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What Causes Persistent Rashes On Back And Thighs?

Posted on Sat, 4 Apr 2015

Question: Hello! I have been on here recently for rash on the back of my right thigh that wont go away. Over the last week i have also been experiencing a decent pain in my joints as well as pain in the muscles of my legs and arms. I went back to the dermatologist today who ordered a lot of bloodwork to be done on me including for lupus, sjordens and a cbc among other things. Today i am also having a weird pain/soreish spot in a certain spot on top of my head. I was sick over the weekbut my whole family was as well with throwing with fevers, etc. We are ok now...i noticed the rash after hot yoga and jogging on a treadmill but it wont go away despite prescription cream. I am 27 and extremely worried that this could be something life threatening such as leukemia...what are your thoughts? I have aches and pain in my joints, fingers, legs and toes pretty badly. I have a few very small bruises on my other leg but they could be from anything (my son, my dog, etc). I would love to hear your opinion? I wont find out results of cbc until tomorrow and am very upset and worried. I have attached a picture of the rash...thank you so much for your help!

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
viral infection is the first possibility

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thank you for writing on health care magic

Well i have seen the pictures and you seem quite stressed out about the whole thing. The rash you are having is a maculopapular rash. Since it has been of recent onset, that is last 1 week we need to wait and observe. The symptoms of joint pains along with muscle aches and rashes with an acute onset do go in the viral infection. That would be my first diagnosis.

Your dermatologist has ordered for a few blood reports rightly. I just want to be sure she has ordered ANA and ENA as well. The other diagnosis i would like to consider is an autoimmune cause like Lupus. It is one condition which can present the same way, but normally is never so acute. Never the less, considering your symptoms we should always rule it out.

Dont worry about leukemia. It is never so acute and never presents with a rash like this. Joint pains and muscle aches are not a part of the disease.

I would like to advise you to take 3 deep breaths and relax. Any form of stressors can aggravate the underlying condition. You have approached your doctor early and we can wait for the blood reports to come. I would like to know a few more queries, just to be sure in what direction are we heading:

1. DO you experience oral ulcers frequently

2. ANy history of hair fall?

3. ANy history of joint swelling or early morning stiffness?

4 Is there any history of photosenstivity that is your face gets more red on sun exposure?

5. Any history of dry eyes or dry mouth?

Do let me know these queries and take it easy. We are all here to help you out and whatever the cause is, we will treat it

Do let me know these queries

REgards
Dr NAval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (6 hours later)

1. I started experiencing oral ulcers a few years ago. They are white, round and look like cancor sores but can actually be so large that they make my lip or wherever they are swollen. I have one on the side of my tongue as we speak. Lately ive gotten one about once a month. No history of hair fall out that i can recall, never had early morning stiffness or joint swelling before...only within this last week and a half have i noticed joint pain and muscle cramps in my legs and arms. My face does get more red on sun exposure (not super red) and even when i am in the car with heat on. However, i do have rosy cheeks to start with. No history of dry eyes but i do sometimes get dry mouth. I am worried about leukemia bc i read that joint pain, muscle aches can be part of it and that you can experience a rash due to bleeding of small blood vessels under the skin. I also havea few small bruises on my other thigh/leg but they could be from anything. Im also worried that i have ALS or something. I dont have night sweats or anything but a few hours ago woke up slightly sweaty around my neck and took my sweatshirt off. However, my husband said he was a little warm too. Also, just so you arent confused. I will have had this rash for 2 weeks tomorrow. Again, im really worried that my CBC is going to be off and suggest leukemia or ALS or something really horrible. I do believe that they did order those two tests that you referred to but i am not sure. There were quite a few...my joints and hands hurt even just typing this and i am feeling a little nauseas. My one eye has been sore since yesterday but not sure if thats related. Ive never ever experienced anything like this before. Thanks again for helping!

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Is it Connective tissue Disease

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thanks for your reply

Well the sort of symptoms you are describing can go with a condition like Lupus than leukemia or ALS. The rashes you have dont fit in with leukemia. The rashes in leukemia are more like purpura( more red, blanching and bigger ones).

The history of oral ulcers along with rash and arthalgia and myalgia can go with Mild form of Lupus. But yes, it can all be post viral as well. As for the history it doesnt fit into leukemia as leukemia causes more of gum bleeding as well and it never has such an acute onset of symptoms. It is mostly slow onset and takes time for such symptoms.

I will say, dont worry so much. It is definitely not leukemia or ALS. Do let me know your blood reports. TIll the reports come supplement yourself with some multivitamin, Vitamin D supplements as it will help your joint pains and myalgias as well.. You will be fine

Do let me know for your queries

Would be happy to help you out

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (1 hour later)

Thanks! Cbc came back normal so all is well there....no leukemia or anything. Im worried about als bc of the muscle pain and cramps that i am having as well. Just overall worried bc of the symptoms. My lupus test wont come back until next week sometime. In the meantime, i keep having head pain intermittently on one side of my head in one spot....more like a creepy crawly pressure spot on my scalp and then a pain over my eye brow. Hopefully this isnt like a brain tumor or something causing pain in my fingers, toes and shoulder and muscles, etc. Unrelated to this, my left eye is sore in the outer corner and when i blink for a couple of days now after a day of wearing make up.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (20 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Is it connective tissue disease

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thanks for your reply. Sorry for the delayed reply at my end. Was caught up in hospital duty.

See i had told you, it will come normal. You have been reading lot of google. ALS is a very rare disease and not known to affect people of your age. It is a very slowly progressive disease, which will cause such symptoms over few years, not with an acute onset. So i highly doubt it is that.

It wont be a brain tumor either. The headache you are having looks like migraine. Probably you are over thinking a lot and inter relating lot of things. I will say, just take it easy, go out for a good dinner and let the remaining reports come. Whatever comes, we will deal with it. There is no end to the investigations we order and more you get paranoid, more investigations keep coming. You get unnecessary exposure to radiations.

So let the remaining reports come and let me know what they are. Till then continue with multivitamins and vitamin D supplements.

Hope the information was useful

Regards
DR Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (2 hours later)

Thanks for all your help! Feeling much better today. One other question...in addition to the crampiness and aches i have been having a problem with my right eye. It is sore to touch especially in the corner and feels sore when i blink. I had it looked at by an eye doctor and they said they dont see anythinf. However, the hurt in my eye is undeniable...i was worried this was connected to whats going on or something neurological. It is not swollen or red just hurts to blink etc. I was given drops but they arent helping...

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Is it connective tissue disease

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thanks for your reply. Well it is very hard to say what the eye problem is without actually examining it. If the eye doctor doesnt see much, it may not be too serious as such. The pain in the eye can be due to many reasons and if nothing is visible it is usually transient and should go off with time. Neurological disease normally dont cause pain in the eye as they affect the nerves which causes blurring or diminution of vision. What i would suggest is( if the eye drops are not working), take a clean cloth, warm it gently and apply it over your eye.The dry warm cloth, something like a handkerchief would definitely give you a soothing effect and provide you relief with pain. Also get some good hours of sleep. You have been stressing out too much and that can aggravate this pain

Hope the information was useful

Do let me know for more queries

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (6 hours later)

Thanks for all of your help! This morning i am still having pain in my fingers, shouldera, thighs, feet, toes, etc. I woke up a few times hot/sweaty last night. Eye still a bit sore today. Like i said my CBC came back normal so that is good. Now i am worried about a brain tumor, ALS or something else horrible due to all the pain i am having. My head sometimes hurts but not regularly. Still having muscle cramps. I did have that sickness during the week but my aches in fingers, toes etc had starting occurring a little before then and i do still have the rash. Im not sure if that is related at this point.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Is it connective tissue disease

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thanx for your reply. Well all these symptoms can be very well related. But none of them fit in with brain tumor or ALS. I am more concerned with a connective tissue disease like SLE. These symptoms can very well be a part of it. But we can decide that only after ANA and ENA report. Rest of the diagnosis you can exclude it. Read about it on net and see if your symptoms fit into it

Do let me know for more queries

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (5 hours later)

Thank you for all of your help! I did look up lupus and some of my symptoms do match. However, i also have muscle pain and cramping not just joint pain. I am worried about why my eye is sore and hurts to blink...it scares me. I realize its most likely not a brain tumor or ALS but it scared me that this could be some rare illness like multiple myeloma or something. The rash is fading but still there and as i said i do have intermittent head pain that comes and goes. I am also having some of the painfulness and muscle spasms near my hips as well. In terms of my eye, it is now sore on the lid area and on the inside corner with occassional sharper pains...its just concerning and scary.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (17 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Is it lupus

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well myalgias and muscle cramps can very well be a part of lupus as well. But yes, the eye symptoms is hard to explain especially if the opthamlogist could not find the particular finding. You can try for a 2nd opinion as well for the eye findings.

Oh dont you worry. Multiple myeloma does not happen at your age. It is a disease of the elderly. If anything, it maybe a connective tissue disease than a malignancy. You dont have any symptoms of it.

I will suggest get another opinion from eye doctor regarding the condition of your eye and see if he has anything different to opine

Do let me know your pending results as well

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (4 hours later)

Thanks for your answer! I should find out the results of my lupus tests between tomorrow and Wednesday. I am still having some joint pain and muscle aches but it is diminishing as compared to what it was. My eye is still sore and still hurts to blink. I get the occassional sharp pain in my eye and even my other eye gets sharp pains at times but most of the pain/soreness is im my right eye. I do have some head pain/pressure that comes and goes. The eye pain has been going on for about 4 days now....i still have pain in my wrists, fingers, toes, hips, etc. Thanks for your assurance that it is most likely nothing horrible. I keep worrying that something bad is going on such as a brain tumor, spinal tumor or something with my eye sight like neurological or something. Hopefully not! I am having night sweats but that was only last night and it was warmer. Not sure if my joint problems are really getting better or if its just bc of the Medrol that i was prescribed...the only worrisome thing i have noticed is my one leg getting stiff. Im worried that it wont be Lupus and there will be some other bigger problem! Thanks again!

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Is it lupus

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well Lupus itself is quite a big problem and the reason you are responding to low dose steroids( medrol) is probably due to some form of inflammation going on. We just need to figure out the exact cause. Tumours and cancers are very less likely considering the symptoms you are having and your age group.

Do start on Vitamin D supplements as well and use refresh tear drops for the burning eye. THey both will help in the symptoms you are experiencing.

2 more days and we will know which direction we are heading..

Do let me know further queries

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (44 minutes later)

Thank you! I am worried about something bad bc i keep getting warm/sweaty at night whic i know is a really bad sign...this has been going on for a few njghts now. As i said my joints and muscles are still achey...sometjmes ifs near my tail bone/hips. As for my eye, it is most sore on the outer corner ofy eye...what is mosf sore is that little squarish piece that is in my eye (sorry i dont know the name) but amyway i am scared about some kind of cancer or something scary bc of the night sweats lately and of course the eye pain....

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Cause of night sweats

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well, yes the night sweats arent normal. Depending on your country location, we need to figure out the disease. If you were in XXXXXXX Tuberculosis is the most common cause, but i doubt you had any contact with anyone recently. Has your thyroid levels been checked? Hyperthyroidism is another cause of night sweats along with joint pains and muscle aches. Eye pain is very hard to say till one sees it. Only an opthamologist can really comment on what exactly it is.

I hope the bloods will be ready by tomorrow. DO check for ESR, CRP and your thyroid levels if not done. That will give us a fair clue on the inflammation

Do let me know these details too

REgards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (10 minutes later)

Thanks for the answer. I got bloodwork back but i do not think thyroids were checked but not sure. All came back normal. So now i am worried because i still have no clue whats going on....i do get hotter at night lately. Im just worried this is something really serious as the koints in my fibgers ache, my arms, legs abd feet ache.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Cause of joint pains

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well.could you attach the blood reports once. I would like to go through it once. I would like to see if anything is missing which we need to do to explain your symptoms . just want to be sure we have covered all the bases

What is your doctor s take on it?/did they give you any differential diagnosis on where we are heading ad they would have examined your joints.

Await your reply

Regards
Dr naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (1 hour later)

They told me that with any other symptoms i should go back to my primary care doctor. The only thing i can think of is to go see rheumatologist. I went back to my family doctor today. He thinks everything was just some sort of virus. He says we should give it a couple weeks and if it doesnt go away just do more detailed bloodwork. My eye is still bothering me, my joints still hurt but not as frequently so im worried it might be something bad. He said most likely it wasnt and the worst thing he thought it might be is Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Rheumatoid Arthritis wont have muscles aches or rashes.

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well yeah, that is a fair approach. But at the same time you need to relax and give it some time. Rheumatoid Arthritis wont have muscles aches or rashes. If anything it can be a connective tissue disease. Since you are saying the blood work is normal as well, at times post viral illness does leave an impact which takes few weeks to go.

So just take it easy for now. It doesnt look anything major and there is no limit to the blood tests and investigations we can do. Rather than subjecting you to more tests, we can wait and watch for a while.

Do let me know for more queries

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (23 minutes later)

Ok thank you! And of course my eye hurting freaks me out. I realize theres all kinds of things this could be but you dont think ifs anything serious? If if is post viral how long would this take to pass? Im worried something is wrong with my bones, blood or its ALS or Ms or something. The rash is still fhere but lighter.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? CTD

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well not at this point of time. ALS and MS never have rashes associated with them. Plus it is a very slow onset and different symptoms. Those two are the diagnosis which i wont be considering here at this stage. Did anyone around you have ALS? You seem to be freaked out due to this disease.At this stage it doesnt sound look it.

Post viral can take upto a month as well. It does keep fading away with time. Do supplement yourself with Vitamin D Supplements as it can help alleviate the pain and fatigue.

Also try and taper the dose of medrol. We will see if the symptoms return or they remain the same. It will give us a clue whether it is autoimmune disease or something post viral.

Do let me know for more queries

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (4 hours later)

Hello! Thank you for your answer! I dont know anyone with ALS. I did have another concern though. My joint pain and muscle aches are easinf up. Worse at night and in the morning. However, the left side of the back of my neck is very sore to touch and i am getting jolts of pain from time to time in the area of my skull rifht above this...lower left area. The jolts are pretty significant. I am worried that all of this is being caused by a brain tumor or aneurysm. I was adjusted yesterday by my chiropractor but this was going on before then anyway. Please let me know what you think. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Inflammatory Arthritis

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well ALS wont have the symptoms you are having. If the pains are worse at night and the mornings, there is a possibility that it could be due to inflammatory arthritis. It has to be sorted out by a rheumatologist.

As mentioned earlier, i would have liked to review your blood reports. I am not sure if they have checked the CPK levels or the thyroid levels. CPK levels are essential to see if you have constant muscle aches. So if you could attach it , it would be helpful

As for brain tumour or anuerysm, again the symptoms will be different. Anuersym is a very acute thing to happen and symptoms are immediate. If you really feel brain tumour is a concern, you can get an MRI done for the brain. However , the suspicion is less likely as tumour also doesnt fit with the rashes, joint aches.

A Rheumatologist can sort out the issues you are facing. It would be helpful to review the blood reports once if it is permitted from your doctor

Regards
Dr Naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Pradeep Vitta

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (10 hours later)

Hello! Thanks for your help! Im worried about whats going on with me. Im starting to have bug bite like things on my chin and nexk. I have 2 so far...not ifchy, just soft and raised up. I dont know whats going on with me and i am scared.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Skin rashes

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Well the rashes you are having sounds like an urticaria. Probably a reaction to some medicine or a part of the disease process. Kind of hard to say what it is without seeing it. Cant your appointment with a rheumatologist be scheduled a bit early?
I will be more convinced when he can examine you and sort it out what exactly are the rashes/joint pains/muscle aches and the new bumps as well.

How much of medrol dose are you taking??do let me know. We may need to increase it a bit.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Pradeep Vitta

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (7 minutes later)

I had a medrol dose pack...it ended the day before yesterday. I have two marks on my neck that resemble misquio bites but arent itchy. I am worried that i have some form of cancer or something. I am also wakinf up with night sweats tonight despite being in a t shirt. Im worried i have something really bad. The earliest i can see a rheumatologist is next week. What are your thoughts? I have attached a couple pictures of spots on neck.

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (19 hours later)

Brief Answer:
night sweats are very unusual

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

I saw the pictures. The spots look more of a medrol effect. Sort of acne like which can happen after taking medrol for a few days. It doesnt look like due to malignancy or anything.But yes examination will give us a better clue what exactly those spots are. But yes the night sweats are very unusual especially if it happening everyday.

What i would like you to do is to examine yourself till the time you meet a doctor. Look for any lymph node swellings or any masses anywhere in the body to see if anything is enlarged which may have been missed earlier. If it cancer or something, we would like to investigate from there.

Do let me know once you examined.

REgards
Dr Naval

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E