| Everything about Scabies |
| Written by Arnold JAM | |
In contrast to insects with six legs, itch mites have eight. These small parasites which are very tiny, just 1/3 millimeter in length, but are capalble of much irritation and discomfort! It is because they burrow into the skin that intense itching develops especially during the night. A condition called scabies develops which cannot be seen with the naked eye. A microscope or a magnifying glass is used to observe the mites which cause scabies. Most of the time children get infected with scabies.
How does one get infected with scabies?It is necessary to know everything about scabies, if you want to prevent yourself from being infected. Person to person contact of the skin is usually the cause behind the spreading of the infection. The scabies mite is very sensitive to its environment. Under most conditions the mites are able to live off the host body for about a day or two. The mites may not be spread in schools, where students mostly sit a little away from each other. However, other forms of physical contact like a child being hugged by the mother, sexual contact, too much of physical togetherness between friends and relatives could be some of the reasons for contracting the infection.Children should be made to understand everything about scabies as they are the ones who get affected the most. Chances of getting infected by shaking hands are few. One could get infected by sharing bed clothes, or using another person’s clothes. Other types of itch mites infect animals like cats and dogs too. Human scabies is not spread by animals. Mange is a kind of scabies on dogs. If any of the feline or canine mites come in contact with human skin, they produce a mild itching sensation on the skin which goes away after some time. In humans, scabies has to be treated in time or it worsens as time progresses. Symptoms and signs of scabies:Those who know everything about scabies are able to recognize the condition very easily. Scabies looks like a skin rash affecting specific areas of the body only. The back of the elbow, wrists, area around the waist, area around the nipples, buttocks, genital area, umbilicus, the knees, the auxiliary folds, the sides and the back of the feet and most commonly the web area between the fingers are scabies-hit. Small blisters and red bumps appear on the skin which indicates scabies infection. The red bumps are called papules in medical terms and contain blood crusts. There may be many red bumps, but not all of them are indicative of the bugs. Although hundreds of pimples or ‘bugs’ could appear; but only a few have live mites in them. We find that a lot of children develop the scabies rash on the soles of the feet, the palms, the neck, face and head. The condition is not found in so much in older children and adults, as generally they are equipped to maintain better hygiene than small children. In most of the medical textbooks online and offline, everything about scabies is described in detail. They are described as tunnels or burrows, which appear red, brown or grey tiny threadlike projections that usually disappear on scratching the region. An itchy skin condition with linear scratch marks could develop in older people, and these are often mistaken for burrows. Curing scabies:A qualified medical practitioner is the one person who will be able to tell you everything about scabies and in detail. Scabicide drugs prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner are administered for curing scabies. Most of the over the counter preparations are not effective all the time. For treating scabies one can apply mite killer topical creams on the affected area at night and then wash off the residual cream in the morning. Repeated application of the cream is required for a period of at least one week. Different types of creams are available in the market, which are effective in the treatment of scabies. Instructions should be read carefully before application. There are some medications that can be taken orally, but only after being prescribed by a qualified doctor. You may know everything about scabies but it is always better to take the advice of a doctor. This is very necessary if the infection is of the higher end, to prevent allied infections. Wash bed clothes and linen in hot water as a preventive measure. There is no need to clean out or do away with the entire wardrobe as mites don’t live long away from the human body. Everything about scabies has to be understood because it is only then that you can take the required precautions for preventing the infection. If you notice that the condition is not getting cured with appropriate medication, further clinical diagnosis may be required. |
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