in bumps in random parts of the body (mine is my torso). Plus my anxiety levels were so high that its been making them itch tonnes more than what it should, but now i have a diagnosis im not anxious about them, and funnily enough they are hardly itching now atall!! i spoke to the doctor who said that anxiety can cause itchy skin without a doubt, but when theres actual bumps or anything, then its not anxiety, its either allergy or infection. So im pleased i know what they are now :) See ur doctor as this isnt anxiety, its prob an allergy or something like what ive got coz they sound verrrrry similar xx good luck xx PS. doctor said it clears in about 6-8 weeks at the very most..

[Spagetti]

They sound anxiety related to me. I have had them a number of times.

Take an anti-histamine and use cream such as "Anthisan". Also, putting damp flannels on the area can help stop the itching.

Still, if you keep getting them it will be worth you seeing your doctor to rule any allergies out x

[Going home]

Thats really interesting crazyhayz, I always thought conditions like psoriasis and eczema showed up as red patches rather than skin coloured..we learn something new every day!

[crazyhayz]

No mine arent red, thery are skin coloured and dry, they only go red if i itch them constantly which is obvious really lol. Mine are a type of eczema, not all eczemas are red, my friend has it bad on her arms and its not red atall, just really dry.

[mom1982]

thanks everyone i'm starting to accept that these itchy bumps are caused by stress/anx. it's scary cause it's a new symptom, never ever had it but i guess new symptoms pop up all the time. i still get this itchy bumps but they are not as severe as a few weeks back and actually improved a great deal. my life is still just as stressful and i'm anx everyday :)

[agent orange]

It could be urticaria (hives) which is a allergy based thing. It starts off in small itchy bumps or lumps and then it spreads to get bigger, leaving the middle flat as it spreads outwards. I had it from amoxacillin for tonsilitus 7 years ago and when i get hot, it comes back. It may well be down to anxiety, but i don't know. Piriton or i take certirizine and it's then gone.

[mom1982]

i've had an allergic reaction from amoxicillin about 15 yrs ago and i had tiny red dots all over my foot. it's a pain to be allergic to one of the best antibiotics around :) i took polaramine(antihistamine) but it didnt help but mine isnt severe anymore. it has improved heaps in 2 weeks & i get the random 2 or 3 a day that disappear in a few hours if i leave it alone.

[agent orange]

it's funny how an allergic reaction can still cause this urticaria thing several years on.