Abdominal Rash, No Itching Or Pain, Raised And Red. Applied Neosporin. Urgent And Liquefied BMs. Any Idea?
Question: I have had a rash on my lower abdomen for about 3 weeks now. It does not
itch and there is no pain. The rash was just little red spots, not raised,
not very concentrated and confined to an area maybe 2" high by 3" wide
about halfway between my naval and groin.
After the first week I got some Aveeno anti-itch cream with 1%
hydrocortisone and used it for a week with no change in appearance, so I
then got neosporin antibiotic ointment and used it for a week.
Now in the last day or so the red spots are becoming raised, The raised
bumps are about 1-2mm diameter. I can't tell if they are fluid filled or
not and don't want to try squeezing any to find out. The neosporin has a
greasy texture to it and I have been applying it twice a day pretty
liberally, so I don't know if they have become raised because the area has
stayed somewhat moist from the neosporin or what.
Some of my info/history:
49 year old male, 5'7", 130 lbs. I had chicken pox at about 9 y/o,
Rhuematic fever at around 7 y/o, and no other serious illnesses. I am a
smoker, about a pack a day, and I drink probably a little more than the
norm, 1 to 1-1/2 liters of bourbon a month. Family history of heart disease
on my dads side and diabetes on my moms side. Last couple times I had my
blood sugar tested it was on the low side around 50, so I am probably in
the beginning stages of type 2 diabetes.
My mother just passed away at 68 y/o about 5 weeks ago from complications
from C-diff (sepsis was the cause of death) she developed while in a
nursing home. She died 2-1/2 days after the nursing home sent her to the
hospital. I visited her a couple times in the hospital and after the second
time I visited, the hospital staff made us wear a mask, gloves and gown
when we visited her, after they realized she had c-diff. Also, I caught a
bad cold at that same time that she passed. The symptoms of this cold
started out as first day or two just scratchy sore throat, then cough and
runny nose, sore throat went away, but fatigue and whole body ache for
about 3 days, then runny nose dissapeared but the cough has still persited.
Me being a smoker, when I get a cold the cough always lingers well past the
rest of the other symptoms going away. Also, my bowel movements had been
pretty normal (even during the cold) up until the last couple days where I
have had to go fairly urgently with only a few minutes of feeling it and
they were very liquified.
Sorry this message is this long, but wanted to give a brief history and
time line of what has transpired in the last 5 weeks in case any of it may
be related, so to summarize:
5 weeks ago, mom passed away from complications from C-diff which I might
have been exposed. I developed the cold a couple days after first seeing
her in the hospital, most of the cold symptoms were completely gone (except
the cough) within 4 or 5 days. Then I developed this rash about 3 weeks
ago. Rash has become raised bumps in the last 24-48 hours and bowel
movements have become urgent and liquified.
Any idea what this might be?
itch and there is no pain. The rash was just little red spots, not raised,
not very concentrated and confined to an area maybe 2" high by 3" wide
about halfway between my naval and groin.
After the first week I got some Aveeno anti-itch cream with 1%
hydrocortisone and used it for a week with no change in appearance, so I
then got neosporin antibiotic ointment and used it for a week.
Now in the last day or so the red spots are becoming raised, The raised
bumps are about 1-2mm diameter. I can't tell if they are fluid filled or
not and don't want to try squeezing any to find out. The neosporin has a
greasy texture to it and I have been applying it twice a day pretty
liberally, so I don't know if they have become raised because the area has
stayed somewhat moist from the neosporin or what.
Some of my info/history:
49 year old male, 5'7", 130 lbs. I had chicken pox at about 9 y/o,
Rhuematic fever at around 7 y/o, and no other serious illnesses. I am a
smoker, about a pack a day, and I drink probably a little more than the
norm, 1 to 1-1/2 liters of bourbon a month. Family history of heart disease
on my dads side and diabetes on my moms side. Last couple times I had my
blood sugar tested it was on the low side around 50, so I am probably in
the beginning stages of type 2 diabetes.
My mother just passed away at 68 y/o about 5 weeks ago from complications
from C-diff (sepsis was the cause of death) she developed while in a
nursing home. She died 2-1/2 days after the nursing home sent her to the
hospital. I visited her a couple times in the hospital and after the second
time I visited, the hospital staff made us wear a mask, gloves and gown
when we visited her, after they realized she had c-diff. Also, I caught a
bad cold at that same time that she passed. The symptoms of this cold
started out as first day or two just scratchy sore throat, then cough and
runny nose, sore throat went away, but fatigue and whole body ache for
about 3 days, then runny nose dissapeared but the cough has still persited.
Me being a smoker, when I get a cold the cough always lingers well past the
rest of the other symptoms going away. Also, my bowel movements had been
pretty normal (even during the cold) up until the last couple days where I
have had to go fairly urgently with only a few minutes of feeling it and
they were very liquified.
Sorry this message is this long, but wanted to give a brief history and
time line of what has transpired in the last 5 weeks in case any of it may
be related, so to summarize:
5 weeks ago, mom passed away from complications from C-diff which I might
have been exposed. I developed the cold a couple days after first seeing
her in the hospital, most of the cold symptoms were completely gone (except
the cough) within 4 or 5 days. Then I developed this rash about 3 weeks
ago. Rash has become raised bumps in the last 24-48 hours and bowel
movements have become urgent and liquified.
Any idea what this might be?
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for this query.
With this description, the possibilities are jock itch or simple nummular dermatitis.
I would request you to upload a picture of the rash on the right hand side of the query page. It will help a lot in arriving at a diagnosis.
In the meanwhile use an antifungal+steroid cream (clotrimazole+betamethasone) twice daily.
Awaiting your response.
Wishing you good health.
Thanks for this query.
With this description, the possibilities are jock itch or simple nummular dermatitis.
I would request you to upload a picture of the rash on the right hand side of the query page. It will help a lot in arriving at a diagnosis.
In the meanwhile use an antifungal+steroid cream (clotrimazole+betamethasone) twice daily.
Awaiting your response.
Wishing you good health.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Radhika